Chapter 3 - Emmett
I was digging holes for fence posts for the new outdoor arena, doing everything I could to stop agonizing over Delilah, when Beau came over. “Let’s go get lunch.” It wasn’t really an invitation or a question or even a request.
I wiped the sweat off my brow, setting the post hole digger down. “You sure there’s time for that?”
He huffed a laugh and placed his hands on his hips. “We’re the bosses—we make time.”
I brushed my hands on my jeans, shifting on my feet. “Fair point.”
“There’s somethin’ I wanna talk to you about anyway.
” Unease twisted in my stomach as I followed after him, wondering what on Earth he could have to say.
Out of all of us guys, Beau was the nosiest. I knew it came from a good place, but I was never one to talk about my problems. Exactly why my last therapy session ended with me quitting and kicking a feed bucket across the stables after Delilah stormed off.
It’d been three days since she texted me wasted. Three days of us avoiding each other like the plague. She didn’t have to say it; I knew she was pissed that I chickened out of kissing her. I was pissed, too.
I just didn’t understand why she was pissed. She wasn’t the type to have a fragile ego, but maybe I did embarrass her by leaving. It was a really big risk for her to have offered that in the first place, and I owed her an explanation beyond sorry. I just didn’t know how to get the words out.
The ride to the Wild Creek diner was pretty quiet.
We just talked about things that needed to be done around the ranch.
By the time we sat down in the old leather booth, I was almost sweating from nerves.
If my Army buddies could see me now, they’d be laughing their asses off.
I was trained to handle torture, but having lunch with my sister Claire’s boyfriend was the thing that nearly made me crack.
I lasted through ordering drinks and food before I caved. “What did you wanna talk about?”
Beau shifted in his seat across from me and cleared his throat. His eyes met mine, that frosty blue full of focus. “I wanna propose to Claire.”
“What?” I barked. Beau’s eyes widened, his head rearing back in shock. The diner went silent, a few people turning to see what the commotion was. Kill me now. “Sorry,” I murmured to everyone, and they slowly went back to their business.
I shook my head, backpedaling. “Sorry, that wasn’t directed at you. I was just…expecting something else.”
“No.” He set his sweet tea down, gaze raking over me cautiously. “That’s all.”
I ran a hand over my mouth, letting the information settle. “You want to marry my sister.”
The corner of his mouth quirked with a smile, some of that frost thawing. “Yeah, man, I do.” He clasped his hands on the table. “And since Ben isn’t here for me to ask for permission, I’m askin’ you.”
The gesture hit like a gut punch. All the air left my lungs. “Shit,” I breathed. Weston and Levi hadn’t asked me. So it didn’t make sense for Beau to. “You don’t need my permission, Beau.”
“It’s what your parents would’ve wanted,” he said.
My throat grew tight. There was no way to know what they would’ve wanted, but the fact that he was going out of his way like this meant more to me than anything.
“Of course, you have my permission, Beau. Claire loves you, and you make her happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for any of my sisters.” All I’d ever wanted for myself.
He pursed his lips, nodding, his throat moving with a rough swallow. “Thanks,” he rasped.
Luckily, our food came before we were both awkwardly in tears, and I picked at my fries. “You know when you’re gonna do it?”
“Not yet. Don’t even have a ring yet, but it’s gonna be soon. I think once the ranch is up and fully runnin’.”
Another wedding. All of my sisters would be married or engaged before me. Even Tess, who was five years younger than me. Not that it was a contest by any means. It just…sucked to know I didn’t have someone to share my life with yet, and that I might never if I didn’t get over this fear I had.
I nodded. “That’s a good idea.”
“What’s goin’ on with you?” Beau narrowed his eyes at me. “You’ve been weird this last week.”
There was no way I could tell him about Delilah. About me. He’d go tell Claire, and then our whole family would know by sunset. “Nothing. I’m always weird.”
His head tilted in suspicion. “No. You’re weirder. Quieter.”
The bell rang over the door, and Beau and I simultaneously froze as my grandmother and her best friend’s voices filtered through the restaurant.
I looked over my shoulder, and Gran was already grinning at me, with her hair freshly done after her weekly appointment with Brittany, Beau’s sister-in-law.
I slid out of the booth. “Hi, Gran.” I leaned down and kissed her cheek.
“Hi, sweet pea.” She grinned, patting my cheek.
Louise snatched mine and Beau’s plates wordlessly. “Come sit with us old broads,” she said, walking over to their usual corner table where they parked every day to gossip and share milkshakes.
“Don’t tell them,” Beau whispered once they were out of earshot. I nodded.
“What were you two handsome boys talking about? It looked serious,” Gran said.
“No—”
Beau cut me off. “I was trying to figure out what’s wrong with Emmett.”
I glared at him from across the table. “Today or in general? Cause I’ve got some theories,” Louise said with a teasing smirk.
“Oh, Louise!” Gran giggled. “You’re terrible.”
She shrugged playfully and stole a fry off my plate. “What’s botherin’ you, honey?”
So much. And I nearly said it, too, but kept it in at the last second. I scratched the back of my head, shifting in my seat next to Gran. “Just have a lot on my mind.”
Everyone just silently looked at each other, waiting for more.
And I realized then I was sitting with the three nosiest people in Wild Creek, and they weren’t going to let me leave unless I gave them something.
I sucked in a breath, hating every second of this.
“I just have a decision to make about something, that’s all. ”
“What kind of decision?” Gran asked, frowning at me. “You aren’t going back, are you?”
I’d rather die than re-enlist. “No, nothing like that.” I fiddled with my fork. “It’s…personal.” A decision I’d never tell my grandmother that’s for sure—it’d probably kill her.
“What is with you Hayes children?” Louise grumbled and slapped a quarter on the table.
I frowned at it. A quarter? “What is that for?”
“Flip it.” My gaze darted from the coin to Louise, confused. “Heads is yes and tails is no,” she explained as if I were a moron. “I’ve decided all kinds of things with it. It works. Tells ya watchya really want.”
“That seems…childish,” Beau said, staring at the quarter.
Louise smacked the back of his head, and he hissed, rubbing where she struck him. “This quarter’s the only reason you’re with Claire, you little shit.”
“What? She flipped a coin over me?” I bit back my laugh. It was pretty ridiculous.
“Tess is the only one of you who hasn’t flipped this damn coin over love,” Louise said, holding it out for me to take. “I lost fifty bucks to that one over it.” She pointed to Gran, who was sporting a bashful smile.
I scoffed. “This is not about love.” Love wouldn’t be anywhere near this. This would just be sex. And knowing Delilah, the sex would be nothing short of as wild as she is. Just the thought had me reaching for my water, my mouth dry.
Gran clucked her tongue, looking skeptical. “Then all the more reason for you to flip it,” she said.
I sighed, taking the quarter. “Only because I love you, Gran,” I murmured, and flipped it.
But once it was spinning in the air, my chest tightened, and my heart seized, hoping it came down with—“Heads,” Louise announced.
Heads meant yes. Heads meant asking Delilah if the offer was still on the table.
Relief hit me so hard I was dizzy with it. I ran my clammy hands down my thighs, my knees bouncing beneath the table.
“Is that what you wanted?” Beau asked, glancing between the coin and me.
My voice came out hoarse. “Yeah.” I nodded, wondering how I was going to actually do it. Would Delilah even entertain it after I walked out on her twice?
There was only one way to find out. As Danny would’ve said, it was time for me to ‘buck the fuck up’ and ask.
Except when I made it back to Golden Circle, I was too big a coward to go find her right away. I did everything I could to delay it. I continued with the fence posts, mucked stalls for Rhett, a new ranch hand, helped Beau cut cattle, and then took the longest shower of my life.
It wasn’t until sunset that I started looking for Delilah. And I almost gave up until I saw Willow, her favorite horse, in the south pasture tied to the post next to the trail that led to the creek.
I rode over there, my muscles tight with nerves.
After tying Birch up next to Willow, I gripped his lead with a shaking hand, lowering my head to his shoulder.
I couldn’t believe I was doing this. I ran my hand along his flank, feeling the slow expanse and release of his ribs, using the grounding method Delilah taught me in therapy.
A pathetic, dry laugh left me. She was the one who had me this fucked up in the first place.
If I could jump out of a plane thirty thousand feet in the air into hostile territory without an ounce of fear, I could have this conversation with Delilah…maybe.
Forcing myself to let Birch go, I made my way into the woods.
My heart only pounded harder when Delilah finally came into view, heat pricking at the back of my neck as I traced her silhouette.
She was sitting by a log at the water’s edge, her hair down in a cascade of waves, like flames licking down her back.
And it hit me how much I loved her hair. Especially when it was down.