Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Delilah
“ H ave a lovely rest of your day, Mrs. Waters.” I give her my well-practiced smile and hand her the bag of lingerie as if she didn’t tell me what her romantic plans were for wearing it later tonight.
I didn’t ask, but she was more than willing to tell me.
Though I don’t usually mind small talk while helping customers, her husband is well-known in the community since he’s the president of the town committee, so it feels wrong to know that he’s not the one who’s getting to see his wife in her new lingerie.
Mr. Waters has been visiting his family in Maine for the past week, and I know that because Mrs. Waters let it slip when she mentioned he wouldn’t be home for another few days.
So who the hell is getting an early preview of her lingerie? I did not ask.
I get paid to be discreet, not nosy.
“Thanks, Delilah. See ya again soon.” She winks, then sashays out the front door.
“Well… that was interestin’,” Mattie murmurs as we both stare out into the street where Mrs. Waters gets into her Escalade.
“Uh, yeah…you could say that.” I shake my head and visions of her cheating out of my mind. “Anyway…I’m gonna work on inventoryin’ the new pieces now. Holler if you need me.”
“Maybe you should buy one of those for yourself…” She gives me a taunting look. “I’m sure Wilder wouldn’t mind.”
I roll my eyes. “Very funny.”
But once I’m in the backroom, looking at the new lavender lace garter set, I can’t help wondering what his reaction would be. Even though he put a stop to things escalating between us, I felt his very large and thick reaction to me grinding on top of him.
Mondays aren’t usually busy in the store, so it gives me more time to work on admin and manager duties while Mattie handles the floor. She does great in sales and earns commission on top of her hourly pay. Since I’m on salary, I like giving her the floor and it allows me to catch up on paperwork.
Before I clocked in, I talked to Wilder about how things went in court and was relieved to hear he didn’t get jail time. He’s damn lucky considering what he did, but now I hope it doesn’t affect his mental health and all the progress he’s made this past year. I’m still not sure what he meant by seeing me today, but a part of me can’t deny I’m curious about his plans.
When I return from the bathroom, I hear Mattie tell someone up front in her customer service voice, “I’m afraid she’s busy at the moment.”
“It’d only take a few minutes. The article is scheduled to run in a couple hours and it’d be great gettin’ her witness statement on the event.”
Who the hell is she talking about?
“She’s not talkin’ to anyone without a lawyer, especially you.”
“If she changes her mind, which I’m sure she will, here’s my number.”
Her harsh tone has me even more curious about who she is and what she wants, but I’m equally grateful Mattie dealt with her for me. Her father’s an attorney and she’s worked part-time at his office since she graduated from high school thirteen years ago. Although he wanted her to go to law school and follow in his footsteps, she didn’t share the same passion. Mattie went to art school, but when her mom died a year after she graduated, Mattie returned to help her dad and hasn’t pursued it since then.
We have a lot in common when it comes to putting our lives on hold for our loved ones and grew closer because of it. I was only twenty-two when Dad had his accident and then Harlow’s incident happened a year later.
It was a big deal for both of us when we finally moved out of our childhood homes and rented an apartment together. We finally got to find independence and be on our own, although I felt guilty as hell about it. My parents nearly kicked me out and told me it was time I focus on myself.
I’m grateful they did, but I still wish I’d gone home more often to visit.
When I hear the bell on the door, I peek my head out toward the front.
“Uh…Mattie. Who was that?”
She turns toward me, grinning. “Some journalist after a story. She claims Wesley’s been falsely criminalized while Wilder gets unlimited ‘get out of jail free’ cards. She wants to use your statement to make Wilder look bad. I told her to shove it where the sun don’t shine.”
I snort. “Spoken like a true attorney’s daughter.”
With a lazy shrug, she smirks. “Her card’s up here if you want it, but I wouldn’t speak to her without a lawyer.”
“I’m not speakin’ to anyone, so it won’t be an issue on my end. Sheriff Wagner got my statement and that’s all that needs to be said.”
Once the new inventory is tracked and price tags have been added, I grab one in my size and hold it in the back.
It wouldn’t hurt to have something sexy in my closet. Even if I’m the only one who sees it.
“You wanna go on your last break?” I ask Mattie. It’s almost three and she gets done in a couple hours.
“Sure, I was gonna grab a smoothie from the café. Do you want one?” She grabs her bag from underneath the counter, then pulls out her phone and wallet.
“Yeah, that’d be great. Want some cash?”
“Nah, you can buy next time.”
Once she leaves, a few customers enter and give me strange looks. They’re pleasant as I help them find some new bras and panties, but there’s a weird vibe.
“Delilah!” Mattie shouts the moment the back door swings open.
She’s never this loud when there are potential customers in the store, so I rush to the back and make sure she’s okay.
“What’s wrong?”
She’s staring at her phone with her mouth agape and wide eyes.
“That little bitch.”
“Who?”
She shows me the screen, and I quickly take it so I can read the words.
“Oh my God!” I can’t believe what I’m reading. “She’s encouragin’ people to boycott the retreat?”
“I knew she was a cunt,” Mattie murmurs. “At the end, it says she plans to reach out to the Hollis family for a statement, which means she might write more than one article. Might wanna warn Wilder.”
“He’ll never talk to her.”
Wilder might do some stupid shit, but talking to a reporter? He’d know better than that.
“Maybe not willingly. She had a recorder. And isn’t he one of the trail guides?”
“Yep.” Groaning, I grab my phone from my bag and send him a text.
Delilah
Hey, a reporter came in a bit ago asking for my statement about you and Wesley. It looks like she wrote an article about y’all and is encouraging people to boycott the retreat. So just a heads-up, she might be coming to ask you for one too.
Oh and she had a recorder, so be careful.
“What did she look like?” I ask Mattie. If I can give him as much information and details as possible, maybe it’ll help him steer clear of her.
She gives me a description, and I repeat it to him.
Delilah
She’s about five-foot-two, brown hair, and wearing a long-sleeved green shirt.
Call or text me when you can!
“Ugh, he still hasn’t responded.” I pace the backroom after thirty minutes of silence. “What if she already got to him?”
A moment later, he finally responds.
Wilder
Sorry, I didn’t see your texts until it was too late. I told her to fuck off, but I’m headed to my parents’ now. They’ll probably get the lawyer involved and it’ll be another shitshow.
Thank you for looking out and trying to warn me. I appreciate it.
Delilah
Of course. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.
Wilder
Just be careful. I’m sure more vultures will come around.
Delilah
Mattie put her in her place, but don’t worry. I won’t say a word.
Wilder
I’m sorry for getting you into this mess. I’ll take care of it, I promise.
Delilah
I’m not blaming you.
Wilder
You should. I fucked up and now your name is in the middle of it.
Delilah
Stop worrying about it. Text me later if you have an update.
Wilder
I will. Sorry again, Delly.
“Well…” Mattie probes.
“He didn’t say anythin’ to her.”
“Thank God. But this ain’t just gonna go away.”
I sigh. “Yeah, not in this small town.”
With only five minutes left of my shift, I count my drawer and get ready to leave so Harper can take over for the night. She’s the part-time manager who works evenings while she attends college during the day.
When the bell above the door dings, I expect her to walk in, but it’s the man from the bar who spilled his beer on me.
For fuck’s sake.
And I let Mattie leave already since the store was slow.
Could this day get any weirder?
“What’re you doin’ here?” I ask firmly before he gets any closer.
“I’m Jonah.” He waves pitifully, looking less threatening than a moment ago. “I’m just here to apologize for the other night.”
“How’d you find me?”
“I asked Rainy so I could apologize in person. I was quite drunk that night and very, very stupid. I shouldn’t have said what I did or fought with Wilder. After hearing that me spillin’ beer on you caused some issues when you got pulled over, I thought the least I could do is tell you how sorry I am.”
“Oh.” I hesitate bringing up the article, but it’s obvious he read it. And probably heard plenty of gossip about it, too. “Well, I appreciate your apology.”
“Maybe we could start over, and I could buy you a drink? One that you won’t have to wear?” he asks sheepishly. “Or even dinner. Maria’s Kitchen has the best nachos. And I noticed you were drinkin’ margaritas at the Twisted Bull. They make good ones there, too.”
I stifle a laugh, finding his ramblings charming and genuine.
“You were watchin’ me, huh?”
“It was impossible not to notice the most beautiful woman there. If I’m being honest, I came up with a game plan to go talk to you and my dumb ass tripped and that’s when my beer went flyin’. I kinda got too drunk, so my plan went out the window.”
“Yeah…that’s a good way to put it.” I grin. “While I appreciate the gesture, it’s really not necessary. Things are a bit complicated in my life right now and?—”
“We can go just as friends. No expectations, I swear. I just moved here to be closer to my sister, so I don’t know many people.”
Dammit . It can be tough coming into a tight-knit community of people who have lived here all our lives and not know anyone.
“Okay, sure. As friends,” I reiterate.