Free Curves in the Road (The Southern Devotion Series Book 2) by Amy K. Mcclung Page B

confession was answered with silence. “The long distance thing, it’s too difficult. I can’t ask you to give up time with Katelyn to come see me and I can’t afford to come see you all the time either. I think it’s best if we stay friends. When my internship is over, we can explore this again if there’s still a chance for us. For now, I think it's best we don't talk for a while.”  More silence. With a quick glance at the phone I knew he hadn’t hung up. “Derrick, say something, please.” Still nothing.
    After a moment I heard a sniffle and I choked back more tears knowing that he was crying on the other end of the line. Nothing made me cry more than seeing or hearing a man cry. Men are supposed to be so strong, so when one cries it seems that much more devastating.
    “Daddy?” I heard Katelyn’s voice call out. “Are you sad now too?” 
    I heard Derrick’s hand slide across the speaker as he tried to muffle the sound. It was barely audible but I heard him say, “Yeah, daddy’s pretty sad sweetheart.” He grunted as though something fell on him. He dropped the phone and then I heard him say, “Hugs from you always make it better.” His voice was still laced with such sadness though that I knew even at her young age Katelyn didn’t believe him for a minute.
    A few moments later he picked the phone back up, “I’m here, MJ.”  He sighed, “I want to fight you on this. I want to fight for us. The thing is I know you, and you’re stubborn. So this is my proposition to you. Take a while to think this through. In a few months, if you change your mind, I’ll be here. I’m not going anywhere and I don’t want anyone else.”
    “I can’t ask you to wait on me, Derrick. You should start dating again. You may meet the girl of your dreams.”
    “I already did, she’s on the phone with me right now.” Derrick sighed again, "Cheesy but true lines aside, I love you Mary Jane. The best things in life are worth waiting for and you're worth it."
    "Promise me one thing and mean it.  If you meet a woman who sparks your interest, don't hesitate.  Ask her out and make sure you're not giving up your happily ever after on me." 
    After that phone call, we went our separate ways for the most part. At first Derrick called once a week and then it fell to every couple of weeks. After a while we kept in touch through Gracie only. It was odd the way things changed so quickly. One day he called me asking if he could come see me. There was no way I could let him do that though so I told him no. It's as though that set things straight for him. The next time I called him he was cold and aloof.
    I missed Derrick but there was nothing I could do about it. He needed to be with his daughter and I needed to finish my internship. Our lives were on different paths now. We both had come to terms with that and were moving on.

Chapter Nine
    **Derrick**
     
     
     
     
     
    It was a nice spring day, the first after a long bitterly cold winter that saw way too many single digit temperatures for the South.  The weather was warm with a nice cool breeze, a perfect day for fishing. Sitting on the dock, I cast my line out first. Ashton took a seat next to me and cast his out next. Fishing with him is something we did as kids with our father running the show. Being a single dad, I didn't get to go much anymore. Gracie was kind enough to take care of Katelyn so that we could enjoy some brother time.
    Ash took a deep breath and let out a sigh of delight. “Last time I was here was with Gracie. You know she fell in and my fishing pole was tugged under by her catch?”  I listened to him, but every time I heard Gracie’s name I thought of MJ and it made it hard to concentrate on anything else. He didn’t seem to notice my lack of interest in his story. “In a few years I want to bring Autumn and teach her how to fish. You should bring Katelyn sometime. She’s at the right age.”  I nodded, still staring ahead at the water