Page 98 of Sin With Me

Wilder

"Thank God you're home!" Mallory engulfs me in the biggest hug she's ever given me and when I glance over at Delilah, she's laughing at her dramatics. "If I had to work with that guy for one more day, I was gonna kill him."

Delilah and I flew back early this morning and after she dropped off her mom at home, she met me at my house so we could come up with a plan to tell my parents. Now we're here to tell them the news.

"Was he that bad?" Delilah asks once Mallory releases me.

"He acts like he's never worked on a ranch before." She blows out a frustrated breath. "I had to talk him through everythin' and then he'd ask me a hundred questions. I couldn't get any of my own stuff done. Eventually, I told Antonio to deal with him."

"He hasn't..." Delilah furrows her brows. "He did construction, not ranching."

Mallory tilts her head at me, glaring. "You told me he knew what he was doin'!"

"I trained him for a few days." I shrug, walking around her to go to the fridge.

"He probably just wanted someone to talk to," Delilah says. "He doesn't have a lot of friends here."

"Gee, I wonder why..." Mallory rolls her eyes, crossing her arms. "Well, either way...I'm tappin' out. He's your problem again."

I pour myself a glass of sweet tea and then one for Delilah. "You might have to deal with him for a few days next week."

Delilah's face twists as I hand her one of the glasses. I haven't told her I'm planning a mini honeymoon of sorts before Christmas, which doesn't give us much time, but I'm determined to make it work between our schedules. If I only have thirty days, I'm not wasting a single one.

"Wilder, you're home!" Mom enters the kitchen with Gramma Grace. She walks over with her arms open and wraps them around me. "Delilah? Hey, sweetheart."

Mom hugs her next. "How was y'alls flight?"

"Good," Delilah says, glancing at me over my mom's shoulder. I can tell she's panicking.

Gramma Grace comes over and gives me a little smack on the cheek. "What'd you do?"

I press my hand over where she hit. "What was that for?"

Her brows lift as her gaze finds my left hand. My smile is diabolical when I realize she's looking at my ring.

"Uh oh. What'd you do?" Mallory walks over, poking her nose between us.

I shove her away and stand next to Delilah.

"Is Dad home?" I ask my mom.

If I have to explain this, I'd rather only have to do it once.

"He's just gettin' outta the shower. He'll be down in a moment," Mom says. "Did y'all eat?"

"Not yet, but?—"

"Mallory, set two more plates, please. There's enough roast for y'all. Take a seat," Mom demands, which means there's no room for arguing.

"You like strawberry cheesecake?" Gramma Grace asks Delilah once we sit.

"Yeah, that sounds delicious." Delilah smiles, but I can tell she's uneasy.

Bringing my hand to her leg, I give it a little squeeze and lean into her ear. "Relax. It's gonna be fine."

Her tight-lipped smile tells me she doesn't believe me.

While we wait for my father, we make small talk with Mallory and Gramma Grace. Apparently, they ran into Molly at the grocery store and Gramma Grace gave her an earful while Mallory warned her about dumping horseshit inside her car if she wrote another bad article about the family.