“But I also can’t help the way I feel. I’ll give you the time and space to think about how to do this, but I want to see Amelia and get to know her. With you.”

She swallows hard. All this time we both went through so much unnecessary pain. Her feelings of betrayal. My feelings of abandonment.

We’ve already lost more time than we ever should have.

“All I wanted that morning was for whatever the producers wanted to end so I could make breakfast and join you in bed. I hope you know that.”

It’s small, but she nods. “I do now. I feel so foolish.”

“If the roles were reversed, I’d have been devastated to hear that. No wonder you didn’t want anything to do with me.”

“It hurt.” Those two words are all she gets out before she tears up again.

“I swear I’ll never hurt you again.” The urge to kiss her is back, but I need to leave her to think over what’s just happened and make a decision about our daughter.

She says nothing, but blinks a few times before giving me a gentle nod.

“I’ll get going and give you some space.” I pause. “But I want you to know that the ball is completely in your court. Whatever you decide, I’ll go along with. You know our daughter better than I do.”

I don’t mean that to sound bitter, but Delaney flinches and I take a breath to stop myself saying something else equally stupid. “Delaney, I didn’t mean anything bad by that. I’m trying.”

She nods again. “I know.”

I give her a tender kiss on the lips and stand up before I take it further. While I want nothing more than to drag her off to the bedroom and show her exactly how I feel, this isn’t the way to handle the situation.

We can’t use sex to avoid the conversations that are no doubt to come.

We need to take the time to decide our future together.

“Come and find me when you work out what we’re doing. You know where I am.”

I give her my number. She’s been to the house, and I’ll make sure she has access to the set.

I’m not afraid that she won’t be able to contact me.

Not this time.

Seventeen

Delaney

When I was a little girl, my mother used to take me to church every Sunday.

I haven’t been since I moved to town. I’m usually so tired by the end of the week, and I love my sleep-ins. But after a night of tossing and turning with next to no sleep last night—I feel so lost.

I’m not sure if this is the right thing to do, but it can’t hurt.