Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Wilder
I haven’t seen Gramma Grace this heated since I was a teenager and it not being directed at me for once is a nice change.
“I’m gonna figure out who Molly’s mother and grandmother are and have myself a little chat with ’em about respect and loyalty in this town…” She paces the kitchen in her usual apron, aggressively stirring something in a big bowl. “And comin’ onto the ranch…she must have balls of steel.”
“I don’t think she has balls, Gramma Grace,” Noah muses from across the table from me.
“How did she even sign up for a tour?” Waylon asks. “That’s only for registered guests.”
“She made a reservation, got early check-in, and then signed up for a tour right away,” Tripp explains. “It’s not like she told us she was a journalist. We had no reason to be suspicious.”
After I drove to the main house and told Mom what happened, she called an emergency family meeting. Dad’s been on the phone with John, but there isn’t much he can do since it’s considered free speech and the court records are public.
But that doesn’t mean the Hollises will go down without a fight.
“Alright…” Dad enters the kitchen, pocketing his phone. “The best we can do is damage control. Get ahead of it before it threatens the family or the business. Wilder, you’re gonna stay away from the guests and retreat until this blows over. You’ll switch jobs with Landen.”
“ What ?” Landen and I exclaim simultaneously.
“He watches horses fuck and fondles their balls all day,” I complain.
“Language,” Mom scolds.
Landen manages the breeding operation. He takes care of our studs and the pregnant mares until they go home to their owners. He watches them mate all summer and then in the off-season, he collects their semen and sells it online.
“Doesn’t sound much different than what you fondle in your room all night,” Noah blurts.
I shoot her an unamused glare. “And how would you know?”
“I’ve heard stories.”
“Kinda weird to be talkin’ about your brother’s balls…”
“Enough,” Dad snaps. “Besides stayin’ on the ranch side only, you will not leave the property unless you have an appointment, you’re doing community service hours, or I say you can.”
I roll my eyes, leaning my elbows on the table. “So I can go to therapy, but the grocery store is off-limits?”
“Correct. No talkin’ to anyone who ain’t family.”
“Can I be exempt from that?” Noah raises her hand.
Tripp snorts.
“If you need anythin’ in town, Noah will get it for you” Dad says, staring at her as he exaggerates her name.
“Oh, because I’m a woman, I should do his shoppin’?”
“That’s sexist and buyin’ into the patriarchal nonsense we’ve been stuck with for centuries,” Mallory adds.
Dad pinches the bridge of his nose, then exhales through his mouth. “That ain’t why I picked her to do it. She was being a smart-ass, but if you wanna volunteer, be my guest.”
“Heck no.” Mallory scoffs.
“She’d probably poison my food anyway.”
She scoffs, leaning back casually in her chair. “I wouldn’t waste my good Foxglove on you.”
For only being seventeen, Mallory scares the shit out of me sometimes.
But I’d never admit that aloud.
“Am I still allowed to go to Vegas?” I ask Dad.
“That’s three and a half weeks away, so we’ll cross that bridge when we get closer,” he says.
Not the answer I was hoping for, but at least it’s not a definite no. I’ve been looking forward to that trip all year.
And that first beer I order when I get there will be the best sip of my life since I’m staying sober until then.
“For now, no one talks to the press, no one mentions anything in front of guests, and you go on as usual,” Dad orders. “No matter what else is said. Do not retaliate or comment. Got it?”
He scans the room until his eyes lock on mine. He’s warning me to stay out of trouble because if I get arrested while on probation, there’s nothing anyone can do.
“Yes, sir,” we respond.
Once the meeting is dismissed, everyone shuffles out the door to get back to work, but I stay put.
“Miss Tierney said she can get you registered to volunteer at the shelter tomorrow at six. Think you can make it there on time? It’s about forty-five minutes away.”
“Sure, Mom. Not like I’m allowed to do anything else.”
She pats my hand before moving toward the fridge to grab ingredients for dinner. Gramma Grace comes over and hands me a cookie. “Here, eat this. It’ll make ya feel better.”
“Oh? Is it a special cookie?” Grinning, I grab it and take a bite. Then I smell it.
When I glance up at her with a furrowed brow, she winks and then walks away.
Yep, she just gave me one of her pot cookies she takes for arthritis and nerve pain. I haven’t had an edible in years.
This oughta be interesting.
Since I didn’t get to surprise Delilah tonight like I wanted, I opted for the second-best option.
Delilah
Did you send Chinese food and several bouquets of flowers to my apartment?
I lean back on the couch and kick my feet up on the coffee table until I’m comfortable. I’ve been waiting for her text since I placed the orders an hour ago.
After leaving my parents’ house, I came up with the idea since I couldn’t leave the property but still wanted her to know I was thinking about her. I hate that she ended up in this article drama with me.
Wilder
Are there multiple suitors who’d send your favorite food and ten dozen flowers?
Delilah
Oh yeah, there’s a line out my door of men waiting to court me. Some even brought donkeys to trade for my love!
Wilder
Donkeys? Well, good thing I know more about you than they do.
Delilah
Oh yeah? Such as…
Wilder
You hate donkeys, so immediate rejection.
Delilah
…How do you know that?
Wilder
You got chased by one when you were twelve and have been deathly afraid of them ever since.
Delilah
HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?
Wilder
You think I don’t listen when you talk but I’m always listening when it comes to you.
Delilah
That’s…kinda wholesome.
Wilder
Yeah?
Delilah
But mostly creepy.
I roll my eyes even though she’s giving me a hard time on purpose. Delilah’s part-time job is finding ways to humble me.
Wilder
Oh c’mon!
She replies with a silly tongue-out emoji.
I decide to add more, which she’ll probably say is even more creepy, but at this point what do I have to lose? Besides my sanity, of course.
Wilder
I also know how you prefer to eat at home than at a noisy restaurant because the music’s always too loud and you hate the sound of other people’s chewing. I know that you think buying flowers is a waste of money because they die so quickly but on the flip side you feel bad for the ones that don’t get picked, which is why I asked the florist to send the rest of the flowers that didn’t get sold today.
I’ve been observing Delilah for years, noticing all the little things about her, and learned even more about her over the past year. She just hadn’t realized it or maybe she wasn’t paying attention until now.
Delilah
Jesus. I’m not sure who’s crazier. Me for thinking flowers have feelings or you for validating flowers have feelings.
Wilder
At this rate, I think we’re both crazy. But I think you’ve made me crazier than my normal crazy.
Delilah
Pretty sure you’re the one who’s made ME crazy.
Wilder
Hopefully that means I get home field advantage from all those other losers lined up, right?
Delilah
Or it means you’re too cocky to realize you still have to practice for the big game.
Wilder
Wait…are we talking about sex or football?
She sends back an eye roll emoji with a bull’s-eye.
Now she’s fucking with me.
Wilder
Truthfully, my plan was to take you out someplace quiet to celebrate not being behind bars, but I’m officially grounded to the property unless I have therapy or community service.
Delilah
Your parents are pretty pissed, huh?
Wilder
Definitely not on the pleased with me side. But until this blows over, I have to stay away from the guests, which means I’m stuck on the ranch only side.
Delilah
That’s not too bad. At least you get to work and stay busy.
Wilder
Except they gave Landen my job, so now I’m doing his.
Delilah
You mean…
She sends a squirting emoji with a hand gesture.
Wilder
Yep. FML.
Delilah
Surely you’re a pro at that by now?
Wilder
Jerking off horses? Strangely, no. That’s beyond my personal experience.
Delilah
What a time to be alive…
She sends a laughing emoji with an eggplant, making me laugh with her.
Wilder
Also, Gramma Grace gave me one of her pot cookies. So I might be a smidge high.
The effects of the cookie have fully set in, but it wasn’t strong enough to do much besides make me super relaxed.
Delilah
HAHAHA that explains everyyyyything.
Wilder
She’s ready to kick Molly’s ass.
Delilah
She can get in line because Mattie was ready to knock her out.
Wilder
The only silver lining is knowing Wesley’s on suspension and probably driving his wife crazy.
Delilah
Maybe she’ll take one for the team and push him off their roof or something.
I bark out a laugh.
Wilder
Maybe she’ll have him put up Christmas lights and he’ll be Santa Claus’ed.
Delilah
Hahaha slip and vanish into thin air. Poof!
Wilder
I must be high because now I wanna watch that movie.
Delilah
Shoulda told me sooner and I would’ve brought this food over. It smells insane in here…literally. Chinese chicken and rice aroma in the kitchen and a floral shop in the living room.
Wilder
Guess that means we’ll have to plan something for another night.
Delilah
I was gonna come this weekend to ride Jasmine. Maybe we can go on a trail ride?
Wilder
I’d love that. Saturday at three?
Delilah
Sounds good. Thank you for the food and the flowers. You really didn’t have to go all out, but it made me smile after a hectic day.
Wilder
Good…then mission accomplished.
I send a saluting emoji with a red heart and she hearts the message in return.
I’ve flirted with Delilah plenty over the years without giving it much thought because I assumed she saw me as an annoying brother.
But after that hot make-out session where she came on my fingers and begged for more, I’m going to do whatever it takes to get out of the friend zone, even if it kills me.