Page 87 of Willow Vale

“I just wanted to come out here and see if it was still intact. It’s been so long since we’ve last visited the willow, hasn’t it?” she asked as she dismounted Nila and pet her mane. Wren hadn’t been going to the stables lately, so we’d all been taking turns riding Nila around the ranch so she didn’t feel so lonely while her rider recovered. At first, I tried to insist that I should be the only one to ride her. Of course, Delilah saw right through me. I was scared of another accident happening if the mare got spooked again, but she eventually convinced me to give in by telling me to give Sable some love.

I dismounted Sable before wrapping our reins on a low hanging branch and following her beneath the tree. The narrow leaves hanging from branches were so thin they were almost translucent when the rays of sun hit them.

Delilah took a seat right next to the trunk. She smiled as she patted the grass. “Come sit.”

“What are you up to?” I asked, as I did as I was told.

“Do I have to be up to something for us to do something together?”

I chuckled. “If living with Adler women has taught me anything in my life, it’s that they never do anything without a reason.”

“Well…” She pouted, and I couldn’t resist kissing her lips before she said, “I’m not an Adler woman.”

Yet.

I tucked that little voice into the back of my mind before I said something stupid. Even though I knew deep down that I wanted to ask this woman to be my wife. Someday.

For now, I knew Delilah needed to accomplish her dreams first.

We had time for more later. We’d make time.

The last conversation we had at her apartment seemed to have helped Delilah a lot. She’d been talking more about what she felt when she had a tough day. Lately, even when she was having a good day, she told me what she was feeling. We talked a lot about her childhood some nights. Other nights, we talked about her grandfather. Little by little, I was getting to know her in a way no one else it.

I couldn’t be prouder of her for choosing to depend on me, no matter how small it seemed. I told her as much every time so that she knew it was okay, that her battles were mine too and that I wouldn’t see her any differently. She talkedabout going to therapy to sort through some bigger issues and even scheduled an appointment.

“I love you,” I told her as I kissed her once, then twice. The sun started to set behind the mountains, painting the skies a vibrant shade of purple.

“I actually do have to tell you something.”

And there it was. I scoffed, resting my arm atop my bent knee as I regarded her. I smirked as she rolled her eyes at me coyly.

“It’s about some news I got yesterday.”

I frowned, my amusement going out the window when I couldn’t get a read on her facial expression. “What news? Is it something bad?”

She turned and pulled out a piece of folded paper from the pocket of her jeans and handed it to me.

“What is it?”

“Open it,” she urged me.

Feeling nervous about what was on this paper, I unfolded it slowly and immediately noticed the large printed name and logo of the University of Wyoming at the top left corner. My heart leaped as I read what I now knew was an acceptance letter into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

“You did it.” I whirled around and wrapped my arms around her, kissing her wherever I could as she giggled against me. “I’m so fucking proud of you, Delilah.”

“I didn’t want to say anything until I knew for sure. I also spoke to one of the advisers and she said that since we live so far away, I can take some online course and just drive up when I have to take my exams. It’ll be an adjustment but I’m sure I can do it.”

“I know you can.” I smiled wide, more than excited for her to take this huge step.

She ran her hands up my chest and smiled. “Thank you for believing in me. For supporting me. For always being there when I needed you most. I love you.”

“I love you too. Always.”

CHAPTER 38

Lila

The soundof Christmas music playing in the kitchen welcomed me and Travis when we walked into the main house. The smell of bacon and pancakes filled the air, and I could hear my little hellion giggling away in the kitchen.

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