Trent had already started his truck when I slid into the front seat. “Thanks for the ride.”
“Thanks for not being the asshole I was afraid you might be when I saw you standing in that barn tonight.” Trent shifted into gear and pulled out onto the main road.
“You’re welcome?” I let myself return Trent’s smile. It might be rocky for a bit, but things were going to be okay with my family. They understood why I’d done what I did, and even though none of them seemed to agree with how I’d handled things, at least they’d be willing to forgive me. Eventually.
With any luck, Lacey and Delilah would feel the same way. If not, I may as well ask Bodie to book me.
CHAPTER 30
DELILAH
I wokeand 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 knowwhat 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.
