Page 13 of Forever Country (Forever Bluegrass #24)

I t only took three seconds after Holt went to help his mom in the kitchen for Knox Everett, pro quarterback and Football’s Sexiest Player of the Year, to start questioning her.

Annaleigh had wrongly assumed Trey Everett would put a stop to it, but instead, he leaned back and listened to his son question her.

“If you’re okay screwing over your family by starting a rival agency, why should I trust that you won’t screw my brother over?” Knox asked.

Okay, he had a fair point there. “I guess you can’t.

You’ll have to let me earn that trust,” Annaleigh said, even as his frown deepened.

“But there’s one huge difference here—my family is not like yours.

They don’t care about each other in a loving sense.

They only care about money and appearances.

It’s not so much me screwing them. It’s me leaving a toxic relationship. ”

“And Holt is your meal ticket.”

Annaleigh shook her head. She pulled out her phone and logged into her work account.

“Here. Here’s how much I bring into the business every year.

It’s nowhere near what Holt makes on an album, but it’s not so little that I need to leech off any man.

I’ll sign anything you want to make you feel better about me being in Holt’s life. ”

“Why would you do that?” Trey asked, finally talking.

“Because I really care for him. Not only did he help me when I needed it most, but he’s also given me his friendship and support.

I can’t thank him enough for that. My trust and loyalty are the least I can give him.

And if this proves my loyalty to him, I’ll do it.

I know how celebrity relationships work.

I know people talk to the press if there’s a breakup.

I know people will assume I’m a gold digger but I don’t care what they think.

I want you all to know the truth. If signing anything, like an NDA, makes you feel better about us, I’m happy to do it.

” It was true. Annaleigh figured she would be asked to sign an NDA at any moment.

It was expected in relationships like this and it didn’t hurt her feelings to sign one.

She’d grown up in the industry and she understood the ins and outs, including NDAs.

“That’s not necessary,” Knox answered, surprising the heck out of her. “I’ll only say this once. I love my brother. You hurt him or betray him and I’ll rain a PR nightmare down on you so bad your only option will be to change your name and hide in a foreign country. Got it?”

“Got it,” Annaleigh said. “But what if he hurts me?”

Knox shrugged. “Then I’ll punch him in the balls.”

Annaleigh laughed as Holt came out of the kitchen looking at his brother suspiciously. “Lunch is ready.” Trey and Knox quickly stood up to head into the kitchen and make their plates. They waited for her to go first, but Holt told them to go ahead. “Did my brother behave?”

“Yeah,” she told him. “I think we understand each other a little better now. But, I don’t think your father likes me. He didn’t really say much.”

“That’s normal. He observes and then decides. It’s why he’s a good coach. He learns about a person before he coaches them so he knows what type of motivation works for them. He does the same when meeting new people.”

“Oh,” Annaleigh said, following Trey and Knox as they walked to get their plates before heading out to a screened-in porch with a fan going overhead to keep it comfortable even in the summer’s heat. “That makes sense.”

Annaleigh took a seat between Holt and his mother and then lunch began.

She learned all the gossip, got the update on all the babies that were going to be born, and heard all about the football game tomorrow.

By the end of lunch, she was thinking she might just fit in this family after all.

She’d never had a family meal like this and now she wanted nothing more than this.

They all talked, listened, teased, and supported each other, and made her feel included.

Simply put, at this point she’d marry Holt just to be in his family. Even Knox seemed to warm up to her and had teased her about falling for the wrong brother after learning she was a huge football fan.

She hugged Taylor goodbye and got a shoulder pat from Knox.

“I’ll walk you out while Holt talks about tomorrow with Knox,” Trey said quietly as he joined her.

He simply started walking through the house, leaving Annaleigh to hurry and catch up to him.

However, he didn’t say anything as they walked through the house and out the front door.

“Morgan told me about you,” Trey said to her once they were out front. “She also told me about the stalker situation.”

Annaleigh sighed. “I actually forgot all about it for a couple of hours.”

He nodded. “Unfortunately, Tay and I have a lot of experience with stalkers. I’m sorry you have to go through that.

Let us know if you need anything. We have a friend, Deacon McKnight, who is a private investigator.

Holt knows how to contact him if you want some private help finding who it is.

Ryan Parker is the FBI agent in charge of the Lexington office and his wife is the psychologist for my team.

This isn’t sports related, but having a stalker can be hard to deal with.

I’m sure Sienna would talk to you if you needed it. ”

“Thank you,” Annaleigh said, wondering if maybe that would be the best thing to do. Go on the offensive. “I’m sorry I’m bringing trouble with me.”

“You make my son happy. That’s clear as day and that is what is the most important thing for me.

I can’t fathom the response to your situation from your parents.

Just know Tay and I are here for you if you need anything—if you’re dating Holt or not.

If you need help, you can call us. Okay?

” Trey held out a piece of paper and on it were their phone numbers.

Unexpected tears filled her eyes as Annaleigh threw her arms around Trey and hugged him.

“Thank you.” So, that’s what it’s like to have parents who care.

“I’m telling Mom you’re trying to steal my girlfriend,” Holt’s joking voice said. The joking smile fell the second he saw her tears. “What the hell did you do?” he snapped at his dad.

“You’re so lucky. Your dad is amazing,” Annaleigh told Holt before he could get the wrong idea. She swiped at her eyes as Trey gave her a fatherly pat on the back, clearly looking uncomfortable with a crying woman.

“I’ll let you take it from here, son. See you tomorrow, Annaleigh.”

Holt was by her side in an instant. “Are you okay?”

“He told me he and your mom would be here to help me even if we broke up.”

Holt smiled and gave her a hug. “That’s my parents. And Keeneston. I told you it was different. Come on, I’ll show you my little apartment.”

Holt had seen red when he’d seen Annaleigh crying. But then he shouldn’t have doubted his dad. His dad might be a tough coach on the football field, but he’d never be purposefully mean to someone who didn’t deserve it.

His mother had said the same to him when she was handing him leftovers.

Deacon was a private investigator. Matt was the sheriff.

Ryan, Jackson, Talon, and Lucas were with the FBI.

DeAndre was a state trooper. They had resources here.

If he could get Annaleigh to stay here a little bit, maybe he could ask his friends for help.

Holt turned down the alley next to the Blossom Café and then into the small parking lot behind the building.

There was only enough room for about six cars, but it was used almost exclusively by the Rose sisters, the elderly trio of sisters who had started the café, and then by Poppy and Zinnia, the Rose sisters’ very distant and much younger cousins, who had taken over the café.

Holt pulled into the spot closest to the exterior metal stairs leading to the apartment above the café.

“I know I just ate,” Annaleigh said, taking a deep breath. “But, wow, something smells amazing.”

“They’re prepping for dinner. We can head down there tonight. But be warned, you’ll probably be asked a lot about yourself.”

Annaleigh took a deep breath and smiled. “If the food is half as good as it smells, it’ll be worth it.”

Holt walked her up the stairs and gave her the code to the door lock before opening the door and turning on the lights.

“I love the windows!” Annaleigh said, rushing in and looking out the large arched windows that had a perfect view of Main Street.

“There’s a little kitchen here, so if there’re any particular foods you want, let me know and we can stop at the store tomorrow after the game,” Holt said as he put away the leftovers his mom had sent him home with. “Then there’s the little sitting area here and—”

Annaleigh was turning around taking in the room and then froze at the sight of the bed. “One bed.”

“I can get a cot if that would make you feel better.” Holt hoped that wasn’t the case. There was nothing he wanted more than to share that bed with Annaleigh, regardless of whether they had sex or not.

Annaleigh shook her head and Holt felt as if he’d just won Artist of the Year. “I like sleeping with you.”

Holt slid his hand around her waist, turning her so that she looked at him. “I liked it too. Just as much as I like kissing you.”

Holt leaned slowly down, giving Annaleigh time to back away if she didn’t want a kiss.

Instead, she rose up on her toes and met him with a kiss that blew him away.

This time she wasn’t timid. She wasn’t shy.

This kiss was confident and demanding, Holt responded instantly with his own demanding kiss.

It was hard to hold back when Annaleigh rested her hand on his chest then slowly ran it down his abs until she hooked a finger into his waistband.

There was nothing Holt wanted more than to give her exactly what she was silently asking for, except everything was happening so fast for her.

Holt didn’t want to be the good lay she had when she’d been scared.

He wanted a more permanent place in her life story.

Sadly, that required time. Time to prove to Annaleigh he wasn’t just playing the role of boyfriend to protect her from an asshole co-worker or for the media. This was real.

Holt pulled away from the kiss, detangled his fingers from her hair, and smiled down at her. “Annaleigh, will you go on a date with me?”

“A date? Sure! When?” He loved how excited she looked.

“How about while you freshen up and put on some jeans, I’ll make the arrangements. We should be able to leave soon and then we can end the date with dinner at the café.”

“I’d love that.” Annaleigh rose up on her toes and kissed him quickly before grabbing one of the bags Holt had carried up for her, and hurried to the bathroom.

Holt pulled out his phone and made calls. They hadn’t met under the most romantic of situations, but he was going to give Annaleigh the romance she deserved.