Page 67 of Distant Shores (Stapled Magnolias #2)

My nose burned as I sniffed back tears, and Delly surged forward, throwing her arms around me. “This is good, Addy,” she said, squeezing me tight. “Please don’t be sad about it, even a little. I promise I’ll be good.”

I clutched her to me, holding onto her for just one more moment.

To the little girl who was my sole purpose for years.

“I’ll be good, Addy,” she repeated. “You’ve made sure of that.”

The tears were falling when she released me, and I wiped at them while she walked a few steps away, gathering herself and giving me the space to do the same.

I watched in the mirror as she put her hands on her hips and looked down at her feet, squeezing her eyes shut.

I looked away before she could catch me and wiped away the fresh tears that came.

Another thing I hadn’t expected about falling in love? How many endings came with the beginnings.

We fell into our workout a bit later, sharing small smiles as we went through our circuits, and by the time the gym door creaked open again, we were both sweaty and red-faced.

Ireland walked in, and Delly quickly covered her face with her towel, turning her head toward me and giving me an excited smile .

I was surprised she didn’t squeal and announce my intentions right then and there.

After giving her a warning look that I hoped was subtle, I smiled at Ireland.

And… she definitely looked suspicious, her eyes flitting between us.

Damnit.

“Delly,” she said, walking into the room. “Lenny wants us to come over to her house to try on gowns for the gala.”

Delly dropped her towel and looked at Ireland with wide eyes. “Is that… advisable?”

Ireland’s smile was almost… wicked , and I had to shift away from them.

No good getting an erection right now. No good at all.

“No, but it’ll save us buying one ourselves.”

Cole walked in next, his eyes flitting around the room. Delly frowned at him, then turned back to Ireland.

“You think she has dresses that’ll fit both of us?”

“She says she does,” Ireland said with a shrug.

Cole sauntered over and clapped me on the shoulder. “Happy Fourth.”

I smiled at him. “I’m glad you made it. How was the drive?”

Cole had been a huge help with the fundraiser, once again volunteering his time to set up tomorrow and take photos during the event on Saturday.

He shrugged. “Fine. Got another set in you?” he asked, tying his hair up and setting up the machine beside me.

I glanced over at Ireland but jolted when I saw she was already walking straight to me.

“See you at home?” she asked, stopping between my legs and resting her hands on my shoulders.

“Yeah,” I said with a smile. “You already been by to see your dad? ”

She nodded. “Just did. He was already asleep on the couch in the rec room. Pops was headed back to the apartment with Jillie and Rachel.”

I meant to respond, to say something about Rachel’s impending due date or the holiday, but I just… got lost in her, forgetting everything else.

“I better go before Lenny comes looking,” she said eventually.

Neither of us moved.

I reached for her, but then remembered my sweaty hands and grimaced, letting them drop back to my thighs. “Sorry. Sweaty.”

Her lips quirked up before she leaned down and kissed me softly, once on the lips, and then on my cheek.

My fingers twitched, desperate to grab her and take another kiss, but then Delly cleared her throat.

“Shall we?” she asked from the door.

Ireland’s gaze lingered on mine for one more second before her hands fell from my shoulders.

I watched her go the entire way.

A heavy sigh drew my attention to Cole, who had his chin propped between his fists, elbows braced on his thighs.

“I’m so jealous, I may die, babe.”

I crooked a smile. “You’ll survive it.”

He stood up and threw a towel over his shoulder. “Still up for another circuit?”

I thought of all the things that needed to happen before Saturday and the thing I really needed to do tonight before going back to the house.

I took a long sip of water, wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, and nodded.

The entire time Cole put me through my paces, I prepared to have yet another difficult conversation .

Because ever since that day Pops hadn’t recognized me, we’d been careful of each other.

Too careful.

And that ended today.

After Cole pushed me to the point of crying for mercy, he slapped me on the back with an excited smile and practically skipped out of the gym, throwing a reminder over his shoulder about the fireworks we were going to see on the beach later.

When I made it to Apartment 3A, I paused at the closed door, glancing at the empty space beside me and wishing Ireland was with me.

Then I remembered that smile—the one she’d given me that day, huge and relieved , when I’d knocked on this door with her.

I understood it now. Painfully.

Jillie answered when I finally knocked, and Pops appeared beside her a few moments later, a little unsteady and tired, but the recognition in his eyes was unmistakable.

And so was his sadness. His guilt.

“Hey, Bud.”

“Hey, Pops.”

With my head held high and the memory of Ireland’s strength beside me, I walked inside.