Del wasn’t sure how he should approach the situation. He knew, logically, that Justin couldn’t continue like this without him. He also didn’t want to think about being convenient, someone Justin held on to just because he provided comfort, childcare, food, and now, orgasms.
He didn’t know if they’d had chemistry outside this situation. If he’d met Justin somewhere else, would he have looked at the boy twice? And shit, Justin wasn’t a boy, another thing Del had to remind himself of still.
All he knew that right now, every time Justin walked into his house, Del felt…happy. He felt like Justin was the missing piece that made the house feel like a home. It had felt like a home before, sure, but now, with the kids and Justin added, it was somehow more
In any case, Del knew he was having these niggling doubts because of his once broken heart. He knew that there was a good reason to be suspicious of things moving too fast, but he also knew, logically, that this was a whole different situation.
In this one, he wasn’t the younger man, he was the older one. And that was what freaked him out.
His cell rang where he’d put it in the fruit bowl, and he quickly wiped his hands on the ever-present towel hanging over his shoulder. Then he frowned at the number that wasn’t saved on his phone and didn’t look familiar.
“Del Abbot,” he answered, still feeling oddly disconnected from his old surname despite having changed back to it legally as well.
“Mr. Abbot, this is Miss Lewis from the elementary school. I hope I’m not interrupting anything…?”
“Oh no, not at all. How can I help you?” Del asked, wracking his brain about what this could be about.
“Well, I’m calling because I’m here with Emily Smith and Harper O’Dwyer. We have a bit of a situation here, and Harper asked us to call you instead of her brother.”
“Oh…” Del blinked a few times, stunned speechless. Then his brain caught on. “Wait, why is the social worker there?”
“Mrs. Smith’s was the number on the file for Harper for some reason. She happened to be nearby, so she arrived and now, here we are.” The woman was starting to sound impatient, which Del didn’t appreciate one bit.
“All right, so what do you need me to do?”
“If you could come by, right away, so we can sort this situation out, Mr. Abbot.”
Del glanced around, his gaze going to the half-chopped things and then to the kids building with Duplos in the living room. “I have Harper’s siblings with me, so it’ll take me about thirty minutes to get there with the drive.”
“Right.” Miss Lewis sounded annoyed. “Well, you get here as soon as possible and I’ll have Mrs. Smith keep an eye on Harper meanwhile.” The woman disconnected the call before Del could say anything more.
“Charming…” he muttered as he went to gather the kids.
* * * *
On the drive to the elementary school, he wondered what the situation there could be. Harper was in trouble and Miss Lewis seemed to think she needed to be watched? She was six years old, she could handle sitting alone somewhere, waiting for Del.
They got to the school in less than twenty-five minutes, because for once, the kiddos behaved. Del extracted them from their car seats and started toward the main doors. Class seemed to be in session, because the school was quiet if you didn’t count the murmur coming from the classrooms.
The office wasn’t in the front side of the building like it had been in his childhood, but he found it easily enough by following the signs on the walls. With Scarlett on his hip and Wyatt holding on to a belt hoop of his jeans, he knocked on the door and moved their little party inside before anyone could call out.
He saw Harper immediately. She sat on a wooden bench, looking sullen and pissed off. Next to her, a white woman who looked vaguely familiar got up and smiled at Del.
“Hey, Del, I’m not sure if you remember me—”
“Emily Richardson, of course I remember you!” Del grinned at her. They’d gone to school together back in the day. They’d never been best friends, but they’d had some mutual ones and had hung out in their high school days enough that he’d called her a friend.
“Well, Emily Smith now, but you know.” She smiled wider and looked at the kids. “Hi, Wyatt and Scarlett.”
Scarlett hid her face to Del’s neck, and Wyatt wiggled his fingers at Emily.
“So, what’s the deal with Miss H there?” Del asked, peering at Harper.