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Back Common Ground Save as PDF
Chapters (107)
  1. Glossary
  2. One
  3. Josh
  4. Two
  5. Delaney
  6. Three
  7. Delaney
  8. Four
  9. Delaney
  10. Five
  11. Josh
  12. Six
  13. Delaney
  14. Seven
  15. Josh
  16. Eight
  17. Delaney
  18. Nine
  19. Josh
  20. Ten
  21. Delaney
  22. Eleven
  23. Josh
  24. Twelve
  25. Delaney
  26. Thirteen
  27. Delaney
  28. Fourteen
  29. Delaney
  30. Fifteen
  31. Josh
  32. Sixteen
  33. Josh
  34. Seventeen
  35. Delaney
  36. Eighteen
  37. Delaney
  38. Nineteen
  39. Josh
  40. Twenty
  41. Delaney
  42. Twenty-One
  43. Delaney
  44. Twenty-Two
  45. Delaney
  46. Twenty-Three
  47. Delaney
  48. Twenty-Four
  49. Josh
  50. Twenty-Five
  51. Josh
  52. Twenty-Six
  53. Delaney
  54. Twenty-Seven
  55. Delaney
  56. Twenty-Eight
  57. Josh
  58. Twenty-Nine
  59. Delaney
  60. Thirty
  61. Delaney
  62. Thirty-One
  63. Delaney
  64. Thirty-Two
  65. Delaney
  66. Thirty-Three
  67. Josh
  68. Thirty-Four
  69. Delaney
  70. Thirty-Five
  71. Josh
  72. Thirty-Six
  73. Delaney
  74. Thirty-Seven
  75. Josh
  76. Thirty-Eight
  77. Delaney
  78. Thirty-Nine
  79. Josh
  80. Forty
  81. Delaney
  82. Forty-One
  83. Delaney
  84. Forty-Two
  85. Delaney
  86. Forty-Three
  87. Josh
  88. Forty-Four
  89. Delaney
  90. Forty-Five
  91. Delaney
  92. Forty-Six
  93. Delaney
  94. Forty-Seven
  95. Delaney
  96. Forty-Eight
  97. Josh
  98. Forty-Nine
  99. Delaney
  100. Fifty
  101. Delaney
  102. Fifty-One
  103. Delaney
  104. Epilogue
  105. Delaney
  106. Also by Wendy Smith
  107. About the Author

I leave the kitchen feeling like we’ve taken a step forward.

I’ll take it.

Twenty-Nine

Delaney

Despite the situation being very different, there’s a feeling of déjà vu that comes over me when Josh leaves.

We’ve been together for such a short time and soon we’ll be apart. Separated by oceans.

This time it’s different, but the way my heart aches thinking about him leaving makes me feel somewhat the same.

“I’ll call you every day,” he murmurs in my ear.

“I’m not holding you to that. I know you could get busy and forget.”

He shakes his head. “If I’m not going to be able to call you for any reason, I’ll tell you.”

My eyes fill with tears as he grasps my arms. It’s not fair. I swore I’d never cry over him again, and even though it’s for a different reason than last time, I’ve already broken my promise to myself more than once.

“Delaney. You’re it for me. You always were.”

He kisses me with so much tenderness, the tears escape and roll down my cheeks.

How can he make me any promises when he’s so far away?

“Talk to me.”

His eyes search mine.

“I love you,” I say. It’s all I have left in me right now.

“I love you too.” He wraps his arms around me and I close my eyes. I’m just glad Amelia said her goodbyes before she went to school today. That was emotional enough, but she has far more confidence than I do in this situation.

I’m feeling guilty just for doubting our relationship. Since we got back together, we’ve been solid. There’s nothing that should cause me any doubt. But we haven’t yet agreed on anything to do with the future.

Finding common ground is so hard.

“I need to go. But I want you to know just how much I do love you. You and Amelia are my whole world, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make this work.”

“I know,” I whisper.

“More than anything, I wish you’d come with me, but I understand why you’re not.” He lets me go, and looks at me with so much pride it hurts. “You’ve built your life here, and it’s hard to walk away when you’ve worked so hard. I’ll give you all the time you need, but we have to work this out.”

I nod. “We both need to do a lot of thinking.”

Josh just shakes his head. “I’m just thinking about when I can be with you again. Now, I have to go or I’m never leaving.”

“I wouldn’t complain if you stayed.”

He gives me one last hug, and a deep kiss that takes my breath away.

“Josh,” Mitch calls to him. “We’ve got to get going.”