Chapter Thirty-four
Daisy-Mae
In the morning, westay at West’s instead of going to the main house for breakfast.I don’t feel up to banter and conversation today.I chose to sleep in and cuddle in bed with my baby.This lazy morning with Waylon is the most whole I’ve felt in a long time, and I’m not sure what that says about my marriage.Eddie made choices I would never make, especially not when it involved our son.He put my baby at risk, and I’ll never forgive him for that, but he didn’t deserve to die.I’m sad for my son, because Waylon won’t ever get the chance to know his father, though maybe that’s for the best.Maybe all Waylon needs is a man who shows up for him, who loves him, and treats him like his own, regardless of DNA.
West is still refusing to leave me unprotected after what happened with Eddie, and then Buck.Though he does give me the illusion of space by tending to the property around his house and playing with Ham in the yard—who is probably feeling neglected since Waylon and I moved in.
West’s family drop off meals and condolences, but he does a good job of keeping them away from disturbing me and Waylon.I feel guilty, and I should just leave the room and have coffee with them, but I’m so tired from the last twenty-four hours.I ache all over from last night, and I have sore muscles that I didn’t even know I had.So, I do what I’ve never been afforded as a grown-ass adult woman, I stay in bed and sulk.
I might not be up for visiting, but company finds me around noon when my phone lights up with Hadley’s face.I answer on the second ring, because I know this is a conversation I need to have.
“Daisy,” her voice is choked down the line.“I’m so sorry.”
I burst into tears.“I miss you.”
“I miss you too.What the hell happened?”
“I don’t know.”I sniff.I couldn’t tell my best friend about Eddie leading his thug friends to my house for the deed, not without risking West and his whole family’s involvement, my involvement.I hadn’t told her anything about that night, other than a pipe burst in my bathroom that flooded the entire house.As far as she knew, that was the reason for staying at West’s.“My guess is he was in with some shady people.”
“Oh, Dais.”
“I’m okay,” I say with more conviction than I feel.“Or I will be.We’ve been over a long time.Now I just want to move forward with my life.”
“As you should.Just remember, I’m only a phone call away.”
“And about four hours in my vehicle, I know.”
“Sooo,” she says, her voice taking on a teasing tone.“How’s life with the cowboy?”
The situation with Eddie wasn’t the only topic I was tight-lipped about.I’d kept secrets about what was happening romantically between West and I too, because I was frightened that talking about it would jinx us in some way.But it was time to come clean.
I chuckle.“Only you would call me and offer condolences about my dead husband and ask about my sex life in the same breath.”
“Does that mean there is a sex life to speak of?”
“Oh my god, Hadley.He is—”
“What, what?Big?Good?Big?”She squeals like a little kid, as if she was trying to contain her excitement this whole time.
That has me chortling so loud, I wake Waylon beside me.“He is everything.”Putting the call on speaker, I pick up my son, and pat him back to sleep.“I never knew it could be like this.Not with another person.”
“Aww, he’s good then.”She sounds like she’s tearing up again.“Daisy, I’m so happy for you.”
“Now hold on,” I say, conspiratorially.“I didn’t say he wasn’t big.”
She gasps.“Well, now I need every detail.When did this start?I mean, I know you’ve had a thing for him forever but—”
