Page 113

They talk the whole way home, and it feels like the time flies, that we’re quickly pulled up outside Verity’s house.

“So, how did you sneak out?” I ask, looking at Maddie.

“I climbed down the flower trellis. The same way I plan to go in.” She gives me a hopeful expression, and then her face falls, because I’m pretty sure she’s anticipating my answer.

“What you’re going to do is walk through that front door and tell Verity what happened. If you want us to stop treating you like a baby, then you need to admit what you did like a grown-up,” I tell her.

“I can just tell Mum in the morning,” she grumbles.

“Madeline Grace Adler,” I warn.

“Fine,” she complains. She gives me a little eye roll before unclipping her seatbelt.

“Do you want me to come in with you?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “No, it’s fine. You two go back to whatever you were planning on doing this evening,” she suggests before wrinkling her nose. “Not that I ever want to know about it.”

“Joseph was just driving me home after dinner with Felix when you called,” I shoot back.

“Whatever, Delilah. You’ve never been able to tell a direct lie. Right, I’m going to go. Wish me luck.”

She opens the car door and gets out. When I glance over at the house, I can see Verity is already waiting by the open front door.

“Goodnight, Maddie,” Joseph calls, and she gives him a little wave. He looks at me as she walks up the path towards home. “How much will Verity shout?”

“A suitable amount.” I chuckle. “A little more than my dad would have, but it’s justified, I would say.”

He stares at me for a moment, a soft smile on his face.

“I stand by my comment earlier,” he states.

“What, that you’ll show me a good time tonight?”

“That when you choose to have a child, you’ll be a good mother. But if that’s too heavy of a topic, do you want to come back to mine, and I’ll see through that promise of a good time?”

“I have to come back to yours. My car is there,” I tease.

He shifts a little closer to me, holding my gaze, and I don’t feel like I automatically want to turn away from his attention.

“Delilah. Do you want to come home with me? To see where this could all lead?” he asks.

“Yes, Joseph,” I whisper. “I want to see where this goes.”

He gives me another of his beautiful smiles, and then he reaches for my hand, lifting it to his mouth so he can kiss across my knuckles.

“No more secrets,” he murmurs.

“No more running,” I murmur back.

“Hearts wide open,” he adds.

Unable to form a response because my throat feels tight, I just nod back at him.

Joseph gives my hand a final kiss before putting the car back in gear and starting the drive to his house. I take a deep breath and settle back in my seat, my heart racing with anticipation.

***

“Are you tired?” Joseph asks. He shifts slightly in the bed, moving some strands of hair and tucking them behind my ear.