Page 63 of Reckless Hearts
For once, the only storm raging was the one outside—the one inside me was finally silent.
21
Ch 20 - Delilah
“I can’t do this,” I murmured. My hands shook on my knees as I sat in Emmett’s passenger seat, staring at the dirt beneath me. The whoosh of a car passing us on the interstate came and went. My stomach twisted and I retched.
Emmett ran his hand along my back, his other hand holding my hair back. “You don’t have to. We can go back to your place. I’ll make you a bath and some snacks.”
I shook my head. I wiped my mouth with a napkin from the glove compartment. “I do. I don’t want this to be a secret anymore.” We’d been officially together for two days now, and I’d reached my limit.
I wanted everyone to know about us. I wanted it in the goddamnWhispers, plastered on every street corner, on billboards. I’d waited so long, thinking we’d never happen. That Emmett would never see me. I deserved to scream it to the world how happy I was—we both did.
“We’d better go then,” Emmett said, looking at his phone. “We were supposed to be at Savvy’s five minutes ago.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, ignoring the way my stomach nearly dropped out of my ass. “Okay.”
“It’s gonna be okay, sugar,” he said, as I stood. He fixed my hair. “They love you and want you to be happy. They want that for both of us.”
My nod was small. Of course, he clocked it. But that’s what I got for dating an ex-Ranger who could read body language. “What’s wrong?”
“Do you think I can make you happy? Long-term?” I hated this nagging insecurity I felt. It was so unlike me, and that only made it worse. In every other relationship I’d had, I’d been so confident and independent. But not with Emmett. I guess after convincing myself that he’d never see me in a romantic way, the idea of it still lingered.
Emmett’s expression softened. “Lilah”—he cradled my face, stroking my cheeks—“I didn’t know I could be this happy. If I were any happier, I think I’d explode.”
I smiled, small but real. “I love you.”
It was so freeing to finally be able to say it whenever I wanted. And the best part of it all was when Emmett always responded, “I’m in love with you, too.”
He’d been perfect since the storm that luckily didn’t destroy the ranch. He left no stone unturned, laying all his cards on the table. He didn’t give me a reason to doubt him or us. It had only been two days, so I knew there would be ups and downs. Probably explosive fights too, because let’s face it, we were Emmett and Delilah, but I didn’t want to fight with anyone else. I didn’t want to spend my life with anyone else. He was it for me. Always had been. That’s why I was so nervous about telling the girls. If they weren’t supportive, I didn’t know what I’d do.
Emmett took my hand and helped me back into his truck. He went as far as buckling me in and kissed my cheek as he did. When he was in the driver’s seat, he shot me a grin that made my stomach flutter. “Now let’s go traumatize my sisters.”
I’d asked them to meet at Savvy’s yesterday under the guise of a girls’ night. Just the Hayes girls with no boyfriends, fiancés, or husbands.
“What are you doing here?” Savannah blurted at Emmett as she opened the door, looking confused.
Emmett scoffed behind me. “And here I was, excited for girls’ night.”
Claire came up behind Savannah, confused. “Uhhh, hi, Emmett?” Her gaze darted between the two of us. I couldn’t do this. I took a step back, only to collide with Emmett’s front. His hand went to my hip, steadying me, before moving quickly. Claire, like the bloodhound she was, clocked it. She looked outside before her eyes narrowed at me. “You two rode together?”
“Yep,” I squeaked. “He begged me to come. Wants a facial.”
Savannah didn’t look convinced. “Okay?” She stepped aside, letting us in.
Savannah and Weston lived in a cozy two-bedroom with dark hardwood floors and high ceilings that had matching wooden beams. Every space was decorated with a seamless blend of their personalities. Chic and…whatever you could call being obsessed with bull riding.
“Where’s Tessie?” Emmett asked, flopping down on the leather couch like this was any other Tuesday and not potentially the moment my most valuable friendships blew up.
I immediately went to the coffee table, snatching up a little bit of every snack Savvy had spread out. Kit Kats for Claire, sour gummy worms, pretzels, chips, a brownie.
“Bathroom,” Claire said, voice distracted. I looked up and found her watching me stuff my face. She arched a brow before glancing over at Savannah.
“What?” I said, mouth full.
“What’s going on with you?”
I nearly choked on a brownie. “Nothing.” I glanced at Emmett. “Why?”
