Delaney's POV:

Chloe and Colt both fell asleep in my lap –one with one head on one leg and the other with their head on the opposite. I knew I needed to put them to bed but I didn't have the heart to move them. My babies needed a little extra loving tonight and since I was the only parent they had that seemed to care, I was about to give them all of it they wanted. Don't get wrong, I wanted nothing more than to call Alex, cuss his sorry ass out, and tell him just how I felt about the fact that he could go literal days without talking to his children. And eventually, I would. But I wouldn't do it with them sitting here and hearing what I had to say.They would learn soon enough what type of man their father was and it wouldn't be because I told them. Alex was doing a pretty damn good job at showing them his true colors.

Even after watching Tarzan as promised, Alex still hasn't called back. Literal hours have passed since they called, he still hasn't managed to pull himself away from his new woman to talk to his kids. Needing someone to vent to, I pulled up my texting app and sent Amanda and Layla a message in our friend chat. You know what I;m talking about... the chat that you and your best friend have where you absolutely spill all the tea, talk all the shit. The chat that could incriminate any of you should something happen to anyone that you have mentioned in said chat. Which was why we all knew that the first order of business if we were to die unexpectedly, was that we erase all messages from whoever's phone.

D: Alex is Alexing again 😡

A: What's Needledick done now?

L: Probably easier to ask what he hasn't done...

D: Do you know that he hasn't so much as called or texts to ask about the kids since we left Charlotte?

L: Doesn't surprise me

A: What an ass

D: Anything big going on in the sport this week?

A: I mean they are in Richmond, so no, not really.

L: Ryan hasn't said anything about anything going on

D: Was trying to give the benefit of the doubt 🙄

L: Come to think of it, I haven't seen him at any of the practices...

A: Want me to ask Chase?

D: I should say no but the kids will want to know whatever excuse he has. I think we all know what it's going to end up being...

L: Like he'll ever admit it

D: You're right. He won't...

A: Chase just said that he was at practice with William and that his hooker is there 🤢.

Before I could respond to the text, my phone rang. It was Layla and Amanda with a facetime. I turned the volume down and answered, making sure that both could see that I had sleeping kids in my lap. I couldn't help but smile though when I saw that Amanda was in a similar position with Gannon in her lap and Maisie resting on her chest. Layla had Rayna on her shoulder as if she was burping her.

"Sorry, not so easy to text and have a kid attached to your tit." said Layla, making me snort. It was still funny to me to hear her say words that weren't very family friendly since she had that whole Girl-next-door vibe about her. Or at least I thought she did until I picked up her kindle one day thinking it was mine. Let's just say when someone asks how I got into dark romances, Layla is to blame. That woman loved her romance novel D-A-R-K!

"It's so much easier when they can sit up on their own. But then you're basically just their milk cow. But hey, your hands are free." said Amanda. As if the universe needed to prove her point, Maisie moved then, revealing that she wasn't actually asleep on her chest, she was just nursing.

"I thought you were working on getting her off the boob." I said to Amanda.

"I am. But she won't go to sleep at night without it." Said Amanda. "Plus, if I don't get her off the boob, I'm gonna have one on each."

"Hold up... Are you saying what I think you are?"

"Maybe." said Amanda, giving me a smirk. And I knew exactly what it meant. It was the smirk that said she was keeping a secret –because Chase wanted her to– but she was about to spill it all to Layla and I.

"You and Chase really are working on starting your own Cup team." Layla laughed.

"How far along are you?" I asked.

"Twelve weeks today." She replied.

Chloe's question about how Aunt Manda got a bad in her belly came back to me then, making me giggle. When I looked back at my phone, I saw that Layla and Amanda were both looking at me as if I had lost all my marbles.

"Wanna fill us in on what you are laughing at?" asked Layla.

Giving the girls what they wanted, I told them the story of Chloe asking if Brantley was going to be her new daddy and how in her mind only people that were married kissed. I told them how she then hit me with how babies got in a woman's belly and how I'd snorted loudly as my mind compared Amanda to the Virgin Mary for the sake of my child. By the time I was done, both of them were laughing uncontrollably.

"I'm NOT looking forward to Rayna asking a bunch of questions." Said Layla. "But if her curiosity stays like it is right now, I'm sure I will be the one having to scramble for answers to the tough questions."

"Gannon hit me with the 'why are you always yelling at daddy that you're coming when I go to bed' the other day." said Amanda.

"I can't top that." I said with a laugh. "But Colt told me that he wanted Brantley to be his daddy and not Alex. Pretty much said that he wants Brantley because he shows him attention when Alex doesn't."

"That just breaks my heart." said Amanda. "I swear, I'm going to castrate him the first chance I get."

"What's cast-tate, Mama?" said Colt, his sleepy little voice pulling me away from the phone. He shifted on my lap, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Cas-trate," I said, correcting his speech. "It's what they do to bulls to are too cocky and hurt all the girl cows."

"Why does Aunt Manda–"

"Ladies, I gotta let you go. Talk tomorrow?" I said, cutting Colt off from asking his question because there was no doubt in my mind that Amanda would answer; and you could guarantee that it wouldn't be PG when she did.

"You know it. We didn't even get to the good parts." said Layla. I knew she was referring to what was happening between Brantley and I.

"Love yall."

"Love you!" they said in unisom.

Ending the facetime, I tossed my phone onto the couch before gently waking Chloe. When she stirred, I guided Chloe and Colton to their rooms. Almost as soon as they were tucked in, they were right back asleep.

I made my way back downstairs to clean up the mess we'd made from our little movie night. I'd just walked in the living room when I heard my phone chime from where I'd tossed it on the couch. Thinking it was probably Layla or Amanda, I didn't rush over to the phone. I finished all my tasks before picking it up. When I did though, my heart skipped a beat. The text had come from Brantley. And in it, a photo was attached; one of him sitting on the back porch shirtless, the moon dancing on the lines of his torso.

I sent him a photo back, one of me in my soffee shorts –another hang-around from highschool– and a tank top with my hair in a messy bun. His reply was almost instant.

B: You... me... date.. Tomorrow.

D: Is that you asking me on a date?

B: That's me DEMANDING you go on a date with me

D: Yes. sir 🫡

I watched the three little dots dance on my screen before disappearing and then reappearing, almost as if he was trying to figure out what to say. I knew I was playing with fine by answering him that way since there was no doubt in my mind that he was a dominant in the bedroom. But I just couldn't help myself.

I was just about to reply to him again, to ask if the cat got his tongue, another text came through.

B: See you tomorrow, Laney. Jeans and boots if you got 'em

D: What time?

B: Pick you up at 6. Mama's keeping Barrett and Bray. Already messaged Mr. Nick and asked if he and Gwen could watch Chloe and Colt. No excuses, sweetheart.

D: Goodnight, B 😗

B: Goodnight

I was practically vibrating with nervous energy. Spending time with Brantley with the kids around was one thing. Spending time with him alone was something different. There was no buffer between us. There would be no one to keep us from kissing when we wanted, touching when we wanted.

AND I CAN'T WAIT!