The sun shone through the curtains they had left wide open and directly onto Lacey's face. She grumbled internally after her eyes fluttered open and her brain let go of the thought of sleeping any longer. She rolled over to find Danny still out cold, his poor back soaking in every last moment possible in a real bed.
Despite being woken up well before she had planned, Lacey was rather indifferent about it, void. She stared at Danny's peaceful face while he slept and wondered if he had lost any sleep over their actions the night before like she had.
It was fun.
Danny was very reluctant at first but remained charming and respectful the whole time they worked out all of the nasty things they had wanted to try with one another. Watching the girls together was a beautiful thing and the way they absorbed him into their tangle and made him feel loved and comfortable was something he'd never forget.
He wore the condom for round one with Whitney thinking that would do it, but they had underestimated the collective endurance the three of them had and everyone ended up getting a round two.
The regret came the second time Danny did, which was balls-deep inside Whitney right before they all called it a night. It hadn't taken much convincing for Danny to venture in naked like that, but once it was done it immediately broke the spell he was under.
From that moment on, Danny and Lacey had done nothing short of begging for Whitney to take the morning after pill, anything to mitigate the mess Danny had literally dumped inside of her.
Before Whitney went back to her own room for the night she promised she'd take care of it. She explained about not wanting to take any chances when she was basically homeless and just looking to party at this point in her life.
Danny gave her all of the cash he had left in his wallet: $247 to help with food, gas, the contraception, anything. She took it but turned down Danny's offer to help her get into a new apartment.
Danny and Lacey hopped into the shower together once Whitney had left. They didn't talk about the threesome, they just enjoyed the closeness as they tried to scrub their mistakes away together.
The wine and all of the events from the day had taken their toll and finally caught up with them. They cozied up in the bed, both of them knowing they had a lot to talk about, just not right now.
"It's not inflatable." Danny commented on the bed as his eyes slammed shut almost involuntarily.
However, things certainly felt blown up.
Archie: I'm sorry
The text came as they began their drive back to Green Grove.
Danny and Lacey had gotten up with the intention of taking Whitney out for breakfast before they left but she was already gone so they got on the road. They hadn't said a word to each other about last night yet and Lacey was thinking that the two hour drive home would probably be a good time to start.
Danny: You back home?
Archie: Yeah for now. I have court next week, what else is new. Where are you can you come by?
Danny: Can't I'm heading back to Green Grove to clear up some stuff
Archie: Green Grove? I thought you were done with all that shit
Danny: Whit and I got kicked out of our place last night
Archie: You're fucking moving there aren't you
Danny: I don't have a place right now
Archie: Hey did Lacey say anything about my hair?
Danny: Your hair?
Archie: I know she likes the longer hair
Danny: What the fuck is wrong with you?
Archie: I am just asking
Danny: Are you wasted right now?
Archie: I have to be wasted to ask a question?
Danny: About my girlfriend? You better be
Archie: Relax I was just curious what she thought
Danny: I'm pretty sure she thinks you're an asshole tbh
Archie: You sound jealous as hell rn
Danny: So you texted me to say sorry but what you really meant was that you don't care about me at all. Got it.
Archie: Don't be like that you're my best friend dude
Danny: You're right I am. Text me back when you're up for being mine again
"What's wrong?" Lacey could see Danny's demeanor change as he messed with his phone.
"Archie's back home. He wants to know if you liked his hair."
"He's such a creep."
"Apparently. I don't know what the hell happened to him." He sighed and stared vacantly out the window.
Lacey knew that Danny usually compressed things that were much larger and figured that he was probably already running through all of the possible scenarios in his head for each issue on his mind. She simply reached over and gave his arm a squeeze.
It was so nice to be with someone who already knew what was happening before he even had to say anything. Not having to explain every little detail to Lacey was incredibly freeing to him. She understood.
"Lacey, I love you." He said, still sounding rather down.
Lacey glanced over as she drove, "Love you too."
"Life is wild, I just, I want to live it." The finality in Danny's voice made her heart rate pick up a little.
Was he breaking up with her? Lacey slowed down a little and tried to stay calm. He wouldn't just break up with her right now. For as much as she understood him, there was just as much she didn't.
"It's okay if you changed your mind about Green Grove." Lacey decided to dance away from her initial thought and hope Danny meant something else, "I am going to be there until I'm done with college and then I'm open to talking about it again. Long distance could work—"
Right now his entire world revolved around the woman sitting next to him….and maybe also another woman who had the potential to have his child in the near future. What a mess, Danny thought to himself. Lacey didn't deserve that shit and neither did any eggs he may or may not have fertilized last night.
Danny knew Lacey's college goal was important to her but maybe she would change her mind and adventure with him if she knew just how financially secure they really were now. Maybe he should just tell her. Life changed too quick to worry about trying to keep something unchanged and problem-free.
"Did last night change something?" Lacey asked apprehensively, her eyes glued to the road.
"Oh definitely." Danny chuckled, still feeling like the night before as a blast despite feeling like a total bag of shit about it today.
He was completely unaware that Lacey was on the verge of having a full blown panic attack about it all, maybe their mutual understanding of each other needed more honing after all.
"D—" She slapped him haphazardly, feeling a little bit of relief. She couldn't image he'd joke around with her just before breaking things off.
"Ow, you're so violent."
"I'm serious, are we—I mean—" Lacey was now the one who was weirdly insecure about them. He did get to throw it in his ex, maybe he missed her.
"Lace, everything's cool." He watched her face remain bothered, "Right?"
"Yeah."
"For some reason I don't believe you."
"I might have been a little heavy on the buzzed side last night."
"Shit, me too." Danny huffed out a laugh to himself.
They left it there for a bit, a giant elephant that somehow fit neatly between them.
Danny took a deep breath, "What if you didn't have to go to school?" He took a turn trying to clear up the big ticket items that were still on his mind next.
"Danny I love you but I can't just chill in Johnny's shitty apartment with you for the rest of my life—" Lacey's joke kind of had too much of a real tinge of truth to it.
"Ow." Danny said again, this one hurt a little more than the slap a minute earlier.
"I want more for my life. Our lives."
"What's more?"
"I don't know, I mean, a house someday. A car that's not fifteen years old, vacations."
"Vacations from what?"
"From work?" Lacey answered like it was obvious.
"What if you didn't have to work?"
"Are you seriously one of those guys that doesn't want his wife to work?"
"Wait, wife?"
"I'm just saying, I'm going to be working outside of the home. I can't have kids, there's only so much cleaning I could possibly do." Lacey rolled her eyes.
"This isn't how I expected this conversation to go. I'm not trying to make it sound like I'm expecting you to be part of some patriarchal bullshit, Lacey."
"Then are we breaking up? You're making it sound like you're changing your mind or that you're not happy. If that's it I understand but maybe we really can make the long distance thing work because I'm not ready to lose you."
"Pull over." Danny pointed to the side of the road, "Please? Please pull over."
Lacey pulled them over about a half hour away from Green Grove.
"I don't want to break up? That's what you heard?"
Lacey took a breath, not sure what to say next.
"I got millions."
"Millions."
"From the settlement."
Lacey's eyes grew huge, "Oh—"
"Like twelve of them."
"Twelve MILLION?!"
"Mmhm." Danny said, expressionless and waiting for it to all soak in for her.
"I mean, I—you. You have twelve million DOLLARS?"
"Yes. Well, like eleven million, nine hundred ninety nine thousand after paying for the hotel last night—"
"Are you serious right now?"
Danny couldn't tell if she was happy or sad. He smiled as calmly as possible.
"I trust you, Lacey. I'm just trying to save us time. If you want to stay in Green Grove and keep grinding I understand. I just want you to know all the options in case you wanted to do something else that you couldn't have even imagined before."
"Danny this is—this is crazy."
She definitely seemed upset.
"I'm sorry if you didn't want to know. Please don't tell anyone."
"I won't say anything."
Lacey pulled back onto the road and they drove in silence for the next few miles.
"I thought we'd talk more about last night on the drive back, not something like this—" Lacey shook her head.
"We still need to talk about last night?"
"Don't you?"
"I think I'm good."
"You think so?" Lacey's eyebrows shot all the way up to her hairline in surprise.
"I definitely made a mistake." Danny nodded, "Other than that, I had an epic night with you, honestly."
"It's a pretty major mistake—"
"Do you wish we didn't do it? Because you pushed for it and you talked me into it and I did the damn thing. Please tell me you enjoyed it."
"I did."
"Cool. I never want to do it again." He confessed.
Danny slumped down into his seat knowing he'd forever be unsettled for the next couple months until he could get confirmation from Whitney that she was not pregnant.
"Want to stop for coffee?" Lacey asked casually like she didn't realize Danny could be a whole father soon. She tried to block that out.
"Sure."
"You're buying." Lacey giggled and gave Danny a little slice of hope that they really were okay.
Lacey rolled up to the drive thru window.
"May I help you?"
"Yes, can I get two large hot coffees with two sugars, please?"
"Anything else?" The woman asked through the tiny speaker.
Lacey's mind melted at that exact moment. She could have anything else she wanted. All forty doughnuts inside? Hers. Hell, she could buy this whole damn coffee shop if she wanted.
Lacey's emotions went from joy to overwhelmed. Finally she settled on the fact that this was not her money to spend at all.
"Ma'am?"
"Nothing else."
Lacey pulled around and waited for their order. She handed the barista her own debit card without even thinking. Danny accepted the coffee and stared at Lacey as she drove inside the city limits of Green Grove.
The closer they got to town the more her mind began to wander. Lacey looked out at all of the people walking around. She knew some of them could use this money so bad. Her family had worked hard and had been blessed, she didn't need this money, but maybe she could still use it to help others.
Lacey pulled into her driveway and sat back in her seat for a moment before turning to look at Danny who was nonchalantly sipping his coffee like he wasn't a fine ass millionaire.
"This money, it isn't mine. If Whitney's pregnant—" Lacey shook her head.
"Also not yours. Got it."
"Let's sit on it for a minute, check up on Whitney in a few weeks and not make any major plans until we have the answers we need. I still want to complete my first year of school before I do anything crazy. It doesn't feel like a waste of time to me."
"Okay."
"That's it?"
"That's reasonable, I need to get some help with all of this anyway. Meet with my lawyer, figure out how to protect myself, you know. It'll give us time to plan exactly what we want to do."
"We could help so many people." Lacey smiled.
"Hey listen, if something does happen—with Whit, are you out?"
Lacey slumped down a little in her seat and thought about it, "This scenario never even crossed my mind."
"Is that a yes?"
"I've always accepted that I'd never have kids, I—I don't know. I don't know."
"Danny, this is a surprise." Lacey's mom greeted them with little enthusiasm as the two of them dragged Lacey's bags inside.
"Danny!" Clara smiled and basically tackled him for a hug, genuinely happy to see him again.
"Hey Clara, missed you." Danny hugged her back.
"Mom, can Danny stay downstairs for a little while?" Lacey asked point blank.
The question felt just as awkward and anxiety ridden as when your friend would ask your mom of you can spend the night as a kid. Danny hadn't expected her to ask, they hadn't discussed it. He assumed he'd stay at the farm or find a room somewhere in town.
Clara's face lit up brighter and she looked for her mother's decision.
"Stay?"
"Danny's going to be in town for while, I'm asking if he can stay here."
"Lace—" Danny was going to object but she held her hand up and shook her head no. He kept his mouth shut.
"I—don't see why not." Judy got over her initial shock and melted a little, "Of course, Danny's always welcome."
"Judy, thank you, seriously."
"How long are you in town?" Judy asked as she pretended to straighten something near her so she didn't lose her damn mind.
"Uh—" Danny's eyes darted over toward Lacey and back again, "That's undetermined at the moment."
Judy's mouth opened in concern, "Oh. So you'll be commuting to your job then? Taking Lacey's car too, I assume."
Danny felt like he and Lacey really should have talked out these details before now. He didn't want to lie to Judy, but she was about to see him as a homeless, jobless, moocher who had serious trouble with the law. Just the type of person you want living in your basement and fucking your daughter.
"Ma." Lacey diverted the pressure away from Danny.
"What? I'm just curious."
"He's in town on personal business." Lacey answered innocuously.
Judy turned back to Danny, "Personal business. Is that going to take days, weeks? What are we talking about here?"
Lacey took a deep breath to prep for another round but Danny edged his answer in first.
"Days—days." Danny said quickly before this got any bigger.
"Clara, go on upstairs and put those towels away."
"Momm—" Clara whined, she wanted to stay and bug the hell out of Danny.
"You heard him, he's not going anywhere." Judy pointed to the stairs and Clara trudged off.
Lacey pulled some stuff out of her mother's pantry and began preparing some food while she waited for the scolding she knew was coming from her mother. Danny didn't know what to do so he took a seat at the counter and watched Lacey quietly.
"Save me some of that damn bread—" Judy snipped, feeling like she was losing control of her family at the moment and in turn took it out on Lacey making sandwiches.
"Say what you gotta say." Lacey continued on unfazed.
"Danny, I like you and I know you two are grown—"
"Ma—"
"Judy—"
Judy held her hand up to stop them from interrupting her.
"Danny is welcome for a couple days. I will set you up downstairs, but Lacey, your room is upstairs am I clear?"
"Yep!" Lacey smiled and danced over to the fridge for more supplies.
"Danny?"
"I hear you." Danny began, "Thank you for letting me stay."
"You need a job." Judy added and looked Danny right in the eyes.
"Mom."
"I promise, I can support myself." Danny tried to get around this question without explaining further.
"If that's so, Danny, and I truly hope it is, then you need to be doing something else with your time while Lacey's working at school all day. Sam could use an intern."
"Oh—"
"Danny has meetings with his lawyer and stuff this week. He has things he needs to take care of."
"So this really is a personal visit for a couple days then? Because there are no free rides around here—"
"Understood." Danny nodded.
"Lacey, you're upstairs."
"You already said that." Lacey rolled her eyes as she sliced two beautiful sandwiches in half and slid one over to Danny.
"Thank you." He said appreciatively, thankful for Lacey automatically making sure he was comfortable in her home.
"Danny you're not welcome upstairs either—"
Danny could almost see Judy's imaginary boundaries pop up all around him.
"Yes ma'am." Danny smiled.
"No sex." Lacey just said it, "Loud and clear."
"Don't get sassy—" Judy warned her eldest daughter.
Lacey giggled and slid her mom the second sandwich.
"Now I know you didn't make that for me." Judy began walking away, "Get these bags out of the entryway!" She shouted behind her as she headed for the stairs.
"We will!" Lacey shouted back around a mouthful of food.
"No sex, Danny." Lacey said seriously before busting out laughing.
"Hey I'm not pissing off your mom." Danny shrugged and took a bite, "I can stay anywhere—"
Lacey shook her head, "I want you here, to start being part of my family and not just the one who pulls me away from it."
Those words healed parts of Danny's freshly damaged heart. He didn't say anything else, they just ate together in peace.
Lacey helped bring Danny's bags downstairs and prepare the pull out couch for him to use for the foreseeable future. She watched him pull a sheet around the corners of the mattress and then fold it back inside the sofa again. Something about watching every muscle in his back flex while he did this lit Lacey's body up.
She appeared by his side as he stuffed the cushions back in place, taking one of his arms and pulling him closer for a kiss. Danny agreed at first, but as soon as his lips touched hers he realized just how badly he had misjudged her needs.
Lacey devoured his mouth, walking them backward until his back thudded against the wall. The impact made them break apart just in time for Danny to hear Judy coming down the stairs.
Danny scrambled to hide his budding erection. He grabbed the last cushion and shoved it in place before sitting down and casually crossing his ankle over his knee. Lacey flashed him an evil smile and began refolding the blankets she had brought down.
"Okay, here are some towels—" Judy was none the wiser at first and plopped the towels down on the table by the stairs.
"Awesome!" Danny said, way too excited about towels, enough that Judy did a double take. Lacey hid her face and grabbed another blanket to refold.
"Right." Judy squinted are them, "Let's wrap this up, you're not to entertain each other down here—"
"We'll be right up." Lacey huffed like she was actually irritated.
Judy left and Lacey climbed into Danny's lap to assess the damage, her lips going right back on top of his. She could feel his dick straining against his pants, finding some relief from rubbing against the warmth of Lacey's crotch.
"What's that?" She rolled her hips a couple times.
"Trouble, that's what that is." He kissed her back hungrily, "You need to stop." Danny squeezed her ass to stop her from grinding further.
"It doesn't feel like you want me to stop." She teased him.
"I don't, god—but you have to." Danny closed his eyes, "Please."
Lacey climbed off of him and helped him to his feet, his attraction to her obvious. She smiled proudly.
"I'm glad you think this is so funny."
"Bathroom is in there, I'll let you get acquainted. See you upstairs in a little bit."
Danny took her up on her offer and locked himself inside the bathroom to work on rubbing his excitement away.
As Danny finished up and the noises around him began to trickle back into his orgasm hazed mind, he realized that he could hear everything that was being said above him.
"What happened to his place in the city?"
"He was asked to leave." Lacey answered honestly.
"I'm worried, Lacey. This isn't good enough for you."
"I decide that and Danny is more than enough for me."
"How is he supporting himself with no job?"
"Ma—"
"Are you two back into the drug stuff? I can't do that a third time—"
Danny wondered what Lacey had put her mom through way back when her and Charlie were selling drugs together in high school. They really had been through way too much for their age.
He wanted it all to slow down and speed up at the same time. They had options now, they had their time back. He wanted to slow down the doubt and worry and speed up living the rest of their lives together.
"I'm not selling and neither is Danny. We got our settlements from Gloria's estate so we're regrouping, working on next steps."
"The first step after collecting a couple grand is not to quit your job." Judy shook her head.
"I love him. He's part of my life and I want him to get to know my family. Please just give us a chance? Let us figure this out. Do you trust me?"
"Downstairs with him? No." Judy said stone faced, a smile creeping onto the corner of her mouth the longer she stood there with her daughter, "But overall, yes, okay? I like him, I really do, but you will always come first."
"Thanks, mom." Lacey beamed.
"This isn't going to turn into months, Lacey. He has to get himself a job and he needs to find another place to crash."
"He will."
"I hope so because I'm about to tell your father about our new house guest. Clock starts in—" Judy looked at her watch, "Ten minutes."
Danny thought about Lacey defending him, defending them. He realized that she had the perfect opportunity to tell her mom about the money but she didn't. She kept her promise even when she thought he wasn't listening. Danny's heart swooned.