Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Delilah
“Mornin’, hon.” Mom greets when I walk into our room.
After agreeing to Wilder’s thirty-day marriage condition, I left to shower and change before going for breakfast and finding a gallon of coffee. It’s going to be a rough day because I only slept for a few hours.
But now I have to tell my mom the news before we meet up with everyone else.
“Hey, Mom. How’d you sleep?” I ask, rummaging through my suitcase for clean clothes.
“Great. You? I was a bit surprised to wake up and see you weren’t here.”
I wince, slowly turning around to face her. “Yeah, I slept in Wilder’s room.”
She lifts a carefree shoulder. “I figured as much. Y’all have fun?”
“Uh…yeah. Guess you could say that.” I bite the inside of my cheek, contemplating how to tell her. I need to rip off the BandAid and get it over with before she sees the rock on my finger. “I gotta confess somethin’, though.”
I spin around to face her and she’s already watching me.
“What is it?”
“Um, well…Wilder and I drank a lot last night and kinda did somethin’ stupid.”
“Did he get arrested again?”
“No, thank God.” I blow out a breath and brace for her reaction.
“Matchin’ tattoos?” she guesses and when I shake my head, she continues, “Did you get somethin’ pierced…” She points to my chest, and I snicker.
“We…got hitched.”
She tilts her head and crosses her arms, blinking a few times. “Uh…whaddya mean?”
Stepping closer, I hold out my left hand and show her the ring. “We went to one of those little chapels and got married.”
“Delilah Fanning!” she scolds, then yanks my hand to take a better look. “Or is it Hollis now?”
“Mom!” I crack up at her devious smile. “I blame those Long Island Iced Teas.”
“Well…” She drops my hand. “They do taste good.”
Grinning, I nod. “A bit too good.”
“Is Wilder freakin’ out?”
“Strangely, no. When I suggested we get an annulment, he begged me to give him thirty days to prove we can make this work. I’m a little skeptical, but I agreed to give him a chance.”
“Good, I’m glad.”
“You are?”
“Of course!” She opens her arms and wraps them around me. “Marriage is a beautiful commitment that only two people truly in love can experience the full benefits of what it has to offer.”
“But we’re not in love…we were drunk,” I clarify.
“You will be. I have no doubt he already is.”
“I’m not sure he knows what being in love feels like. He’s never had a serious relationship. Plus, I haven’t experienced it either.” Waylon and I never said it to each other. “Neither of us has any business gettin’ married this quickly.”
“You’ve been in love with Wilder for years, but you never let yourself admit it. Once your head catches up to your heart, you’ll feel it.”
“Mama, that’s impossible. How can you be in love with someone but not know it?”
The corner of her lips tilts up. “Our minds tend to protect us from gettin’ hurt, so in order to do that, it blocks your ability to feel certain things.
Wilder being emotionally unavailable and you keepin’ your distance made it easier, but deep down, you fell for him a long time ago.
But now you get to fall for the man he is today.
A much better version of himself, as long as you open your heart and mind to it. ”
“Do you think you’ll ever get married again?” I ask, needing a moment to think about what she said because if she’s right, I won’t be able to walk away unscathed after thirty days.
“It’s too soon to tell, but I doubt it.”
“Maybe Daddy will send you someone,” I tell her. “I know he’d want you to be happy.”
“He’d want you to be, too, even if he can’t be here and witness that happiness.”
My eyes fill with tears as they have many times these past months. Anytime I think or talk about him, I get emotional.
“I miss him so much,” I whisper, sitting on the edge of the bed.
“I do too, sweetie. There hasn’t been a day I haven’t thought about him.” She sits next to me and wraps her arm around my shoulders.
“I’m still strugglin’ after almost a year and don’t even live at home to see his things every day. I can’t imagine how hard it must be for you being alone and surrounded by his chair, clothes, and books.”
“It’s comfortin’,” she clarifies, her voice soothing. “Sometimes I trick my brain into thinkin’ he’s home with me and is takin’ a nap. When I see his crossword puzzles, I’ll do one and pretend he’s tellin’ me the answers. Makes me feel less lonely.”
I choke back tears, but they fall down my cheeks anyway. “I hate that you’re alone now.”
“Don’t, honey.” She leans over and wipes my face. “My job keeps me plenty busy. I love my coworkers and helpin’ all my patients. Losin’ your dad reminds me why I work as hard as I do. I feel fulfilled at the end of the day knowin’ I gave it my all.”
“I wish I felt that level of passion,” I admit. “I enjoy workin’ at Lacey’s, but it’s not satisfyin’ like goin’ to rodeos and performin’. I’ve decided not to return to trick ridin’ next year but not sure what I wanna do.”
“I kinda figured you wouldn’t and that’s okay. We all have to pivot to find what brings us joy. I have no doubt you’ll figure it out, but it might not come easy.”
“That’s partly why I’m skeptical this marriage can work when I’m still figurin’ out what I wanna do. And at my age, when most people are already married and having babies, I feel behind.”
“Marriage is about growin’ old with someone you love and havin’ a partner to face the ups and downs. As long as you grow together and support each other, there’s no reason you can’t figure out what you want with him at your side.”
Tears fill my eyes again but for a different reason this time. My mom’s been through a lot with my dad and she never left his side. She married the love of her life and stuck by him through every obstacle and never complained about it.
I want that.
“You don’t think it’s crazy we got married after datin’ for like three days?”
“Of course.” She laughs, and I do too. “But that doesn’t mean you throw in the towel before givin’ it a chance, especially when this was years in the makin’.
I like Wilder, but even more, I like Wilder for you.
If I had to pick a man for you, it’d be a man just like him.
Sure, he doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to relationships, but the fact that he’s askin’ for a chance tells me he’s ready. He’s been waitin’ for you.”
I nod, then wrap my arms around her. “Thanks, Mom.”
Once I’ve showered and dressed, Wilder and I go eat with his siblings, who give us shit about being newlyweds. They seem happy enough for us, but I know they love teasing Wilder. Noah warned him their parents were going to flip, but everyone agreed not to tell them until we could in person.
Another thing to worry about.
Since his phone went MIA, we find an Apple store so he can buy a new one. Then he makes a show of changing my contact to MY WIFE.
I’d protest if that didn’t sound so goddamn hot.
When I jokingly refuse to change his contact in my phone, he does it for me. Except he puts BABY DADDY.
“Not sure if you skipped biology, but without intercourse, there’s a zero percent chance of that being true.”
“You ever heard of manifesting? All I’m missin’ is my lucky crystals and my plan to wed and bed you will be a success!”
I snicker. “I’m startin’ to wonder if you did do some voodoo after all.”
He winks. “I’ll never tell.”
He takes my hand, interconnecting our fingers as we make our way toward the arena. When he kisses my knuckles and gives me his infamous flirty grin, it gives me butterflies.
God, I sound like a teenage girl with her first boyfriend.
Since it’s the final day of the NFR, it’s more packed than yesterday, but we’ll get to hopefully watch Ellie win the barrel racing championship for the second year in a row. We have an early flight tomorrow, so I won’t be going to any after parties or getting drunk like we did last night.
Plus, I already need an eight-hour nap.
“Think your parents will flip out when we tell ’em?” I ask Wilder after thinking about what his siblings said at breakfast.
“After thirty-three years, they’re used to my antics. Not sure anythin’ will shock ’em at this point.” His mouth twitches. “Plus, it’s not like I married a stranger. So that wins me brownie points.”
I snort. “Silver linings.”
Inhaling the sharp scent of leather mixed with dirt and musk, we sit in the arena with everyone and wait for the announcer to call Ellie’s name.
Being here brings me back to all the excitement of trick riding.
The roar of the crowd, the loud music thumping through the air, and all the bright colors of the cowboy hats and boots hype me up.
I can only imagine the high it brings Ellie and all the other riders.
She’s kicked ass every day, and I have no doubt she will today, too.
“I’m anxious, and I’m not even the one out there ridin’,” I whisper to Wilder. “I dunno how she does it.”
He leans in, squeezing my hand in his. “She’s fierce. Never seen anythin’ like it.”
“Doesn’t hurt that she trains with Noah screamin’ at her,” Magnolia says, and I crack up at her eavesdropping.
“I don’t scream. I cheer!” Noah defends. “But it obviously helps because look how far she’s come.”
Landen turns and stares at Noah. “If that’s what you call cheerin’, then that must be what Ellie does in the bedroom when I have her—”
“Dude.” Tripp kicks the back of his chair to stop him. “We don’t wanna know.”
“Speak for yourself…” Wilder waggles his brows at Landen to rile him up.
“Do the newlyweds need some inspo?” Landen taunts, then shoots me a devious grin. “Maybe try drawin’ him pictures so he knows where to find it.”
“Don’t worry, his tongue piercin’ found it just fine,” I retort, smirking at Wilder.
“Oh God…” Noah groans, her face twisting in disgust.
“That’s exactly what she screamed when I found it.” He winks at me.
“Wilder!” My cheeks heat. “My mother is right next to me!”
“And your sister,” Harlow adds.
Mom chuckles. “Nothin’ I haven’t heard before.”
“As if I haven’t had to hear you and my brother for the past year,” Wilder reminds Harlow. His bedroom is above theirs and has complained about hearing them several times. “So remember, payback’s a bitch.”
“Wait a minute…” It dawns on me. Lowering my voice, I add, “I don’t want ’em listenin’.”
“Oh, they’re gonna,” he responds proudly. “I’m determined to make sure they haveta suffer the way they’ve made me.”
“It’s not my fault the ceilings and walls are thin!” Harlow shrugs. “That’s why I gotcha headphones for your birthday.”
“Just do what I do…” Waylon looks at Wilder over his shoulder. “When I know you’re home and she gives me the look, I get in the shower. The water and fan drown out the extra noise and you can’t hear a thing upstairs.”
“I beg your finest pardon?” Harlow looks horrified.
“You think I need to take three showers a day? I figured you knew.” Waylon shrugs.
“We need to move out…” Harlow mutters, shaking her head.
Before Waylon can reply, we hear Ellie’s name being announced and then she’s flying out of the alleyway with her horse, Ranger.
The conversation is forgotten as we spring to our feet, cheering her name. Noah jumps up and down with a large sign, keeping with her tradition of inappropriate ones: Round those barrels like you’re being chased by a man!
Ellie cleans all three barrels flawlessly and as quickly as she entered, she’s gone.
“Holy shit! That has to get her to first,” Noah shouts, beaming with pride.
The rest of the crowd erupts when her time displays on the screen.
“Thirteen point one!” Magnolia raises her arms above her head. “That’s one of her fastest times.”
Once all the barrel racers’ scores from the past ten days get added up, the top average time wins the championship. Racers can also win money and prizes each day and she’s won a handful already.
After every racer has gone, they announce Ellie as the round ten winner and then we wait with bated breath for the overall results to display.
“Well, folks, she’s done it again. For the second year in a row, she proves why she’s the Rodeo Princess! Congrats, Ellie Donovan and Ranger!”
1. Ellie Donovan - 13.3
“Holy shit, she did better than last year!” Noah jumps around, unable to contain herself, and then she takes off toward the exit. Landen’s quick to follow her.
“Is she always this excited when Ellie wins?”
“Yes,” Fisher, Wilder, Waylon, Tripp, and Magnolia answer in unison.
I laugh, sitting back in my seat so the people behind us can see the next event.
“What was her score last year?” I ask everyone.
“Thirteen point five. And even that was a record,” Magnolia explains. “She trained hard this past year.”
“It shows.”
Wilder wraps his arm around me and I snuggle into his side with a smile on my face.
I love this for Ellie so much. Even though I don’t know her super well, I can tell she loves this sport more than anything and has put everything she has into it. I want that type of passion. That feeling of accomplishment, knowing I worked hard for something and earned it.
I felt pride as a trick rider, but I lost my passion for it after Dad died. That feeling of excitement was lost, and I’m not sure I’ll ever feel it again.
But my goal is still finding a fulfilling career where I know I’m making a difference. Hopefully, I’ll figure it out sooner rather than later.