30. Delilah
DELILAH
I woke and for several moments had no idea where I was. When I’d arrived back in Dallas last night, I’d parked the truck and trailer in the lot of my condo and somehow managed to make my way inside. My phone had buzzed and constantly pinged the first hour of my drive, so I’d turned it off.
I wasn’t ready to talk to Jasper yet. A tiny part of me wondered if I ever would be. All I wanted to do was sleep.
A quick glance at the clock on my nightstand showed me I’d done just that. It was after three o’clock in the afternoon. I’d been gone for so long that my refrigerator was as bare as the first time I’d seen Jasper’s.
I pulled a can of organic lentil soup out of the cabinet and heated it on the stove. Even though I didn’t feel like eating, didn’t appear to have any feelings about anything at all, I figured I should put something in my stomach before I turned on my phone again.
After finishing the soup and scrubbing away any remnants of my time in Ido with a hot shower, I sat down at my kitchen table and faced my phone.
The first voice mail was from Jasper.
“D, hey, it’s me. I’m so sorry about tonight. I just need a chance to explain. Please call me. We need to talk before we leave tomorrow.”
My heart squeezed at the hope in his voice. He could have the best reason in the world for doing what he did, but it wouldn’t change the fact that he’d lied to me.
I pressed play on the next message.
“It’s me again. I came by the Fall Festival to find you, but Lacey said you headed out already. I’m on my way back now. I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Please give me a chance to make this up to you.”
My heart lodged in my throat. I tried to force a swallow past it as the next message began.
“Where are you, Delilah? The trailer’s gone, your truck’s gone. I thought we were going to head back to Dallas tomorrow. Together. Babe, I love you. I need to talk to you. We can work this out.”
I couldn’t handle any more. As I stared at the phone, it rang, vibrating against the table. My mother’s number flashed on the screen. Feeling like I was trading one evil for another, I picked up.
“Hello?”
“Darling, are you home? I got a call from Jasper, and he was worried sick about you. I know we’ve had our differences over the past couple of weeks, but I need to know, are you okay?”
Hearing my mother’s voice seemed to loosen the cork on the emotions I’d been trying to bottle up. “Jasper and I broke up. Can you come over?”
“I’ll be there in ten.”
Stella disconnected, and I turned off my phone.
Jasper
I didn’t know what to do. I’d been trying to reach Delilah for three days.
I was tempted to drive to Dallas to try to talk to her in person, but Lacey had forbidden me to go after her.
At least until after the big gala celebration this weekend.
Since I’d probably be the reason Ido lost its chance at the title, I felt obligated to honor her request. Even though every part of me urged me to do it anyway.
At least I’d put all of that nervous energy to good use.
The barn had been cleared out, and I’d made a list of everything we’d need to do if Dad decided to move forward on the wedding barn idea.
I’d cleaned up after the Fall Festival, except for the Pucker-Up Path.
Lacey thought it made a nice addition to the town and had started incorporating the hashtag into her marketing materials for the wedding business.
Abby even showed me a picture my mom and dad posted. They were sitting in the swing under the flowery arbor Abby and I had built together. Maybe something good would come out of all of the bad, even if I hadn’t been able to talk to Delilah.
I’d even spent a few days over at For Pitties’ Sake.
Thanks to Mitchell calling Bodie when I still thought I could handle things myself, we’d managed to rescue the dogs that had been in the barn that night and were getting close to issuing warrants on several other locations that had come to light during interrogations.
Zina had her hands full with almost fifteen new dogs and possibly dozens more on the way.
That should have made me feel better, but nothing seemed able to pull me out of the black hole I’d fallen into.
I’d finished feeding Tie Dye and was heading to the big house to wash up before dinner when I spotted Suzy and Abby sitting on the porch.
“There’s double trouble waiting to happen.” I stopped at the railing and watched Suzy trying to pull Abby’s hair back into some kind of braid.
“How are you holding up?” Suzy asked.
I shrugged. “I’ve been better.”
Abby sighed. “I don’t know why you can’t just go to Dallas and talk to her.”
I missed Delilah like a hole in my heart, but Abby missed her, too. I hadn’t been kidding when I told Delilah that Abby had taken to her like the sister she’d never had. Knowing I’d broken Abby’s heart, too, only made me feel worse.
“Lacey won’t let me. I promised her I’d wait until after the big party in Houston to go talk to her. Lacey’s holding out hope that there might be a slim chance of Delilah choosing Ido.”
“Slim to none and Slim left town.” One corner of Suzy’s mouth ticked up. “I’m sorry, sugar, but I think the writing’s on the wall with that one.”
“Dad said we might have to sell the horses.” Abby hugged her arms to her stomach.
I cringed. “I’m so sorry, Little Bug.”
“It is what it is.”
“You know what? These fingers aren’t made for braiding hair. I’m sorry, honey, but I think Delilah’s the only one who can tame these unruly locks.” Suzy smoothed her hand over Abby’s hair.
Abby let out a sigh as she slumped farther into the chair. “I wish she’d come back.”
“You and me both, kiddo.” I squatted down next to my sister. “I’m going to do my best to talk to her before it’s too late.”
Abby’s eyes sparked. I’d seen that look. Right before she’d insisted I add the swing to the arbor.
“I’m almost afraid to ask, but what’s on your mind?”
“It would suck to have to sell the horses, but I wouldn’t mind.”
“No?” I had the feeling that wasn’t all.
“Not if you bring Delilah back. I think you ought to go to that fancy party and tell her you love her.”
“Just like that?”
“Well, no. You should bring her some pretty flowers and get dressed up, too.”
“Thing is, I don’t think she likes me anymore.” Sooner or later I’d have to make peace with the fact that I’d done the worst thing I could have done when it came to Delilah. “I lied to her, Little Bug. If I go to Houston, all she’s going to do is turn me down.”
“She might turn you down, but do you think she’d be able to say no to all of us?” Suzy bent over and put an arm around Abby’s shoulders just as Trent and Mitchell stepped onto the porch.
“What’s going on?” Mitchell asked.
“We’re figuring out how we can help Jasper win back Delilah.” Abby looked at Trent. “Go get Lucas and Davis. They need to be part of this, too.”
“Abby, it’s not going to work.” I couldn’t fault my little sister for wanting to try. She was still young enough to believe that true love could conquer all and that everyone deserved a happily-ever-after.
“Wait a minute.” Trent tapped his lip. “You’ve been protecting us, trying to keep us all from getting hurt all this time.”
“Yeah, and look how that turned out,” I said.
“The whole reason you were such a jerk was because you love us so much. I know that’s why you were trying so hard to help.” Abby seemed such much older, so much wiser than I was at her age. Who was I kidding . . . than I was even now.
“What’s done is done.” I shrugged.
“Be ready at five o’clock on Saturday. Wear something nice and leave the rest to me.” Abby got up and made her way to the front door. “By the way, I’m not just talking to Jasper. All of us are going. We’re a family. We’re all going to win her back together.”