“No,” I could read her answer, but Max still translated for her. “I didn’t even know she existed until a few months ago when the social worker called to tell me about you.”
“Oh.” I didn’t know why I was disappointed. With her having only just found out about me, there was little chance she would have known my mom, but it would have been nice to have someone to talk about her with. Someone who had memories from her childhood and could tell me about the woman I missed with my whole heart.
“I wish I had known her,” Kelli spoke after a small pause. “I grew up as an only child. I had a half brother, but he was…” Her mouth twisted in distaste. “Let’s just say he wasn’t worth knowing. But I would have liked to have had a sister growing up. Maybe…you could tell me about her?”
I immediately started nodding, my heart lifting with happiness. I wouldn’t get to know someone else’s memories of Mom, but I would get to share my own. And they were great memories. I’d had to live off them for the past eight years, and they had kept me going when I was at my loneliest.
“Delaney,” Max signed my name, pulling my gaze to him. Having him call me that and not “treasure” made me flinch. He knew what I wanted him to call me, so why was he using my given name instead? Was he embarrassed to call me his treasure when he was in front of other people—in front of his mom?
“Kelli wants you to come live with her.”
As he formed each word with his hands, his face remained emotionless, and I suddenly felt cold. Wrapping my arms around myself, I stood there looking up at him, waiting for him to tell me what he wanted.
The Max I knew and loved wasn’t standing in front of me. This guy was a stranger to me, with his cold, blank eyes and impassive facial expression. I couldn’t read him, and that hurt more than when I thought he’d abandoned me earlier.
My Max seemed to have disappeared, making me wonder if he was real or just a figment of my imagination. Maybe I’d misunderstood what was between us.
He didn’t speak, didn’t even move a finger to sign a single word. That was when I knew what he wanted and what I had to do.
“No,” I told him, and he seemed to jerk in reaction.
His nostrils flared, the first sign of any emotion from him since he’d said my name. He reached for me, but I backed away, focusing on Kelli. “I’m sorry. I can’t.” I signed the words, unable to speak for the lump that was choking me. “I want to get to know you, but I think it would be better if we do that slowly. I don’t think I’m ready to trust anyone else right now.”
Kelli looked at me in confusion, and I realized Max hadn’t translated for me. Looking up at him, I found him frowning at me, his metallic-blue eyes glittering with an emotion I wasn’t ready to decipher. All I knew was that I didn’t want to see disappoint
ment in his gaze.
He didn’t have to worry. Just because I’d turned down Kelli’s offer to move in with her didn’t mean he would have to continue to deal with me.
I understood. He wanted me to go with Kelli. I knew his mom was probably the one who’d made him realize I was no good for him. Not that I could blame her. Max deserved so much better than me.
It was okay, though.
I would be okay.
And I would make this easy for him.
17
Max
“No.”
The relief I felt at that one word nearly brought me to my knees. I knew Delaney wouldn’t let me down, but I’d felt a sliver of doubt that had made me hold my breath while I waited for her reaction to finding out Kelli was able and willing to give her all the things she needed.
But when I reached for my treasure, she stepped back, the hurt shining like twin spotlights from her brown eyes.
“I’m sorry, I can’t.” She signed as she glanced over at Kelli. “I want to get to know you, but I think it would be better if we do that slowly. I don’t think I’m ready to trust anyone else right now.”
“What did she say?” Kelli hissed beside me, her confusion thick in her voice, but I couldn’t look away from my treasure.
I was afraid if I so much as blinked, she would disappear.
“She said she wants to take things slow because she’s not ready to trust anyone else right now,” Mom translated for her. “Which is completely understandable. I’m sure her aunt and uncle gave her some serious trust issues.”
“I guess you’re right,” Kelli mumbled. “Hell, I need to just be thankful that we found her and she’s safe. I was totally turning into Colt there for a minute. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” Mom told her. “At least you didn’t pull some shitty stunt like my idiot brother did the other night.”