Delilah
I got myself cleaned up and moved my things back into the trailer.
I was grateful to the Taylor family for hosting me, but now with Stella in town, I needed to get back to my own space.
At least my mom had found a room at the local motel.
She wasn’t sure she could stomach sharing the trailer right now—not with how disappointed she seemed.
I’d gotten used to riding shotgun with Jasper, maybe too used to it.
Pulling into the motel parking lot in my hot-pink contest truck, I realized how much I missed him chauffeuring me around.
Based on our conversation earlier, I probably wouldn’t get another chance.
He seemed pretty sure about ending whatever had started between us.
Even though I’d been the one to say it was the right thing to do, it wasn’t going to be easy.
Before I could exit the truck, Stella stormed out of her motel room. “I need a drink. Please tell me there’s somewhere in town where I can get something stronger than a beer.”
I hadn’t been to many places, but I remembered Jasper talking about a bar over in Swynton. “I think I might know of a place.”
“Take me there. I need a cosmo with top shelf if I’m going to survive the night.”
I did as I was told. Any minute Stella would start in on me. The sooner she did, the sooner it would be over.
“What were you thinking?” Stella yanked the visor down and flipped open the mirror.
“I wasn’t. Lacey needed help and everyone pitched in. There’s a big wedding this weekend with butterflies, and—”
“And it’s none of your concern.” Stella lined her lips, then filled them in with her signature color. “What happened to your face?”
I checked the rearview mirror. I’d done a halfway-decent job of covering the bruise with some of the heavy pancake makeup Monique had taught me how to apply. “You won’t believe me if I tell you.”
“Try me.” The visor snapped shut.
“I got kicked by a goat.”
“Try me again.” Stella scowled.
“That’s the truth. I was trying to put him back in his pen and he got spooked.” I glanced at my reflection again. “At least the bruising has faded.”
“I told you I booked Franco to come and take pictures for the cosmetics line.”
“That’s right.” My shoulders slumped, and I tilted my head back against the headrest. “I’m sure he can edit out my black eye. He’s a god behind the camera.”
Stella pursed her lips. Franco had been her find, and I knew she was pretty proud of herself for securing his services. He didn’t come cheap, but he was one of the most talented photographers I’d ever worked with.
“He might be able to make you look presentable in editing, but what are you going to do about your appearances? I should have known better than to let you come here by yourself.”
Gripping the steering wheel tight with both hands, I took in a breath. “I’m twenty-five years old. I should be able to do some things on my own, don’t you think?”
Stella gasped, then reached into her purse and pulled out a tissue to swab at her cheeks. “All of the sacrifices I made for your career, and this is the thanks I get?”
Not now. I clenched my jaw. I’d seen a glimpse of the woman I might be if I could get out from under Stella’s thumb. And I liked her. I’d had more fun chasing butterflies and rolling around in the mud with Jasper than I’d had in a good long while.
Stella pulled the visor down to check the mirror again. “Now I’ve gone and messed up my mascara. Maybe we should just go back to the motel.”
“No.” I reached out and rested my hand on my mother’s arm. “You’re here and I think we both need some cheering up. Let’s grab a bite and you can fill me in on the progress you’ve made on the cosmetics line.”
“I’d like that.” Stella nodded, her lower lip jutting out in a tiny pout. “I’ve missed you.”
“We’ve only been apart a couple of weeks.”
“I know. But with Walter leaving me and all of the work I’ve been putting in on the business . . .”
“It’s been hard.” I patted her arm. “I appreciate all of the time you’ve been working on this. I hope you know that.”
“Of course.” Stella moved her arm and gave my hand a squeeze. “You’re my baby girl. I’d do anything for you.”
Anything but let me live my own life. I squeezed back. I thought once I was done with my reign as Miss Lovin’ Texas, Stella might find something else to focus on. But now it seemed like I’d never be free.
I could see my entire life laid out before me.
Stella and I would do the cosmetics line together.
Then we’d move into the fashion faux pas business.
Pretty soon Stella would want to shift into a clothing line or restaurants or pageant dolls or who knew what else.
But it was clear as day that if I wanted the freedom to live my own life, I needed to start setting some boundaries.
As we drove down the main street of Swynton, I kept my eyes peeled for a place that looked like it served something besides bar food and beer. A sign outlined with twinkle lights caught my eye.
“How about this? It looks cute.” I eyed the charming restaurant. It sat a little way back from the main road, close to the river.
“It sure looks better than that burger place we passed before we drove over that bridge.” Stella grimaced.
I wanted to tell her that the burger place was owned by a very nice man named Helmut.
And even though I didn’t appreciate some of his marketing tactics like Smoker Saturdays, he’d given up his day to catch butterflies for a complete stranger.
That was the kind of community I wanted to live in.
Those were the kind of people I wanted to hang out with.
But words like that would fall on deaf ears if I tried to explain all of that to my mother.
We entered the restaurant and were immediately seated next to a wall of windows overlooking the river. Stella ordered her cosmo with Grey Goose and I waited for a sign as to what kind of mood she might be in.
“I told you I brought those samples.” Stella dipped into her oversized bag and pulled out a few compacts. “I want you to try this blush. It’s absolutely gorgeous on. Go ahead, try it.”
I looked around at the other diners. “I’m not going to put on makeup at the dinner table. I’ll try it when I get back tonight.”
“Take it to the bathroom. You need to see how easy it goes on. Just the perfect amount of shimmer.” Stella pressed the blush into my hands. “Go on.”
It wasn’t worth getting into an argument over, so I pushed back from the table and made my way to the powder room.
Standing up to Stella over something so silly as trying a blush would have been an easy place to start setting boundaries.
But my mother looked so sad when she talked about her breakup with Walter. Being firm could wait until tomorrow.
By the time I got back to the table, Stella had downed half of her drink. “What do you think? It’s fantastic, isn’t it?”
“It’s great.” I took a sip of my white wine. It reminded me of the wine I’d shared with Jasper after the movie. For a moment I let myself remember what it had felt like to gaze up into his eyes with the glittering night sky spread out above us.
“Monique thinks we’ve got a winner. We’re so close to making it happen. How does it feel to have all of your dreams coming true?”
I stared into my glass. All of my dreams? What did Stella know about my dreams? Before I could answer, someone touched me on the shoulder.
“Delilah?”
I turned toward the woman’s voice. Bright red hair, teased way beyond its natural height, stuck out from Jasper’s aunt’s head. “Oh, hi, Suzy.”
“I thought that was you. I’m just about to head out but wanted to make sure I stopped over to say hello.” Suzy stood there, her eyes full of kindness. “What are you doing all the way over here in Swynton?”
“We’re just grabbing a bite. Suzy, this is my mother, Stella Stone. Stella, Suzy is Jasper’s aunt. She’s been a huge help since I’ve been here.”
Stella blinked a few times in rapid succession, her telltale sign of annoyance. Then she nodded, like a queen greeting a commoner. “How nice to meet you.”
“Stella?” Suzy’s brow wrinkled underneath her teased bangs. “Are you from around here?”
“She grew up in Bellsview.” I didn’t mean to speak for my mother, but Stella looked like she wanted to crawl under the table and hide.
“Stella.” Suzy said my mother’s name like she was trying to work out where she’d heard it before. “Is Stone your maiden name?”
“It’s my only name.” Stella regained her composure and polished off her drink. “We don’t want to keep you.”
“I’m not in a hurry. It’s card night over at Helmut’s. Those boys will be grateful if I’m a little late. None of them know I taught myself how to count cards, so I always end up coming home with the jackpot.”
Stella reached for her glass and sucked the rest of her drink through the stirrer straw. A loud slurping noise made me turn to look at my mother. Her eyes were wide, and her cheeks had gone white.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
Stella reached for my wine and downed it in one gulp. It was so out of character, I just sat there, frozen in place. I’d never seen my mother so unnerved before.
“Gardner, that’s right.” Suzy’s face lit up like she’d just won the lottery. “I tell you, my mind doesn’t hold on to information like it used to. Why, just the other day I was telling Helmut—”
Stella closed her eyes, her hand shaking so hard that the wineglass clattered as she set it down on the table.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Oh.” Suzy’s eyes widened. Her eyebrows shot up so high they disappeared under her bangs. “I’d better be going. It was so nice to see you. And nice to meet you, Estelle.”
“It’s Stella,” I corrected Suzy, thinking I must have misheard her say Stella’s name the first time.
Suzy gave her a tight-lipped smile. “Sorry. Nice to meet you, Stella.” Then she turned and fled toward the door.
My gaze bounced from Suzy’s hasty retreat to my mother, whose face had taken on the same color as the light gray tablecloth. “Do you know her?”
“Darling, it’s been a long day. Can you ask them to change our order to takeout? I’m not feeling well, and I’d really like to get back to the motel so I can lie down.”
“Of course.” I flagged down the server as Stella casually made her way toward the door.
While I waited for the food, I pulled out my phone and skimmed through the pictures I’d taken since I’d been in Ido.
Jasper and me at the kickoff celebration.
Jasper watching the movie at the barn. The two of us catching butterflies.
If I ever needed a reason to stand up to my mother, maybe this was it.
The server brought our food, and I slid my phone back into my purse. Stella and I needed to have a talk. My mother wouldn’t take it well, but it was time to set some boundaries. I had every intention of doing just that when I got to the truck. But Stella wasn’t inside.
“Stella?” I set the bag in the truck and turned to scan the parking lot.
An old El Camino sat a few spaces away. The windows were fogged and the person sitting in the driver’s seat was waving his or her hands around.
Other than that, the parking lot was quiet.
I was about to return to the restaurant to see if Stella had gone back in to use the restroom.
But then the passenger door of the El Camino opened.
Stella got out, her eyes wild, her cheeks full of smeared mascara.
“Mom. What’s going on?” I rushed toward my mother as the car reversed out of the spot and pulled away. “Who were you talking to?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Stella gripped her arm. “Let’s go.”
“Not until you tell me what’s happening. Was that Suzy?”
“Yes.” Stella wiped at her cheek. “We actually knew each other once upon a time.”