by Rhonda James
He surprises me by going lower than what he offered Laney. “Thirty-five hundred.” Our eyes connect for the briefest of moments, and what I see there is understanding. I guess my love for her is that obvious. I avert my eyes and try to keep it together. She’s having financial trouble and didn’t talk to me about it? I shake my head and curse her stubbornness.
“You take plastic?” I hold up my gold card. “While you’re at it, add on my buddy’s ring, too.”
“No!” Cage interjects and crosses his arms in defiance.
“Yes,” I instruct the owner then turn back to Cage. “Trust me, you’re taking me to The Library so I can find her and figure out what the fuck is going on. While I’m at it, I’ll probably beat the shit out of her boss for taking advantage of her, and you’ll have to bail me out of jail. So, trust me, this is the least I can do to repay you.”
“You know I’ll always post bail,” he scoffs. “Even still, I’m paying you back. There’s no fucking way I’m letting Tony Stark buy my girl’s engagement ring.” He winks, and despite my current mood I can’t resist laughing at the superhero reference. It’s been a recurring theme ever since we found a stash of comics hidden in his closet. After that, he gave us all superhero nicknames we use as an inside joke.
“Yeah? It’s not my fucking fault that superhero suit of yours doesn’t have pockets.” His laugh deepens, and he embraces me in a one-armed hug.
“Don’t worry, bro. We’ll find her and get all this shit sorted out.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
DEREK
“She’s still not answering her phone,” I tell him as I type out another text asking Laney to call me. I haven’t left a voicemail, because quite frankly, I don’t know what to say or where to start. She’s losing her home? Christ. This is probably what she’s been keeping from me all this time. It’s no wonder she’s been killing herself working five nights a week at that fucking club. Why couldn’t she have just told me about this? Did she think I wouldn’t understand? Did she honestly believe I would think less of her? Her parents died, and she was left to pick up the pieces. No one her age should have to face that kind of hardship.
“Give her some time. She’s probably working and hasn’t checked her phone. We’re almost at the club; we’re only about ten minutes out,” Cage assures me.
“I’m calling there. Who knows, maybe they’ll put me through to her.” I pull up the number on my phone, and it starts to ring immediately.
“The Library. What can I help you find today?” a woman says.
“Yeah, I’m trying to speak to Delaney Dixon. She’s a dancer there. She’s working tonight,” I say in my calmest voice, though calm is definitely not how I’m feeling.
“Laney? Hang on a sec, hon.” I hear muted voices, and then a man comes on the line. “Who is this?” he demands.
“This is her boyfriend, Derek. Who the hell are you?”
“Gavin Anderson. I own this establishment. Laney’s not working tonight. She came in earlier and told me she was sick and needed to be at home. Something about food not agreeing with her or something like that. I offered to drive her home, but she refused. She didn’t look good, man. Her color was off, and I could tell she wasn’t her usual self. Are you heading over to her house? That’s where she said she was going,” he says, sounding concerned.
Shit.
“I’m headed there now. I just need directions,” I confirm.
“Listen, if something’s going on, would you mind calling me? I’m pretty worried about her. She’s a great girl and a damn good employee.”
Yeah, an employee you’re not going to have for much longer. Not if I have anything to say about it.
“Will do. Thanks.” He gives me directions and I disconnect the call. “Change of plan. Get off at this exit. We’re going to her house on Parker Road.” I direct Cage to the house, and he pulls in the driveway. Her car isn’t here, but maybe she’s parked it in the garage. I open the door to get out, while Cage starts to unfasten his seatbelt. “Listen, man. You mind waiting out here? I have no idea what to expect or how long I may be. Maybe you should just head back to the house, and I’ll call you later.”
“No way, man. Go and do what you have to do. I’ll be right here,” he insists like the great friend he is.
“You sure? I may be in there a while,” I offer, but he just points his hand toward the house and doesn’t say another word.
The house is dark, but the front door is unlocked, so I go inside.
“Laney? Where are you, babe?” I call out to let her know I’m here. She doesn’t answer, so I check every room on the first floor before heading up the stairs to start checking rooms. It’s weird to think we’ve been dating all this time and she’s never invited me to her house. I asked her about it once, but the way she reacted gave me the impression she might be ashamed of where she lived or something, so I never brought it up again. I figured she would invite me out when she is ready. Laney is funny that way. She’s carefree about some things, but others she keeps closely guarded. Her family being one of those things.
The house itself is beautiful. Beautiful wood floors and rooms with decorative moldings on the ceilings. I don’t know a lot about architecture or decorating, but I know enough to say her parents did a beautiful job on this house. Picture frames line the hallway upstairs. I see one photo that captures my attention. In it, Laney looks to be around seventeen and the woman standing beside her must be her mom. They’re almost identical. They’re sitting on a porch swing, heads together, wearing cheesy smiles for the camera. They look happy. Over the last few months, I’ve seen a glimpse of this Laney. This past week… Not so much.
“Laney? Baby, we need to talk. Are you here?” I enter a room that undoubtedly belongs to her. Her Iron Man tank top lies bunched up at the foot of her bed. Various framed pictures of the two of us are scattered about the room. A loose picture of me is tucked in the corner of her mirror. It’s a print of a photo she took that night inside the coat closet. The night we first met. I flip it over and see something written on the back in her scripted handwriting.
My best friend. My lover. My everything.
Derek Davis - January 8, 2016
I smile and tuck it back where I found it. She’s clearly not home, and I’m at a loss for where to look next. Cassie’s already reported back to Cage that Laney isn’t in her dorm room. I walk into the bathroom and splash some cold water on my face, hoping maybe it will shock me back to life. I feel as if I’m walking around in a haze. I’m at a loss for what to do next. Why would she just up and disappear like this?
The reflection of something in the mirror catches my eye, and when I see what it is, I’m instantly jolted back to life. Two pregnancy tests lie side by side on the counter. Both tests have been used. Both reflect the same result.
Positive.
Laney’s pregnant?
I stagger backwards and fall back onto the toilet seat. Thankfully, the lid is already down.
I’m going to be a father? Me?
Holy shit.
I’m feeling so many things right now. Excited. Nervous. Scared shitless. Humbled. I mean, I never thought I would be standing here holding not one, but two positive pregnancy tests in my hand and not be freaking right the fuck out. But surprisingly enough, I feel pretty calm. Through our love, Laney and I created a child together. A baby. Shit. I don’t know the first thing about babies. I know they cry a lot, and if we’re lucky, they’ll sleep a lot. And I can just picture Laney pregnant. God, she’s going to be even more beautiful. I’ve heard pregnancy makes women horny. I hope so.
Wait. Can women have sex when they’re pregnant? Duh! Of course they can. What the hell am I thinking?
Wow. A baby.
This might explain why she hasn’t been answering my calls. She’s bound to be scared. Probably freaking out about how I’ll handle the news. Honestly, I may be freaking out a little bit, but I’ll never tell her that. She needs me to be strong and be there for her. Sure, I have
no idea how the fuck to be a father, but I know I have the best one around, so I have a pretty good idea of where to turn if I need some fatherly advice. But what about Laney? She doesn’t have anyone she can turn to for that kind of help. That must make news like this even harder for her to accept. I hope she knows how much I love her. I only hope I can find her and tell her, because I have a sneaking suspicion she may need a gentle reminder.
I head back to Cage’s truck with the two tests clutched tightly in my left hand. He’s playing with his phone when I climb into the cab, but he quickly stops when he sees my face.
“What happened in there? Was she home? Did she talk to you?” he drills me for answers.
“She’s pregnant,” I mumble and open my hand. He looks down and sees the two little lines in the center box, and his hand goes to his mouth.
“Oh, fuck. Oh, Jeezus. Derek.” He releases a long breath, and then his face breaks out into a huge grin. “Dude. You’re gonna be a daddy.” He claps me on the back, which is when I see a tear slip down his fucking cheek.
“Dude, are you crying?” My own eyes start to tear up, and I have to look away. “You better not breathe a word of this to Rivers. He’ll never let us live this shit down.” Now we’re both a couple of blubbering, smiling idiots.
“Fuck that. These are happy tears. If Rivers were here right now, his ass would be crying, too.” He laughs and wipes at his face with the back of his hand.
“I have to find her. This totally explains why she’s been avoiding my calls. I’m sure she’s scared out of her mind and probably feels alone. She doesn’t have anyone else to talk to. Have you heard anything more from Cassie?” I ask hopefully.
“No, but—“ he starts to tell me something, but his phone rings and cuts him off. He glances at the screen, but when he sees the name on Caller ID, he chooses to ignore it. “It’s just Mike Vickers calling to brag about his latest conquest,” he scoffs.
“Go ahead and take it. I’m gonna try Laney one more time.” I pick up my own phone and start pressing buttons.
“Yo, what’s up, Mikey? You bag another bunny?” He looks at me and rolls his eyes, prompting us both to laugh, then he turns serious and his forehead wrinkles in concern. “Uh huh. Uh huh. No, you did the right thing by calling. Thanks a lot, man. No. Don’t do anything. Just hang back and let me know if anything changes before we get there.”
Immediately, I sense that something isn’t right, and my stomach tenses. “Cage, what the fuck is going on?”
“I know where she is.” He grins.
“Where?” I growl.
“Thompson Arena,” he declares with authority then races down Jackson Avenue at breakneck speed.
What the fuck is she doing there?
***
I find her sitting on the floor of the locker room with her back leaning against my locker and her knees pulled tight against her chest. Her cheek rests on top of her knees while her hands are tucked under her legs. There’s a vacant expression present in her eyes. One I’ve never seen on her. Or anyone else for that matter.
She looks like a girl who’s lost all hope.
Hope.
I fold my legs under me and crouch down next to her behind the bench. The anger and confusion I felt earlier have been replaced by sadness and unease. The sight before me is much worse than last week when I found her in my bathroom. I’m clearly out of my element, but I’m trusting the love I have for her will guide me in what to do.
“Hi, baby,” I whisper softly.
“Hi,” she says in a breathy voice. “How’d you find me?”
“Sweetie, don’t you know by now I always have people looking out for you?” I answer light-heartedly before I get serious. “I spoke with Gavin, and he told me you were sick. You should have called me. I could have taken care of you.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve had a lot on my mind. Why’d you call my boss?” she asks quietly.
“I needed to talk and you weren’t answering your phone. I was worried about you. I worry, because I love you.” I circle my arm around her small waist and gently lift her into my lap. When she’s safely tucked against me, I lift her right hand up to my lips and kiss her ring finger. “I think you’re missing something.” I dig the ring out of my pocket and slide it back on her finger where it belongs.
She gasps and peers up at me through tear-filled eyes. “Where did you find this?”
“Right where you left it.” I lace our fingers together and trace my thumb over the letters out of habit. “I figured maybe you could use a little hope right now.”
Her bottom lip quivers as she lets go and falls apart in my arms. This feels eerily similar to last week. That time, I said the wrong thing and she pushed me away. I have no intention of doing that tonight. I’m still not sure how I can make this better, so I do what comes naturally. I gently rock her in my arms and whisper promises of love and forever. I want her to know I am here and I’m not going anywhere. I would never leave her, and I will never, ever stop loving her.
“There’re so many things I need to tell you,” she mumbles between sobs. “Things I should have told you a long time ago, but I was ashamed for you to know and afraid you would leave me if you found out the truth.” She hides her face behind her hands but remains tucked against me. She shivers, so and I reach for my varsity jacket off the bench and wrap it around her.
“I lied to you about my dad,” she says in a voice so low I almost don’t hear it.
“What do you mean, you lied?” I kiss her hair to assure her it’s okay to keep talking.
“My dad didn’t die in that car crash. Well, physically, he didn’t, but he may as well be dead. A drunk driver ran them off the road, and they flipped and hit a tree. Dad survived, but my mom was trapped in the car. There was gas leaking everywhere, and Dad tried frantically to get Mom free of the wreckage. When the car caught fire, she begged him to leave her, but he refused and kept struggling to get her out. She pleaded with him to stay alive and take care of me. He suffered second and third degree burns on over sixty percent of his body. The doctors weren’t sure if he was going to pull through. He’d done everything he could to save her, but in the end, it wasn’t enough and he watched her die. That night, his heart died right along with her.” I hold her while she continues to pour her heart out to me, letting go of the secrets she’s been clinging so tightly to.
“Baby. I’m so sorry. I don’t even know what else to say.” I’m completely floored by her admission.
“I’m not done. I have more,” she says, her voice sounding a little stronger. “I’m attending GLU on a dance scholarship. They cover courses and my living expenses, and I have to live in the dorms. Well, I’m supposed to, but the dean knows of my situation, so we’ve worked it out so I only have to stay in South Quad two nights a week. The rest I spend out at the house. I started working at The Library in late July when I learned my dad hadn’t been making the house payments. I’ve been working as many shifts as I can get, paying what I can to the bank so I can keep the house. That house is our home,” she says through tears. “My dad worked hard to make it a place Mom would be proud of. And Mom worked hard to make it a home for all of us. I couldn’t bear the thought of someone else coming in and taking one more thing away from me. I almost had enough saved and was supposed to take the money to the bank after I left work today. I had an envelope with close to ten thousand dollars in cash that I’d been saving. That was almost half of what I still owe. Someone stole it out of my car this afternoon.”
“Fuuuck,” I cry into my own hand. She can’t seem to catch a break. I want to stop her and tell her it’s okay, I’ll pay whatever it is she still owes on the house. I’ll go to the bank in the morning and take out the money, and she’ll be free and clear. She’ll be able to quit her job and focus on school. We can spend more time together and continue building what we have. We can travel. We’ve got our whole future to be responsible adults. Now’s the time for us to be carefree and live spontaneously. We can adult later. Let�
��s just be crazy for a little while. Or at least until our baby is born.
I want to say all that, but I don’t out of fear she’ll push me away again.
“It doesn’t matter anyway. They already have a buyer for the house, so it’s too late,” she mumbles into my chest. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now. Maybe I’ll go back to Atlanta and stay with Kelly for a while.”
“You can come stay with me,” I blurt out. She’s having my baby. There’s no way in hell she’s going anywhere without me.
“I couldn’t do that to you, Derek. I’m not going to ask you to change your life for me. That wouldn’t be fair to you. Besides, you’re a really great guy. I’m sure you’re just saying that because now you feel sorry for me.” She picks absently at one of the holes in her jeans.
“None of this changes the way I feel about you. You could have told me all of this that first night, now, or somewhere in between. It wouldn’t have mattered. It wouldn’t have mattered because I love you. So much.” I turn her around so she’s straddling me and I can see her face. “I love you unconditionally. Nothing you say or do will ever change that. You can’t scare me away, baby.” I press a kiss to her trembling lips. Then I pull my jacket tighter around her and kiss her again to help warm her up.
The kiss is soft, tentative, and slow at first. Then it turns hungry, like she can’t get close enough to me. Her mouth falls open, and my tongue eases its way inside. Her mouth is warm and wet, and she tastes of peppermint. A moan resonates at the back of my throat when she rubs her center over my semi-hard cock. I push down the idea of sex, knowing this is what she needs right now. Any more than this would be too much for her to handle. I rest my palms against her cheeks and thread my fingers through her hair. The muscles at the nape of her neck are tense, so I work them gently with the tips of my fingers. I angle my head to the left and deepen the kiss. My tongue makes sweet passionate love with hers, and it goes on for so long that when we finally break apart, we’re both laboring to catch our breath.