Page 98 of Stay Wild Darlin’

“Not yet,” I laughed. “I need a suit.”

There was a pause, followed by a slow chuckle. “You don’t have one?”

“I’ve got a blazer that smells like the back of a closet and pants from my high school graduation.”

He let out a low whistle. “Alright. I’ll come by a little early and bring a couple for you to try on. We’ll find something that fits.”

“You’re a lifesaver.”

“Just don’t split the pants doing something stupid and we’re square.”

I hung up and tossed my phone onto the couch, rubbing a hand down my face.

I hadn’t done something like this—shown up for someone—since I couldn’t remember when.

But for her? Yeah. I’d figure it out.

36

Dalton

“You look ridiculous,” Papa Banks said as I walked out of the bathroom.

The suit he brought didn’t fit, so I’d ended up squeezing into the old blazer I had from high school prom.

“I know,” I grumbled, holding up the tie. “Help me?”

He let out a quiet sigh and stepped forward, nodding for me to turn around.

“You know, I still remember when you first came to Lindley. Just a kid, barely holding yourself together. Lost, but stubborn as hell.”

I gave a small huff of a laugh. “Still stubborn.”

He smiled, smoothing down the front of my shirt. “Yeah, but look at you now. Got your own place. Number one ranked bull rider in the world. A daughter who lights up every time she sees you. You’ve built something, Dalton. You made a life.” He paused, adjusting the fabric with a careful hand. “You showed up here with nothing but a duffel bag and a busted-up dream. No place to stay. You wanted to ride bulls, hell or high water. I saw something in you. Gave you a place to lay your head, food on the table. Loved you like you were one of ours long before you believed you deserved it.”

My throat tightened, the words hitting somewhere deep.

He gave the tie one last tug, then stepped back, nodding with quiet approval. “I’m proud of you. Of the man you’ve become. Took a lot of grit to get here. Don’t you forget that.”

I turned around to face him fully.

“I know it’s been hard . . . Brooke leaving the way she did . . . that kind of pain sticks. But maybe it was the best thing that ever happened to you.”

“There’s no comparison between them,” I whispered. “Poppy’s . . . perfect.”

“Don’t wait too long to tell her that.”

I watched Papa Banks for a long moment, the knot in my throat tightening.

“Hey,” I said quietly. “Thank you.”

He tilted his head, brows lifting like he wasn’t sure what I meant.

“For this,” I gestured to the tie, the suit, everything. “But . . . more than that.”

He waited, giving me space.

“For being the dad I never had. For being . . . family, even when you didn’t have to be.”