I’d tried to clean myself up a bit on the drive over but hadn’t been able to make much progress with the amount of dried mud caked to my face, my neck, and my clothes. At least it covered up a little bit of the bruising that had started to fade on my cheek.
“That might be for the best.” My mother would pitch the epitome of all tizzies if someone snapped a picture of me in all of my bruised, muddy glory.
I waited in the cab of the truck while Jasper carefully carried the butterflies into the warehouse. A handful of other folks we’d been working with earlier did the same. It looked like Lacey might be off the hook and the butterfly crisis avoided. All thanks to the town coming together to save the day.
Jasper returned, a huge grin on his face. “I think they might have more butterflies than they started with.”
“That’s great. You really came through.”
He turned a heated gaze on me. “Not just me. Everyone who could, spent some time pitching in. That’s what we do around here.”
I nodded, happy to be a part of the effort, at least while I was in town.
“Let’s get back and get cleaned up. Lacey invited us both to the wedding on Saturday. I can’t wait to see what it looks like when they release all of those butterflies.”
“Me, too.” I leaned across the seat and pulled him close. “Thanks for taking me with you today.”
“Thanks for going with me.” He pressed a quick kiss to my cheek. “We probably ought to get out of here. I don’t want people to see us together and think I’m trying to sway the vote.”
I immediately retreated to my side of the cab. “You’re right. I don’t know why I didn’t think about that.”
“Hey”—he gave my hand a squeeze—“it’s okay. We just have to be careful. I tried to tell Lacey I didn’t want the host job anymore, but she was so upset about the butterflies, I didn’t have a chance. Now that it’s all taken care of, I’ll give her a call tomorrow.”
I nodded but inside, my chest pinched tight. I’d spent my whole life in some sort of spotlight. But today I’d forgotten about that. Let the emotion of the moment flood over me and hadn’t thought about who might be watching. I’d have to be more careful, not only for my own sake, but for Jasper’s as well. If thecontest committee thought I was getting involved on a personal level with the town, they’d probably remove me as a judge and maybe even disqualify Ido from the running. I couldn’t be the cause of that.
“Maybe we ought to put a halt to this”—I gestured to the space between us—“at least while I’m in town. I don’t want people to think my judgment will be compromised or anything.”
“I said I’d resign as the host.”
“But I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea.” A tiny sliver cracked my heart at the thought of shutting things down with Jasper. But I couldn’t risk the fate of his hometown on a few kisses or a night of pleasure.
“If that’s what you want to do . . .”
That’s not what I wanted to do. What I wanted was to lose myself in Jasper’s arms, forget who I was for as long as I could, and give the connection between us freedom to see where it might lead. But for his sake, for the town’s sake, for my own sake, I didn’t say that. Instead, I nodded. “I think it’s for the best.”
“Okay then.” Jasper shifted into gear and moved back onto the road, his jaw tight, his shoulders tense.
I could feel the shift in his energy, like he’d constructed an invisible wall between us. As much as I ached to reach out to him, to tear it down, I didn’t. Sometimes I had to put others first. That was a lesson that had been ingrained in me through my entire life. I was about to tell Jasper just that when movement caught my eye. I leaned forward, trying to convince myself what I was seeing wasn’t what I thought. That the whirlwind on heels heading directly toward us wasn’t who I feared.
“You okay?” Jasper’s hand landed on my arm. “Delilah?”
“Delilah Francine Stone. What on God’s green earth have you gotten yourself into?” Stella, in all of her designer-clad glory,approached. Storm clouds of fury gathered in her eyes as her gaze swept over the mud-spattered truck.
My stomach twisted itself into a giant knot. “Stella. What are you doing here?”
My mother stopped when she reached the passenger window. “I wanted to surprise you and hand deliver those samples myself.” The clipped, tense tone of Stella’s voice sliced through me like a hot knife passing through a stick of butter.
Trying to defuse the situation, I gestured toward Jasper. “Stella, meet the hospitality host, Jasper Taylor. Jasper, this is my mother and manager, Stella Stone.”
“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.” Jasper tilted his chin toward my mother.
Stella’s lips curled, her disgust for the entire situation so thinly veiled that Jasper would have to be blind not to see it. “I wish I could say the same, Mr. Taylor. Are you the reason my daughter’s been shirking her duties as Miss Lovin’ Texas?”
“I’m sorry?” Jasper’s brow crinkled. “Your daughter’s been doing a fine job while she’s been in town.”
I met his smile with a tentative one of my own. I wanted to reach up and caress his cheek for trying to stick up for me in front of my mother. But I knew Stella better than anyone, and Jasper had no idea what he was up against.
“A fine job?” Stella took a step closer, not daring to get close enough to risk her designer suit brushing up against the dirty truck. “I don’t know what the hell’s been going on down here for the past week, but you need to get my daughter out of here. Now.”
