Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
Delilah
" S top wigglin'," Mattie scolds, tightening the strings on the back of my corset.
"I need to breathe!" I counter, hanging onto the kitchen counter for support. "No one wants to see a bride pass out before she makes it to her groom."
"Shoulda thought about that before lettin’ him knock you up before your weddin' day."
"We're already married, thank you very much."
After finding out we were expecting, we moved the wedding date to early April so I didn’t have to squeeze a six-month belly into a wedding dress. At twenty weeks, I’m more bloated than I’ve ever felt before.
And I look like I've enjoyed a few too many chimichangas.
But everything's gone smoothly so far. I've been fortunate not to experience too much sickness and once I hit the second trimester, my appetite came back in full force. We decided not to find out their genders, so we'll be surprised at their birth.
Although, the more I look at cute baby clothes, the more I want to know so I can buy more.
However, we start building our house on the property next month, which has been a nice distraction. It took a while to get permits and hire contractors, but I can't wait to furnish it and properly decorate.
Although it won't be done by the time the twins are born, they'll sleep in our room for the first few months anyway, so hopefully it'll be ready before they have to move into their nursery.
"Here, drink this..." Raven holds up a cup with a straw, and I take a long sip of water.
"Thanks. Who knew pregnancy hormones would make me sweat so much?"
Mom comes over with a handheld fan and turns it on toward me. "I'd sweat through my scrubs when I was pregnant with you and Harlow."
"Great, so I have that to look forward to for the next five months."
"Don't forget the engorged breasts and your bladder gettin' used like a trampoline," Raven adds.
Amelia chuckles. "And the stretchmarks and peein' every time you sneeze."
"I'm already experiencin' all of that." I groan.
Whoever said pregnancy was the most beautiful thing in the world had clearly never been pregnant before.
"Okay, all done. Can you walk?" Mattie asks after zipping me up.
"Doubt it." I groan, but attempt to anyway.
My gown is loose fitting and conceals my bump pretty well, but in order to tuck everything in, I added a corset underneath.
I turn around and show everyone.
"You look goooorgeous!" Amelia gushes.
"Stunnin'!" Harlow beams.
"I'd marry you," Mallory says.
"Very beautiful," Mom adds, and I can already see the tears welling in the corner of her eyes.
"Your tits are huge," Mattie blurts. "Maybe tuck them in."
"Where? They've grown two sizes already."
Mattie moves her hands around my chest. "I dunno, maybe push them into your armpits or somethin'."
Amelia snorts. "I don't think Wilder will complain."
No truer words have ever been spoken.
Ever since we found out I was pregnant, he hasn't been able to keep his hands off me. Not that I've minded, especially when I hit twelve weeks, and my hormones went into overdrive.
We spend the next two hours messing with my hair and makeup before Reagan, my photographer, tells me it's almost time for the first look. She's been in the apartment all morning taking pictures of us and then going down to Waylon’s apartment where Wilder and the other groomsmen are getting ready.
A part of me is sad Jonah isn't here. After he was charged with kidnapping, he got sentenced to two years in prison. He made one hell of a deal and agreed to testify against Wesley.
His trial is at the end of the summer, but until then, he's behind bars since he couldn't afford bail.
I'm not mad about what happened anymore. I'd rather preserve all my energy for my pregnancy and get things ready for the babies' arrival than stay angry. They're getting what they deserve, and even if Jonah did it to save his sister, he did put my life at risk.
But still, Raven and I visit Jonah once a month and will continue to while he's locked up. This way he still gets to see his niece even if he can't hold her. For now, we're working on rebuilding our friendship.
Everyone stays in the house as Reagan leads me outside toward the trees next to the ranch hand quarters. Wilder's already there, waiting for me, but facing the opposite direction.
"Okay, I'm ready when you are..." She smiles, nodding at me to walk ahead.
"Hey, hubby. Whaddya think about marryin' your wife today?" I tap him on the shoulder, then step back so he can turn around and see me.
When he does, his eyes light up and his entire face splits in two.
"Holy hell...Delly!" His jaw's still on the ground when he reaches for me and pulls me to him. "You look...breathtakin'. Truly gorgeous."
"You don't look too bad yourself, cowboy." I slide my palm down his black tie that's concealed behind a vest and white button-up shirt.
Then I blush at his Stetson black hat.
My favorite.
"That hat is makin' me feral," I admit, groaning at how badly I want him right now.
"Save it for tonight, darlin'." He winks.
"I will."
"Good, because I've got some very dirty plans in store for you."
"Is that so, Mr. Hollis?"
"Hey, guys? You're supposed to look in love, not about to rip off each other's clothes," Reagan interrupts. "Not that I'm not enjoyin' this Rated R version, but your parents are gonna see these photos."
We burst out laughing because I forgot she was here.
Whoops .
After taking appropriate family friendly photos, he kisses me before going off to meet with his father and groomsmen to walk to the altar.
The Hollises went all out, even more than I expected.
There's a large white tent decorated in lights and linens with gorgeous centerpieces on the tables.
Lanterns and hay bales line the walkway toward the tent and to the barn where the ceremony is held. Once it's over, we'll go eat and dance the night away.
I left my hair down in beachy waves with a purple floral crown on top of my head.
It matches Wilder's favorite purple boots that I'm wearing underneath my dress.
He asked Sam to be his ring bearer and looks the cutest in his little bowtie and vest. It's been fun getting to hang out with him on the weekends when I watch him and Lily for a few hours so Amelia can catch up on housework or sleep. Wilder usually takes him to the barn and they go riding.
Willow and Poppy are my flower girls and do a fantastic job throwing petals everywhere.
It was a good use of day-old flowers.
Since Wilder knows my issue with buying fresh flowers, he made sure to buy the leftovers that didn’t get sold the previous day.
My mom and Wilder's dad walk me down the aisle, and by the time we get to the front, I'm not sure who's choked up more—Mom or Mr. Hollis.
There's a chair in the front row with a photo of my dad and a bouquet of white roses. But if I look at it too long, I start crying, so I focus on Wilder instead.
As he shares his vows with me, tears stream down my cheeks and even though I just did my make up, I don't care. He makes the most heartfelt promise to love me until the day he dies and to find me in every lifetime because we're soulmates and he can't imagine a world without me in it.
But what breaks the dam completely is when he credits me for saving his life all those years ago when he was a broken man who didn't feel worthy of love, but how I proved he was because I loved him back.
When it's my turn, I can hardly speak through my emotions, but I clear my throat and push through.
I tell him he's the best thing that's ever happened to me and not only is he the love of my life but also my best friend. The person who makes me laugh every single day, the one who makes me feel safe and cherished even when I'm at my worst, and the man who shows up for me time and time again. Then I vow to love him till my dying breath and into eternity.
By the time we finish our vows, most people are dabbing tissues under their eyes.
Falling in love with Wilder and feeling so loved in return was the last thing I expected when I kissed him that night—only five months ago.
But I don't regret a single second because everything we went through brought us here to this moment where we vowed in front of our friends and family to love each other for the rest of our lives.
"Baby, come meet the rest of my cousins." He grabs my hand and leads me over to where I recognize a few from the Willow Branch Mountain resort.
"This is my Aunt Lindsey and Uncle Grady Langston." Then he motions toward me. "Meet my wife, Delilah Hollis. And our soon-to-be twins." He rubs his hand over my belly, making it standout.
"It's so nice to meet y'all," I tell them, but when I go to shake their hands, Lindsey pulls me into her arms.
She's a hugger. Duly noted .
"Congrats on the marriage and babies," she says. "You're glowin' by the way."
"Ooh, thank you. And I'm almost positive it's sweat."
She laughs.
Wilder directs me to the three cousins I met previously.
"And you know Warren and his wife, Maisie, and then Posey."
I give them all hugs and thank them for coming.
"Then my other cousins, Colton, Bodie, and Bellamy." He points to the last two. "They're twins, too."
"I knew it! I don't care what science says. These twins are your fault."
Everyone chuckles.
"Maybe you'll get one of each like I did and get the best of both worlds for your first time," Lindsey says. "By the time I had mine, I already had three kids."
" Three ? And you kept goin'...on purpose?"
Grady wraps his arm around his wife and pulls her closer. "She couldn't keep her hands off me."
"Ugh, Dad."
"Ew."
"Gross."
"We're in public!"
I snort at everyone's reactions because that's definitely how the Hollis siblings would react, too.
"You gonna introduce me to your bridesmaids?" Colton asks, nodding behind me.
When I turn and look, he's staring at Amelia.
"Uh...sure." I shrug.
"Who's the brunette?" Bodie asks.
"That's Raven. I suppose you want an introduction, too?"
"I mean..." He fidgets with his tie. "I wouldn't be opposed to it."
I bark out a laugh. "I can tell y'all are related."
After the dinner, speeches, and first dance as husband and wife, my feet officially tap out. Although the purple boots are cute and a homage to when I wore them in Vegas, my feet are swelling to twice their size. If I don't get them off soon, they're going to fuse right to the leather.
Amelia and Raven help remove them, and then we laugh at how it took the three of us to do it. I'm not even that big yet, and I'm already struggling at basic tasks—like bending over or touching my toes.
"It's time for the cake," Reagan tells me.
"Okay, but I'm doin' it barefoot."
"Don't worry, I can photoshop your feet out."
"And that's why I love you."
After we cut the cake his mom and Gramma Grace made and shove a piece of funfetti into each other's mouths, he's pulled away for the mother-son dance. I watch them and notice how proud she looks at him.
I am too, especially since he kept his promise to Miss Tierney about volunteering once a month. I went with him to the shelter up until a month ago when it became too much for me. Although I wasn’t there as much as Wilder, I felt a tremendous amount of fulfillment getting to help and listen to their stories. He also finished his anger management hours and is officially off probation.
I’m still searching for that spark—something beyond sales that’ll give me purpose in my career—but since I’ll be a new mom soon, that’ll be my priority. Perhaps one day when they’re older or in school, I can pivot and find something new. For now, I’m excited for this upcoming journey and getting to raise a family.
Something I wasn’t sure I’d get to do.
"Delilah..." Mr. Hollis grabs my attention from where I'm sitting. "I know you can't have a father-daughter dance, but if you're up for it, I'd love to dance with you."
Tears swell in my eyes and I nod, quickly wiping them before they fall. "I'd love that. Thank you."
It was Wilder's idea to ask him to walk me down with my mom, and I was thrilled when he agreed. Mr. and Mrs. Hollis have been nothing but kind and welcoming to me and Harlow, and being a part of their family is an honor.
He takes my hand and helps me up, then walks us out to the dancefloor. The song changes to My Girl and then I full on lose it.
"Your father would be so proud of the woman you've become this past year. He's watchin' over y'all, I can feel it."
I nod, swallowing glass as I try to talk through my tears. "I feel him, too."
He wraps me in a hug as we continue dancing but before it ends, Wilder comes and takes over.
"You doin' okay?"
"Do I look like I'm doin' okay? God, these hormones have me so messed up."
He brushes the pads of his thumbs under my eyes, and I close them as I savor his touch. He holds me close and rocks me back and forth to the music.
When it reaches eleven o'clock, I'm ready for my bed. We do a final walk around and thank everyone again for coming. Then, I spy a couple Langston cousins hanging around Raven and Amelia.
"I think there's a matchmakin' in progress," I tell Wilder as he carries me to his truck.
"Nah, weddings are prime territory for one-night-stands."
"Of course you'd know that," I deadpan.
"None of that, Mrs. Hollis. Especially when you're carryin' two of my babies." He sets me down on the passenger seat, then leans in for a kiss. "And am in love with only you, forever and ever."
"Okay fine, I forgive you for being a slut before me."
He grins. "And now I'm only a slut for you."
"Hm...that gives me an idea. Tonight, it's your turn to crawl to me."
Considering I can't, because the minute I'm on my hands and knees, there's no way I'm getting back up.
"Fuck..." He adjusts his groin. "Second honeymoon here we come."
I laugh when he closes my door and sprints to the driver's side. Once he's buckled in, he takes my hand and presses his lips to my ring finger. "Thanks for marryin' me again."
Biting my lip, I beam at my husband. "I'll sin with you any day."