Nitro Crew Complete Series, page 44
“Har, har, fucker.” I flipped off Frankie and sunk lower in my chair. “I’ve made up for that with her so you can stop throwing it in my face, yeah?”
Frankie sat down in the chair across from me. “I don’t know how the hell you managed to make up for completely forgetting a woman you slept with.”
I shrugged. “It wasn’t like I knew I was going to sleep with Delaney and get her pregnant that night. I was having fun and happened to meet Delaney.”
“Who you are now going to have a baby with and spend the rest of your life with?” Frankie guessed.
“If she’ll have me for that long.”
Remy choked and sputtered. “Are you kidding me right now? Did you really just admit you found a chick you want to spend the rest of your life with? What in the hell happened to the Jay Perez I used to know?”
I finished my beer and tossed the empty on the ground. “I guess I grew the fuck up, bro.”
Frankie whistled. “I am still entirely impressed by the past week and a half. Who would have thought all it was going to take for Jay to get his act together was to get a chick pregnant?”
Remy busted out laughing, and even I chuckled.
“I think we would have been surprised if he hadn’t gotten his act together after that.” Remy pointed his finger at me. “I better be that kid’s godfather.”
“What?” Frankie laughed “You probably just want to be the godfather so you can tell people you’ll make them an offer they can’t refuse.”
Remy snapped his fingers. “This is why we keep Frankie around. She always has awesome ideas. I just wanted to be the one to teach your kid how to cuss. I figured being the godfather would give me that honor.”
“You’re an even bigger idiot than I thought,” Frankie muttered.
“You bringing the baby mama to the party?”
I reached into the cooler next to my chair and pulled out another beer. “Yes, and if you call her that to her face, I will punch you in the nuts.” That was all Delaney needed to hear when she walked into the party. Remy would be dumb enough to do it, too.
Remy held his hands up. “All right. I get it, bro.” He leaned toward me. “Think she’ll be down with BM?”
“Who are we calling Bowel Movement? Is it Roc? He did seem like he had some shit that needs to come down the chute.” Brooks had made his way over to our chairs and made his presence known rather disgustingly.
Frankie turned around with a disgusted look on her face. “What in the hell are you talking about?”
“BM? Bowel movement.” He looked at each of us. “None of you thought of that? What did you guys think it was?”
“Baby mama,” we all said at once.
“Whoops, my bad.” Brooks sank down in the chair next to Frankie.
“You know, I sometimes wonder if the NOS fumes are going to your brain, sweetie.” She reached up and petted the side of his head. “So handsome,” she cooed.
He knocked her hand away. “Woman, ask any of these people out here and they will tell you BM is bowel movement, not baby mama.”
“Maybe we should ask Roc since you seem to think he needs one,” Remy chuckled.
“For the record,” I said to Remy, “Calling Delaney BM will also get you a nut punch.”
“Duly noted,” he murmured. “Nicknames are off the table.”
“Did you hear?” Frankie asked Brooks. “Remy’s mom is more than likely going to blow up your house.”
“What?” he laughed.
“Wait, I thought we were having the party at our house?” I asked.
Remy shook his head. “Nah, since Frankie decided to invite basically everyone within a hundred mile radius to the party, we had to move it to Brooks’ place since he lives in a fucking mansion.”
“It’s not a mansion,” Brooks insisted.
“Bro, you got five bathrooms in that place. It’s a fucking mansion,” I agreed.
Brooks shrugged. “Well, whatever. You guys are more than welcome to have your party there as long as your mom doesn’t try to blow it up.”
“No promises can be made when my mom will be there,” Remy advised him.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. Just saw you on TV.
Delaney had recorded qualifying today. Probably only for 2.5 seconds.
Well, yeah, but it was still you.
“She’s texting him,” Frankie gushed. “Look at that goofy smile on his face.”
“Bro, do you have any idea how crazy you look right now?” Remy shook his head. “He really is a goner.”
How was work? Texting Delaney was something I would rather do than listen to these assholes.
Good. Mave came over to watch the race with me. I had to stop and get ice cream and queso.
I laughed. I was definitely going to have to stop to get food for Delaney on Monday. Good, Del. I don’t like you being alone.
She’s not spending the night, Jay.
I know. It still made me feel better knowing Delaney wasn’t just sitting all alone by herself.
Just wanted to let you know I saw your handsome face on TV.
Ok. Text me before you go to bed.
Will do. Miss me.
Only if you miss me, Del.
“Done sexting?”
These guys were such assholes. “Is this payback for all the shit I gave you guys when you settled down?” I asked.
“It’s only just begun, bro. Wait ‘til the party,” Remy promised.
Good Lord. Maybe I should be worried about Remy meeting Delaney and not Leelee.
Whatever happened, it was sure to be an interesting Fourth of July.
*
Chapter Seventeen
Delaney
“Taco dip is amazing.” I licked the mixing spoon and dropped it in the sink.
“Is there actually some left?” Jay asked as he walked down the stairs, fresh from his shower.
“Yes, there most certainly is.”
Jay wrapped his arms around me from behind and laid his hands on my belly. “I still say the little guy grew in the four days I was gone.”
I rolled my eyes and grabbed the bag of shredded lettuce. I was finishing up the taco dip for the party tomorrow and planned on working on the fruit pizza next.
Jay had gotten back Monday morning and was knocking on my door a few minutes after I walked in from clinicals that night. We hadn’t been separated since except for when I had to work. Jay was lucky and was given the whole week off.
I was sprinkling the lettuce on top of the dip when a horn sounded in the driveway. “Who could that be?”
“Delivery,” Jay mumbled.
“Pizza?” I asked. Though why would the pizza delivery guy be honking his horn?
Jay chuckled and grabbed the bag of lettuce from me and set it on the counter. “Different delivery, though now I suppose you want pizza.”
I did. I had been thinking about ordering in while I was making the taco dip so I didn’t end up eating all of the fruit pizza when I made it. “Pepperoni and onion pizza does sound good,” I mumbled.
Jay turned me in his arms. “First, you need to come see what the delivery is and then we’ll get pizza, Del.”
That sounded like a plan I could get behind. “Deal, but why I do need to see what you got delivered. You go get it, and I’ll order the pizza.”
He shook his head and pulled me toward the front door. “Because the delivery is for you, not me.”
“Me?” I asked, surprised.
“Yup. Close your eyes and keep them closed until I say so. I’ll lead you.”
I closed my eyes but instantly opened one. “You promise not to let me trip?”
“Del, you really think I'll let you fall?”
I closed my eye. “No, just don’t go to fast.”
“Gotta trust me.”
Jay lead me out the front door, and it felt like we stopped when we got to the end of the sidewalk where it met the driveway. “I don’t smell anything.”
“Uh, you shouldn’t,” he laughed. “What the hell do you think the surprise is?”
“Obviously something that doesn’t smell.”
“I think that’s a good thing,” he mumbled under his breath.
“Can I open my eyes yet?” Surprises were not my thing.
“Just one more second.” Jay’s hand didn’t leave my arm, but I could hear him fiddling with something.
“Now?” I asked impatiently.
“Lord have mercy, Del. Two minutes ago you, didn’t even care what the surprise was and now you need to know.”
“Because I want pizza,” I complained. The man teased me with ordering pizza and now he was making me wait.
“Open your eyes, Del.”
My eyes sprung open and sitting in front of me was the shiny SUV we had test driven days ago. “What?” I gasped.
“It’s yours, Del.”
My jaw dropped, and my knees felt weak. I grabbed onto Jay’s arm. “What did you just say?”
“She’s all yours, Delaney. Your car isn’t safe for you to be driving it back and forth to Hilltop almost every day. You need a more reliable car.”
“So you bought me one?” What universe had I fallen into?
Jay had bought me a car.
And not just any car.
A real nice, really pretty, new car.
“Jay…” I didn’t know what to say. This was absolutely insane. “You bought me a car.” That was about the only thought that was going through my mind.
“I want you and the baby to be safe. Driving around in that death trap worried the hell out of me anytime you went anywhere.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the SUV. “Get in the driver’s seat.” He opened the door and motioned for me to get in.
I hopped into the car and rested my hands on the steering wheel.
“Del, you look like you’re about to throw up.”
“You bought me a car!”
Jay took a step back and smiled.
“Why do you look so happy?”
“You’re funny, Del,” he chuckled.
“Jay.” I pointed to the steering wheel. “You bought me a car.”
“I’m the one who bought it, Del. You don’t need to keep telling me.”
I dropped my head to the steering wheel and closed my eyes.
The man had bought me a car because he was worried about me and the baby being in my old car.
So sweet and so unexpected. I had planned on getting a newer car before the baby came, but Jay had beat me to the punch with a beautiful, roomy, SUV.
“You bought me a car,” I whispered.
“I’m a little worried you’re about to flip out on me.”
I turned my head but kept it resting on the steering wheel. “I’m in shock.”
“I can tell that, Del.”
“It’s so pretty,” I whispered. “It has heated seats and a camera that shows me where I’m going when I’m backing up.”
“It does,” he laughed.
“I shouldn’t accept this, Jay. I should tell you to take it back.” I shouldn’t even be sitting it right now.
“Says who?” he asked.
“I have no idea, but I know there are people somewhere who wouldn’t ever dream of taking a car as a present.”
“It’s not a present,” he insisted. “I want you and the baby to be safe. Think of it as giving me peace of mind when I’m not with you.”
“Is that how you’re going to play this?” I laughed.
He nodded and stepped closer. He rested his hand on my thigh. “Del, you and I are the only ones who matter when it comes to making decisions.”
“And the baby,” I added.
“And definitely the baby. I don’t give a rat’s ass if Susan Can'tMindHerOwnBusiness in Timbuktu thinks you shouldn’t have this car. I want you to have it, and that should be all that matters to you.”
I closed my eyes and inhaled. “It even smells amazing,” I whined.
Jay shut the door, and I lifted my head off the steering wheel. “What are you doing?” I called.
“We’re going to get pizza.” He rounded the front of the SUV and got in the passenger seat. “If after we go get pizza, you tell me you don’t want the car, I’ll take it back with no questions asked.”
“You can do that?” I asked. I had never bought a car from a dealership before. My last car I bought from a guy who had it for sale in front of his house.
“Yes, Del, but don’t worry about that.” He set the keys in the cupholder. “Hit the button and let’s go.”
“Button?” I looked where one would normally stick the car key and saw there was just a button that said start/stop. “This thing is like a spaceship,” I muttered. I pressed the button, and the beautiful car came to life.
I loved it already, and I hadn’t even pulled out of the driveway.
*
Chapter Eighteen
Jay
“We can take Millie to the party.”
I grabbed the pan of fruit pizza and looked at Delaney. “Who?”
“Millie, the pretty Cadillac you bought me.” Delaney grabbed the keys from the hook by the door and remote started the car.
“You do know it’s like seventy degrees out right now. You don’t need to warm up the car, Del,” I laughed.
She grabbed the pan from me. “It’s like a new toy. You can’t blame me for playing with it.”
“I got a toy you can play with after this party tonight,” I joked.
She rolled her eyes and marched out the front door. “Grab the taco dip and let’s go, boy toy.”
I grabbed the pan from the counter and closed the front door behind me. “Does that mean we get to play when we get home?”
She laughed and pressed the button on the key fob to open the back hatch. “We’ll see.”
I set the pan next to the taco dip and pulled her into my arms. “That sounds promising.”
“Well, I do need to continue to thank you properly for Millie, don’t I?”
I nuzzled her cheek. “Pretty sure you thanked me properly three times last night.” One of those times was with a blowjob that was out of this world. Delaney’s mouth was like a little piece of heaven.
“I just want you to fully understand just how much I love this car.” She wound her arms around my neck and sighed. “Plus, I wasn’t sure if we would have time for each other the next couple of days with your family in town.”
Yesterday, Leelee and Kurt hadn’t gotten to Leeds Square ‘til after nine, and I had told her we would see them at the party instead of driving to the hotel to see them then. Leelee wasn’t exactly excited about that, but she said she got it.
“Leelee is not going to keep you from me,” I insisted.
She patted my chest. “Keep telling yourself that, boy toy.”
“Is that my new nickname?” I laughed.
“If the shoe fits,” she laughed. She reached up to press the button to shut the hatch and took a step back. “Get in, I’m driving.”
She gleefully walked to the driver’s side and slipped inside.
Delaney loved the car and, thankfully, didn’t tell me I needed to take it back. Though I sure as hell wouldn’t have done that.
She honked the horn and must have rolled down the window. “Get in, loser, we’re going to the party!”
Delaney was happy as hell, and I had been the one to put that smile on her lips.
Now all I had to do was make sure it stayed there.
*
Delaney
“I’m pretty sure I just OD’d on taco dip.”
Jay grabbed my plate and swiped his chip through my leftover dip. “Pretty sure you ate three pounds of it,” he laughed.
“I was nervous,” I whispered. “Leelee was watching me too closely.”
Jay dropped his plate on the ground and grabbed his beer. “She knows something is up.”
“What?” I gasped. “How the heck does she know something is up?”
“Because she’s my sister?”
Jay and I were sitting at one of the tables Brooks had set out on the patio by the pool. Leelee and Kurt had sat with us while we ate but had just gotten up to get drinks. Things seemed to be going well, but I was extremely nervous. She had asked where Jay’s car was, and he explained we had driven my car. He thankfully didn’t say he had bought the car for me. I’m pretty sure Leelee would have asked him what the hell he was doing.
He was right saying that she very much had the attitude of not caring what anyone thought and would say what was on her mind. Kurt, her husband, was one of the most laid-back guys I had ever met. He talked to Jay most of the time about the race team and how he thought the season was going.
Before meeting Jay, I barely knew drag racing was a thing, let alone a huge sport.
“Are we going to tell her?” I whispered.
“Planned on it,” Jay drawled.
He didn’t seem stressed out or anxious at all. “Jay,” I hissed.
He looked over at me. “Del, calm down. She’s my sister, not some evil person. She’s gonna have some questions, but she’s gonna be happy for us.” He grabbed my hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “Trust me.”
Leelee and Kurt walked back over to the table. She set a beer in front of both Jay and me. “I got you each a beer,” she said simply.
“I’m pregnant,” I blurted out. I slapped my hand over my mouth, and Jay’s jaw dropped.
“Well, shit, babe. You were fucking right.” Kurt slapped Jay on the back and laughed. “She totally pinned you for knocking her up.”
“I figured she knew something was up,” Jay laughed.
“He did,” I squawked.
“Though we didn’t plan on telling you like that.” Jay pulled me close and rested his hand on my stomach.
“I panicked.” I did. Totally and completely. I couldn’t drink that beer, and I didn’t know what else to say besides blurting out I was having a baby.
Leelee still hadn’t said anything yet. She stood on the other side of the table watching Jay and me.
Kurt stood up and was shaking hands with Jay while I sat there trying to not fidget under Leelee's inspection.
“You’re different,” she said softly. She pulled the chair out next to me and sat down.
