Page 97 of Will to Run

“Della, I’m not joking, not even a little. A custom painting to commemorate a wedding or event here. I mean, what?! My love and desire to keep you here is the driving force behind this idea, but from a business perspective, do you know how much that would set us apart? Holy shit. It would be next-level. Legit, is this something that you could entertain?”

My eyes move between my painting, Hazel, and Molly. “I mean, in theory, it could be doable.”

They rush over to hug me, and I feel every ounce of their love. “There is something for you here if you choose to stay. We’ll have to tease it out, of course, but you won’t even have to worry about working with Jax because you’ll be with me.”

The mention of his name brings me back to reality. I’d still be working at the ranch. I’d still run into him and Cayson. And yes, though I’d be working directly with Hazel, their entire family is so intertwined at Heart of Will.

“Think about it, okay?” Molly says.

“I will, I promise. Let’s see how my show does next week. Then we’ll see if people even like my work,” I say.

“Give me a break, Del. I can’t wait to tell you I told you so,” Hazel hugs me again.

“Anyway, I’m going to grab us dinner. Hazie, I’m making you come with me. Del, do you want to stay and think about your new career?” Molly asks.

There is a certain relief that comes with that statement. The possibility of staying, and creating a life that's mine on my terms, is as thrilling as it is terrifying. I’ll research the commissions to see what that would pull in, but from a financial standpoint, it could work. And I could expand it to all guests, not just those getting married.

“Yeah, I’m going to hang back. I might actually get started on another painting,” I say.

There was a scene I saw outside the barn when I snuck over this week that stuck with me. I’d come back a number of times, making sure to avoid both Jax and Cayson at all costs. But the scene was a plethora of items that screamed a moment in time. Cayson hosted three of Mazie and Luke’s pre-school friends at the ranch, and this was their treasure pile. It was a few cool rocks, a picked flower, two feathers, a piece of rope, and three pieces of wood. The menial things against the ruby-red of this multi-million-dollar barn was such a juxtaposition that I snapped a photo because I knew I was going to paint it.

So while the girls leave to walk the strip to get dinner, I stay back, thinking about whether I can remain in the orbit of the Wills family as a resident painter. To offer this service would be next-level for the ranch. But in practice, could I really work in the same circle as someone I still dream about in the deepest corners of my mind, even when I don’t want to admit that I do?

46

JAXON

Ispent the night in my truck outside her apartment and didn’t sleep a wink. I was hoping Tripp would step foot back on her property because then all bets would be off.

At 5:30 in the morning, I’m doomscrolling and fighting sleep when movement catches my eye. It’s Molly, and she’s leaving for the ranch. When she spots me, she waves, and waltzes up to my car with a shit-eating grin.

“Morning, Jaxon Wills. Fancy seeing you here,” she singsongs.

“I… would you believe me if I said I had business in town early?” I laugh, knowing I’ve been caught red-handed and everyone will hear about it.

“No chance. However, it was futile because Trippy-poo spent the night in jail. Alan said he’ll go in front of the judge today.”

“Shit. Well, that’s good. I wish someone had told me so I didn’t drink a thousand milligrams of caffeine to stay awake just in case he came back.”

“If you had let someone know you were going to be on a stakeout, we would have,” her song continues.

“How is she, Mol?” I ask. For some reason, she doesn’t seem quite as angry with me as my sister does.

“She’s… shaken. I watched her cycle through a lot of emotions yesterday, and some of them are related to you. I can’t imagine finding out that my father used me in the way that hers did, on the heels of the shit that happened with you, on the heels of the actual wedding shit. People have snapped for less, so in that regard, she’s a tough cookie,” she says.

“Speaking of tough cookies, you really pulled a gun on him?” I laugh.

“You fucking know I did. I hate when men try to hurt women.”

Molly is a consummate badass, so I’m sure she would have dropped Tripp without a second thought.

“So you gonna stay here and creep all day?” she laughs.

“I don’t have a plan yet,” I admit. “If he’s getting out today, maybe I should stay around.”

“I don’t think she hates you, Jax,” Molly throws out. “She has been pretty tight-lipped about you, at least to Hazie and me, but she has said things that make me believe forgiveness isn’t out of the question. And on that note, you'd better figure out a way to fix this, because I don’t want her to leave. ”

“You and me both, Mol,” I respond. With that, she takes off, and around seven, I decide to walk to get coffee to push my body to its caffeine intake limit, spending the entire stroll wondering about Della. Wonder is too gentle a word; I’m fucking obsessed with finding out. It’s been weeks since that day she overheard everything. Weeks of being sick to my stomach every time I see her, which is nowhere near enough. She’s been avoiding me like the plague.