Chapter Twelve
Delta
Copper Ridge hasn’t looked like this in a long time.
Jazz floats through the air from the live quartet on the porch, the lanterns strung across the yard glow warm and golden, and every car that rolls up brings someone who loves my mother.
Sorority sisters, church ladies, neighbors she’s fed for decades.
Ranch hands who cleaned up so well I barely recognized them, everybody came and she deserves it.
She’s taken pictures with every living soul twice and accepted every compliment like she is the guest of honor at the Oscars.
Paige nudges my arm and nods toward the barn.
Trace stands with Romeo and Cash, soda in his hand, listening to Cash talk, looking comfortable like the ranch has always been his.
His shirt is crisp, sleeves rolled to his forearms, hair neat, posture easy.
My stomach does that ridiculous thing again. The one I pretend not to notice.
“Your man is fine,” Paige says under her breath.
“He’s an HR violation,” Lena adds. “On sight.”
I don’t answer because if I open my mouth, I’ll smile like an idiot and never stop. The quartet transitions into one of Mama’s favorite jazz songs and she pauses like something inside her softened and that moment right there is why we did this.
I step over and she takes my hand, lifting her chin like she’s trying not to get emotional. “You outdid yourself,” she says.
“You deserve it,” I say.
She nods once. “Your daddy would have loved this.”
My smile wavers. “I know.”
Grief comes, sharp but we don’t let it crush us tonight, she inhales steady and lets it roll off. Before I can say anything else, applause goes up across the yard. I turn and see Trace walking toward the mic we set up for speeches and my pulse jumps.
“Girl,” Lena whispers behind me. “Your man is about to speak.”
He doesn’t look nervous.
“Mrs. Whitmore,” Trace says, respectful and clear, “I haven’t known you long but I’ve never met anybody who could feed a man into healing.”
Laughter rolls through the yard and mama presses her fingers to her mouth.
“You didn’t owe me anything,” he continues. “You didn’t have to treat me like family or like somebody worth listening to but you did and I promise you, it mattered.”
Her hand trembles, but she stays steady.
“So tonight, we celebrate you, for everything you’ve given this community and for everything you are. Happy birthday, ma’am.” He lifts his glass, and everyone follows.
Mama actually cries, which means the party is officially a success. People surround her, hugging her, telling stories, making her laugh. It is everything she deserves and more. Eventually she slips away and tugs me toward a quiet corner of the porch.
“I’m proud of you,” I say.
She studies my face for one long moment. “I’m proud of you too.”
She straightens a napkin even though it doesn’t need straightening. “Now. When are you going to dance with that man before some other woman decides to bother him?”
“Mama…”
She doesn’t even let me finish. “Baby, today is a good day to be happy, don’t live in the dark Delta, love cannot grow in the dark it needs light and attention and nurturing. You deserve this and not one person on this ranch will judge you for taking your chance at it.”
My throat gets tight as she squeezes my fingers. “Don’t love scared, love full and fearless. If you get hurt, you will get back up but don’t cheat yourself out of joy trying to prevent pain.”
Then she kisses my cheek and heads back toward the crowd, already collecting another compliment like she was born for it. Across the yard, Trace looks up from his conversation and spots me immediately. We lock eyes and he heads towards me with determination in his eyes.
Trace heads straight for me like there’s no one else here. He doesn’t ask permission, doesn’t hesitate. He just offers his hand, palm up.
“Dance with me.”
I simply put my hand in his and let him lead me toward the dance floor where couples are already swaying to the jazz quartet. His other hand settles at my waist, mine goes to his shoulder, and we fit together like we’ve been doing this our whole lives.
“You doing alright?” he asks quietly.
“I am now.”
He smiles a little like that answer means something to him. He rocks us side to side, not rushing the moment. His thumb moves once across my hip, slow and steady.
“You look happy,” he says.
“I am.”
He nods once, like that’s all he needed to hear.
Just us, swaying under the lights with the whole ranch around us.
The quartet transitions into a brighter swing and Mama claps her hands like the band just played her personal request. Before I can blink, she marches over and taps Trace on the shoulder.
“Excuse me, young man the birthday girl wants a turn.”
Trace laughs and hands me off without missing a beat. “Yes, ma’am.”
Cash swoops in to take me before I can even step back. “C’mon, boss, you know Miss Evie’s the only one allowed to cut in on your date.”
“Oh my god,” I mutter, but I’m laughing.
Paige and Lena join us and the whole dance floor turns chaotic and fun, shoulders bumping, people spinning who have no business spinning, Paige trying to lead when she can’t dance worth a damn, Lena pretending she can tango, and Cash acting like he’s auditioning for a music video while the jazz quartet tries not to laugh.
Miss Evie is in the middle of it like she’s thirty-five and unstoppable.
Trace dances with her like she’s royalty, holding her hand steady and letting her show out without ever letting her stumble.
And just like that, it feels like Copper Ridge was never sad, grief took a night off.
Gabe drags Paige into a mock waltz, Luis grabs Lena and dips her so dramatically she screams. Cash spins me and almost drops me but catches me just in time, yelling, “I meant to do that!”
The song ends in laughter and applause and out-of-breath happiness. Everyone breaks to get drinks, catch up, rest their feet. Paige elbows me and nods toward the side yard near the string lights where we see Romeo talking to a woman.
No eyelash extensions, no entitled attitude, no talking over him. She’s laughing softly, brushing her hair behind her ear, making eye contact like she’s actually listening.
Lena and Paige both lean in at the same time.
“Oh…,” Lena says.
“Mmhmm,” Paige adds.
I swallow a smile. “She looks… sane.”
“Exactly,” Paige says. “I’m rooting so hard I might pull a muscle.”
“Lord, please let him get a normal one,” Lena whispers like she’s praying.
We watch them for another second, not nosy, just hopeful, before we all shake it off and pretend we weren’t doing exactly what we were doing.
The party organizer lets us know it’s time for cake and we make our way over to the massive cake setup on the table.
Trace appears at my side again, taking my hand like it’s nothing but also everything, I don’t pull away.
I choose him in front of everyone, I choose him.
Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday Evangeline, happy birthday to you!
The entire party sings to her and she blows out the one candle on the cake to raucous cheers.
People start lining up for slices, Miss Evie’s cake barely gets cut before everybody’s phones go off at the same time.
Not one or two… but every single person in the yard.
The crowd freezes. I pull my cell phone out fast.
Emergency Alert squall line and supercell incoming. High wind risk. Possible hail.
Delta reads hers beside me. Her expression sharpens. “They’re going to merge. That storm is going to be bad.”
Before anybody can react, a hard gust of wind hits the yard, not super strong but strong enough to know worse is heading our way.
Cash doesn’t wait. “Alright! Let’s move! Everybody inside! Leave the cleanup! Inside right now!” Everyone responds instantly.
Paige takes Miss Evie’s arm and starts guiding her toward the house. Lena rounds up guests. Kids are being carried, Romeo and Gabe start helping the band pack up equipment without being asked.
I turn to Delta. “Tell me what you need.”
She doesn’t hesitate. “Spare batteries, flashlights, power banks, first-aid kit, bring it all to the bunkhouse house.”
“I’m on it.”
Before long, the yard is nearly empty the cars going to stay parked, and the guests are filing up the ramp to Miss Evie’s porch. The band and caterers are rushing equipment toward the bunkhouse. Cash handles Miss Evie’s group while Romeo, Gabe, and Luis take the bunkhouse crew.
Paige and Lena help with headcounts and bedding.
Delta turns to me. “Once everybody’s inside, we go to my house.”
I just nod. I’d follow her anywhere. Before we even get one step toward the porch, Cash freezes, staring past the fence line.
“What the hell…” he says.
I look and see a cow standing in the middle of the yard terrified, and calling out for help and she was not alone, behind her, more cattle are cutting across the pasture scattered in every direction.
Then I see movement farther back, a horse, then another, then a whole damn line of them. Somehow they got out of the barn. Delta’s entire body goes still. “That’s not right.”
No one has to say anything everyone already knows what loose livestock plus an incoming supercell means, and we have minutes not hours.
“That’s easily two million dollars I can lose in minutes,” Delta says, panicked.
Cash snaps into command mode. “Alright, we need to get ’em secured before the wind hits. Romeo and Gabe are closer, I’ll call them.”
I step toward Delta. “You go to the house.”
She stares at the animals, jaw tight. “I’m coming with you.”
“No,” I say, calm but firm. “You cannot be out here when that storm hits. You need to be inside before the wind turns.”