AARON

It had been a long time coming, but I finally did it.

Well, most of it anyway.

I’d finally put an end to something I’d been doing for far too long, and I’d deal with those consequences when they showed up. However, I had a suspicion they never would.

The last change I needed to make would be more difficult because before I could stop, I’d have to talk to Faith. I’d have to tell her what I’d been doing. Come clean and take my lashes if there were any to be had. 

Deep down, the conversation had been looming for weeks, like the only cloud in our otherwise sunny sky. Sometimes it was easy to push aside, to ignore, but I had to do the right thing. I had to find the right time.

After I’d spoken to my banker, I realized how rude I’d been to Faith when she told me about her new job. How I’d frozen up. How I’d panicked.

I was ashamed of myself, but she easily let me off the hook when I apologized for leaving in such a hurry. I never went into detail about it, never lied, only told her I was sorry that I hadn’t said goodbye. Then I had two shifts in a row that weekend, and by the grace of God, she was glad to see me Sunday afternoon, which was awesome because every time I walked past that one side of engine number one I’d get hard as hell thinking about what we’d done there.

I honestly thought she’d bring my attitude up some other time, and that would be my sign that it was time to put everything on the table. But she didn’t, and the days only got better and better.

The end of the summer had flown by, and it truly felt like a new season in Wynne. Faith loved her banker’s hours and actually enjoyed her days, even cutting her bartending hours down by a lot. Although she’d been overwhelmed with so much to learn at first, after a few weeks had passed, she was becoming more confident. 

Randy and I promoted Wade to the position I’d been in and Randy backed down to part-time. So that meant, at least for the time being, I could have most weekends off. Unless there was a call.

We took a trip to Browning and bought Delaney’s first wardrobe of school clothes, supplies, and even found her a Moana backpack.

Being there for those firsts—Delaney’s firsts—was incredible.

My feelings for Faith only grew, but being in Delaney’s life was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. Here was this sweet, feisty, beautiful, smart baby girl, and day-by-day I was learning this whole new brand of love.

When she giggled, there was nothing in the world more important to listen to. When she needed help, I wanted to be someone she could come to for it. When she cried ... well, I did not like that. Not at all.

Honestly, it made me feel like puking.

“She just bumped her head,” Faith appeased before bed one Sunday night.

Watching the mother care for her child, I was one second away from calling Will and Carol over to check her.

Faith put her hand on my arm to calm me down, but Delaney’s crocodile tears looked serious. “Aaron, she’ll be okay. There’s not even a knot. It’s not her first head whack and it won’t be the last.”

On the counter sat a bawling angel. 

Seriously, I was about to gag or punch something.

That was until Del sniffled, snorted, wiped her face and then explained, “Yeah, Aaron. I’ve did this before. I’m probably gonna be okay. I just need a minute. Right, Mom?” She hiccupped and coughed a few times before she put her head on her mother’s chest for support while Faith held a cold washcloth to the sore spot for her.

Faith was a real-life hero and masterfully handled the crisis.

Fuck. Would I be able to keep my shit cool if Delaney ever got hurt or cried when Faith wasn’t around?

God, I hoped so.

Especially since I’d be watching her in the afternoons on the days when I didn’t have a shift, and school was starting the next day.

After the major-head-wound-that-nearly-sent-me-to-an-early-grave fiasco was managed, and all tears and noses were wiped dry, she went to bed excited about her first day of school, and her excitement didn’t fade through the night.

She woke up early on Monday, raring to go. “Mom, can I wear pigtails to school?”

Faith looked around the kitchen. The new morning schedule was full of kinks and hitches, but I was in no hurry and had nothing pressing to get to. I think Delaney was taking every day in stride, but we were still getting familiar with spending so much time with one another. Honestly, I didn’t care what hiccups we faced as long as the three of us were together more than not.

“Let me get this cleaned up. You go give the Madame her pigtails. It’s the first day.”

Faith’s face twisted and she cackled because, although she said it all the time, I’d never called Delaney that before, and it was crystal clear how I was a major pushover.

Oh well. I couldn’t help it.

“See?” she commiserated on the sly, cupping her mouth. “We need to pray for her teachers.” Before she left the room, she lifted up on her toes and kissed me, and then passed me the towel she had been using. “Thank you,” she whispered against my lips.

I had the whole day off. So my plans were to pick up my chainsaw at the hardware store, maybe give our yards a quick pass over with the rider—I’d been driving down the street and doing Faith’s along with mine—and then I’d find something to do to kill the time until Delaney needed to be picked up.

It was stupid how much fun it was to slow-the-fuck down.

When the cups and bowls were put away, and the cereal boxes and juice were cleared off the table, I gathered the clothes I needed to wash at home and snuck my head into the bathroom.

Delaney stood on a footstool they kept in there and Faith was combing through a section of half the dark blond hair on her head. Both their faces were happy and carefree, and at about the same time, they found me in the mirror and smiled together.

You don’t always get to pick your family, but I’d choose these two every damn time.

“Do you think Mom should braid my tails?”

Again, one of them had caught me and stuck me in the middle to settle a difference of opinion. Those were always tricky, and more frequent by the day.

Normally, I wanted to back up Faith and tended to side with her because she knew what the hell she was doing, but sometimes I didn’t know which way was up. So I went with my gut.

“Braids,” I answered. She’d worn them before and I remembered Faith had suggested them a time or two.

Obviously, that wasn’t the side Delaney had been on, but she conceded on the spot. “Okay, we’ll do braids now, but not tomorrow.”

Faith agreed, “Deal. You’re going to look so cute.”

Delaney scowled, but laughed when Faith swung her tails in opposite directions like two props on a plane.

“Mom, stop.”

I stepped into the small room, reached for Faith, and kissed her on the forehead. “I’m heading out, but I’ll see you later. Have a good day.”

Bending down, I pecked Delaney on her forehead too. “And I’ll see you after school. Have fun. I can’t wait to hear all about it.”

My hand slipped down the curve of Faith’s arm and I left, ready to get the day going so it wouldn’t drag on and on. In the living room, my dog lay on the rug, not in a hurry to go anywhere.

“Come on.” The snap of my hand across my jeans got his attention, and I nodded to the door. “Time to go home.” Lazily, he stretched and got to his feet. He was about as excited to leave as I was. “We’ll see them later.” 

Then, waiting for Smokie by the door in her living room, I made a big decision. I would buy my parents’ house, and hopefully by the time the paperwork was done, Faith and Delaney would want to move in. Because this being apart and scattered up and down the street wasn’t good for any of us.

Bouncing back and forth, running two houses between us, wasn’t good enough anymore. I’d warned her of my plans early on and not once had she contested them, not once had she debated a single step on my list. I was ready to move forward and there wasn’t a single reason not to.

Well, there was one.

I’d man-up and address it when we were together later that night, once and for all.