Page 40 of Rain or Shine
“What?’ I jerk back at his answer.
Tyler lets out a not-so-joyful snort and shakes his head. “Trust me, Delaney, that’s never going to happen. I know her wanting her family back is no more than a lie. She's sent plenty of veiled threat letters over the past few years for me to know the truth. What she did today was about proving a protective order won't keep her away."
Tyler lets out a harsh breath and tilts his head back, staring at the ceiling of the porch. After a moment, he brings his gaze back to mine. "She's not right in the head. Totally crazy. I don't want to see her get her hands Dash. Who the hell knows what she will do to him if she does."
"Won't she go back to prison for violating probation?" I ask. I wasn't completely knowledgeable about the judicial system or how it works. “I mean, isn’t the protective order a part of her stipulations?”
"She was served a temporary one upon release. I’m supposed to go before a judge next week for a permanent one. I’ve already spoken with the guardian ad litem assigned to Dash. He did a home visit right after the TPO was filed. I can hope with this little stunt she goes back inside. The deputy and my lawyer are going to see what they can do. Barnes said he’ll also reach out to the guardian ad litem for me."
“Barnes?” I give him a questioning look.
“He’s my lawyer, but he’s also my uncle,” he answers.
“Oh,” I draw out, nodding.
“Yeah,” he grunts.
“Is there anything else you can do?” I ask.
“Not right now.” The way he grimaces makes me think there’s something else on his mind.
"But?" I don’t want to push, but this is the most he’s talked to me all week, and I don’t want him to shut down.
"Megan is good at getting out of trouble when she wants to. The woman is a master at manipulation when she needs to be. They might just give her a slap on the wrist and a warning since she didn’t get past the gate. If she had been able to get near Dash, the situation would be different because the order is for him and he wasn’t on the premises."
I really hated that. Why do women have to be such manipulative bitches sometimes? Seriously, is it so hard for them to be honest and not have to be so conniving about things? Or worse, throw the mother-load temper tantrums when they don't get their way?
Yes, I might pout, I might bitch, but I'd never be devious about getting what I want.
"You know I wouldn't do that to you or Dash?" I blurt out before I could stop the words from spilling out of my mouth.
Tyler's brows furrow and cocks his head slightly. “What?”
“I wouldn’t put you or him through anything like what she put you both through,” I whisper. “I’d never cause any harm to a child.”
"You think I think that?" he asks, one brow cocked.
"I'm not sure what you think," I admit. "But I don't want you to believe I'd do something so vindictive. So vile and hateful. I truly debated about telling you. When you came into my classroom for the open house, I nearly freaked out and let it slip,but that day was all about Dash. And I was scared out of my mind that you wouldn't want them. Even when I came to you and told you, I didn’t think you’d want them. But you had the right to know. They’re a part of you. I didn't think you'd want anything to do with me, and I was okay with that. I didn't want you to feel as if I was trapping you. I’m not that type of woman. I’d be okay with it if you simply wanted to co-parent together.”
"I don't think you're trying to trap me. Look, neither of us planned for this, but these kids are coming, and it would be in their best interest if their parents got to know one another before they arrive. I'm not an easy man, Delaney. My ex, she did a number on me. Left scars no one sees. I'm no one's first pick when it comes to building a life together.But we're in this situation, and I think we should give one another a shot. Take things slow. Get to know one another."
“I agree. I’m sorry for what your ex did to you and Dash. For the number she did on you. The scars that people leave behind aren’t easy to live with. They can be blinding at times. I hate that you don’t see yourself as someone's first pick. But if you think back to that night we shared, it was my choice to go with you. It was my choice to sit with you while we talked at the wedding. You didn’t twist my arm. There were a lot of guys there, but it was you that I picked. I didn’t care if we just went somewhere else to talk, I simply enjoyed spending time with you . . .”
“Fuck,” Tyler growls and shifts us so that I’m straddling his waist. “I messed things up with you big time. We’re going to get to know one another. See what happens. I can’t say I won’t fuck things up along the way. I’ve got a shit ton of baggage.
“I have my own baggage.”My lips part on a slow breath. My eyes burn to keep the tears at bay.
"You know what else?" he asks, pulling me in closer.
"What?" I manage to get out, my chest tight, heart racing.
“When Della told us she was going to the hospital because someone attacked you, my only thought at the time was making sure you were okay. I wanted to tell myself that it was about the babies, but it was you. I needed to see with my own eyes that there was still a chance to make things right between us.” His lips were barely a hair's breath from mine. "I'm going to kiss you now."
"Okay," I respond, my lips brushing against his with such a simple word.
Tyler does as he says, taking my mouth so different from the last time he kissed me. It's sweet. Caring. Gentle. His tongue slides against mine, and I melt into him, my hands coming up to rest on his shoulders. There's something so tender about this moment that makes my heart ache in the best possible way. When he finally pulls back, his eyes are dark with emotion, and I can feel my own pulse racing.
"I've been waiting to do that for too damn long. Hell, even before I knew you were pregnant, if I’m being honest," he murmurs, his thumb tracing the line of my jaw.
