Page 41 of Rain or Shine
"You have?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Oh yeah." He nods and presses another kiss to my lips and rests his forehead against mine.
We sit there in comfortable silence for a moment, the swing still gently rocking beneath us. The weight of his confession about his ex hangs in the air between us, but somehow it feels like we've crossed a threshold. He's trusting me with his painful past, and I'm trusting him with my uncertain future.
"So, what happens now?" I ask, my fingers playing with the collar of his shirt. "With her, I mean."
Tyler's expression hardens, the tenderness from moments ago replaced by a protective edge that makes my stomach tighten with worry.
"A report has been filed. However, I doubt anything will happen." He shakes his head. "The deputy who was here, he's a newbie. Not someone familiar with her, but he seemed genuine. My lawyer's going to look into what he can do. Contact her probation officer. See if he can't get her probation revoked."
"But what's stopping her from coming back?" I question, understanding dawning on me. "She's already proven she doesn't care about protection orders by coming here."
"No, she doesn't. It's always been about what she wants and when." His jaw clenches. "I'm going to get some cameras installed today. We’ve got them all around the ranch and Maddox’s, but I haven’t gotten to putting any up around here yet. I’ve got them in the hall closet, so I'll do that before going to pickup Dash from school. That way, if she does show up again and gets past the gate, I have proof. I doubt she can get past the gate, she’s not smart enough to do that, but who knows what she’ll try. I’m just going to be on the cautious side of things.'"
The swing creaks as he shifts, his arm tightening around me. I can feel the tension radiating from him, the way his body has gone rigid against mine.
"I need you to promise me something," he says, his voice low and serious.
"What's that?" I ask, searching his gaze, like that will give me the answer to all the questions swirling around in my head.
"If she shows up here or anywhere you are, you get away from her and call me immediately. The school knows she's not allowed to pick him up. She's not on any of his paperwork. They have a copy of the TPO and will have the PPO when it’s granted. Dash doesn't know her. He doesn't ask about her, hasn’t seen pictures of her, and I don't want her to see him. It'll only confuse him, and he's still too young to understand what's happening."
I nod, understanding the gravity of his request. "I'll call you," I promise. "But I don't know what she looks like."
His eyes search mine, looking for any hesitation, any sign that I might not take this seriously. I hold his gaze steadily, wanting him to see that I'm not going to be reckless.
"You'll know it's Megan because she will make sure you know it's her, but she's got dark brown hair, taller than you, and wears way too much makeup. She's dangerous, Delaney. Not just to me, but to anyone she thinks is taking her place. Taking what she deems hers."
The way he says it sends a chill down my spine. "I understand."
Tyler's phone buzzes in his pocket, breaking the intensity of the moment. He pulls it out, glancing at the screen.
"It's Barnes," he says, standing up from the swing while keeping one hand on my waist to steady me as I stand too. "I need to take this."
"Okay. You take it. I'm going to go inside and make myself something to eat."
"Wait for me. I’ll help."
I let out a sigh and nod. With all that he's shared and put up with already today, I'm not going to argue with him on this at least for the time being.
Chapter Sixteen
Tyler
Ididn't want to leave Delaney or Dash when I dropped them off at the school this morning. Not after the weekend we had together. If I could have, I'd have stuck to them both like glue. But I had a job to do myself.
This morning I convinced Delaney to let me drive her and Dash into town instead of her driving herself. Though she offered to take Dash since she was going there anyway, however, I wanted to take them myself.
Last night while putting Dash to bed, I talked to him and asked him what he thought about me having a girlfriend. My kid isn’t stupid by any means. Even at his age, he’d made his thoughts on the idea known as only a six-year-old could by asking if he’d have to see any mushy kissing. Then he had me laughing by asking if I was too old for a girlfriend.
The fact that my son is okay with Delaney and me exploring what’s between us eases yet another part of me.
After the conversation on the swing with Delaney, I felt lighter in a lot of ways. When I sat down next to her, I hadn’texpected it to turn the way it did, but I couldn’t help myself. Everything about the woman draws me in. Talking to her was easy. Open and honest. I made the decision right then and there, I wasn’t going to fight what’s between us.
If there’s one thing I’m learning about her, she’s nothing like my ex.
After ending my call with Barnes, the two of us enjoyed a light early lunch together, and I’d gotten to work putting the cameras up around my house as a precaution. Throughout the weekend we hadn’t heard another word from her and neither had her probation officer. Somehow, she’s ghosted everyone looking for her. It didn't sit right with me how she'd been able to do it. It's a small town, and word got around quickly, but no one had been able to catch up with the woman.
