brain churned, running through my limited options. At least I had options.
I had two glorious weeks to change her mind. And damn it, I would. I’d bet my ass on it.
I was in the last minute of the game and down a goal, but I wasn’t giving up. Not until the final buzzer.
Chapter Twenty-One
The Dress
~~Delaney~~
The next two weeks had to be enough to last a lifetime.
I sat next to Kaden on the dock bench. We’d lapsed into silence because there were no words for how we were feeling.
I’d made my final decision five minutes before I’d texted Kaden and told him before I changed my mind. He took it much better than I thought he would. In fact, his acceptance almost made me suspicious he had something up his sleeve.
I’d been sorely tempted to accept Steele’s plan and his mother’s help, whoever the hell she was, but mulling it over, there were too many strikes against revealing myself, along with risks I wasn’t willing to take.
My family, for one, couldn’t be trusted. Robert had warned me about how deep my dad was into this mess with Darrin, which was proven by how my dad had compromised his ethics and asked me to provide an alibi. My father had been willing to sacrifice his only daughter and my career for Darrin’s freedom.
They’d chosen him over their only child. That stung. Actually, it more than stung. It cut like a knife stabbed in my heart and sadistically twisted.
Running appeared to be my best option. Next time, I’d be smarter. I’d stay away from people, do my job, and not get close to anyone. Not having another relationship wouldn’t be hard. I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else but Kaden, but never having a close friend or two seemed close to impossible and tragically lonely. Yet such caution was necessary.
On the bright side, Kaden and I had two weeks. Two weeks of paradise before I continued this hellish nightmare that’d become my life. Two weeks before the fear overwhelmed me, and I was compelled to run again. This time I wouldn’t just be running to save myself, I’d be running to protect Kaden. Despite my wishes to the contrary, our relationship put him and anyone associated with him in danger.
But, yeah, I’d give us two weeks. That’s all I could afford. All I dared to chance. I might regret my decision, but I was doing it. I’d committed the next two weeks to Brody and Mandy and Kaden, and I’d honor those commitments. He deserved this, and so did I.
My time with him would have to be enough. I’d cherish the hours, hold the memories dear, and never forget the one man who’d stood my world on end, made my heart flutter and my head spin.
I loved him with a forever kind of love, the kind that’d withstand the test of time, and I wouldn’t ever forget our time together.
Kaden stirred next to me, turning slightly to face me.
“Two weeks?” He repeated my earlier words as if he hadn’t been sure of my meaning, when I knew he was.
“Yes, two weeks.”
He grinned, much to my surprise, looking oddly happy.
“You don’t seem too upset.” I had to say something because I was dying inside, and he looked ready to party hard.
“I’m not,” he said arrogantly. “Two weeks is plenty of time to convince you that you can’t live without me, and we’re in this together.”
He was right about one thing. I didn’t know how I’d live without him, but I’d survive. It’s what I’d become the best at.
I didn’t rain on his parade and dispute his ability to change my mind. Let him have his delusions, even though I had no such compunctions.
We were star-crossed lovers, battling an unhappy ending that refused to concede its power.
“There’s one thing,” he said earnestly.
“And that is?”
“Let’s do this right. Be my girlfriend.”
“Why?” I was confused.
“Because we both deserve it. I want to take you out, sleep next to you every night, do all the little things a guy does for his girl. I want to show you how good we can be together.”
That sounded nice, but I already knew how good we were together. Doing this for him would make it harder to leave, but he was right. We did deserve normalcy, no matter how fleeting.
“All right, I’ll be your girlfriend for two weeks, but that’s all I can give you.”
“I’ll take it. Two weeks of bliss. Two weeks of dreams coming true. Two weeks to cherish