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Page 10 of Stormswept Colorado (Hart County #3)

NINE

Ayla

I knew that voice. Ashford . Relief flooded through me.

Then I heard Grace. “Where’s Ayla? No, we will not wait for the chief. I want to see for myself that she’s okay.”

“In here,” I called out.

Seth left the room, melting away like he’d never been there. A moment later, familiar faces appeared in the open doorway. Emma and Grace came in first. Emma’s jaw dropped when she saw the cuff on my wrist.

I lifted my arm, shaking the chain. “Not my best look. How’d you guys know where I was?”

“Rosie from the market called Dixie, and Dixie called me,” Ashford said, walking inside. “Word is spreading all over town that Ayla Maxwell was led away in cuffs.”

Emma smiled ruefully. “The Silver Ridge gossip pipeline can almost be worse than the tabloids. Almost .”

“We still haven’t gotten a straight answer about what you supposedly did,” Grace said. “Not that it matters necessarily. I figure you’ve got lawyers, but Dane can have a top litigator on a plane like that.” She snapped her fingers.

Dane up-nodded from the doorway. “Hi, Ayla. You okay? Do you need representation? ”

“I’ll be fine.” I cringed. “But I’m so sorry I ruined tonight. We’re supposed to be celebrating.”

Emma reached for Ashford’s hand. “You didn’t ruin anything. This is going to become a classic story. How you got thrown in the pokey during our wedding weekend.”

At least someone else could see the humor in this situation.

“Who the hell told y’all you could wait in my office?” Teller grumbled, pushing his way inside. “It’s anarchy around here.”

“Sorry, Chief!” a female voice said. An older woman with strawberry-blond hair popped in. “They snuck past me.” Then she aimed a wink in my direction. Seemed like I had an ally.

Teller sighed. “It’s fine, Susan. I’ll deal with them.”

Grace straightened up to her full height, all of five feet. “We’re not leaving until you set Ayla free.”

“Grace is about ready to stage a jailbreak,” Ashford said. “She’s serious, man.”

Teller went over to his desk and sat behind it. His expression was neutral, but a vein at his temple twitched. The others gathered around me, taking up most of the space. It wasn’t a tiny room, but it wasn’t sized to hold this many people.

And they were all here for me . Not for the famous singer, but Ashford’s sister-in-law. Maisie’s aunt.

“What’ll it take to make this go away?” Dane asked.

Teller squinted. “Not every issue can be solved with money, Knightly.”

And then suddenly everyone was talking over each other. Grace asking Teller if I’d had the chance to call a lawyer, Emma reasoning that there were better ways to work all this out. Ashford demanding to know the charges against me.

Teller didn’t say anything yet, probably because he couldn’t get a word in. His gaze moved over to me. I took a sip of the over-sweet coffee. But it reminded me of Seth and his roving gaze, and I set it aside.

When everyone paused to take a breath, Teller said, “Are you all finished? Are you ready to give me a chance to speak? I arrested Ms. Maxwell for her own good.” Teller held up his hands before the others could get started again. “Because she was determined that was what she wanted.”

“Is that true?” Grace asked me.

“Yes. I was trying to make a point.”

Teller angled his head. “And you made it. I’m not actually going to book you.”

The chain on my cuffs rattled as I sat forward. “Wait. You were going on and on about not showing favoritism. What about Bryan? If you’re booking him, then you’re booking me.”

“Your bodyguard got himself arrested?” Ashford muttered. “That’s concerning.”

Emma playfully swatted her fiancé’s shoulder. “I’m sure there’s an explanation. He seemed great when we met him last night.”

“Last night, I was busy trying to keep Maisie from sticking penne on all her fingers.”

Teller’s mouth twitched in that movement I was starting to think of as his version of a smile.

“I’m not commenting on Bryan Krueger’s case.

The sooner you all get out of my office, the sooner we can sort this out and get on with our evening.

I’m supposed to be watching Ollie right now.

I’m half an hour late getting to Piper’s.

I already got an earful from my sister about this mess on the phone just now, so I don’t need it from any of you. ”

I bit my lip guiltily and looked down at my lap.

“How about this,” Emma said. “Everyone can meet at our place tonight instead. We’ll grab some food, and once you and Ayla work things out, you can join us.

I’ll let Dixie know to bring Maisie over.

And Piper can bring Ollie. It’ll be more fun to have all of us together, including the kids.

And you, Teller.” She nodded at the chief. “Everyone.”

I knew exactly what she was doing. Worrying that my presence would draw too much attention at the brewery after what had happened. She was probably right. But it didn’t lessen the sting. “I screwed up your bachelorette party. I suck. ”

Emma squeezed my shoulder. “You didn’t. We can hang out at Hearthstone anytime. But it’s not every day I have the chance to get our whole group of family and friends together to celebrate. It’ll be relaxed and comfortable, and we won’t have to worry about any problems.”

Such as tourists causing a riot over me.

“Okay.” So much for spending this weekend feeling like a normal person.

They trailed out one by one. Grace was the last to leave, shooting Teller a disapproving look before Dane put his hand on her lower back to steer her on her way. “Make this right, Teller,” she said.

Teller got up and crossed to the door, closing it. “I’ve even got Grace mad at me. Now I really know it’s serious.” He fished a key from his pocket and slid it into the lock on my handcuffs.

“It’s hard to tell if you’re kidding or not.” I absentmindedly rubbed the wrist he just freed, though the cuff hadn’t been tight.

“I get that I’m currently the villain in your story, but not everyone thinks I’m that bad.”

“Still can’t tell if you’re kidding,” I said under my breath.

Teller settled back into his seat across the desk from me. “I had a few words with Bryan Krueger. I’ve decided to consider him a witness and nothing more. We’re going to turn him loose.”

I exhaled out a heavy breath. “Seriously? He’s not under arrest?”

“I’ve already seen a couple of videos recorded by bystanders of the street fight. It’s clear Bryan didn’t start things. Bryan also stressed that he doesn’t want to press charges against the idiot who hit him.”

Whoever had punched Bryan in the face deserved punishment, but I could understand. Bryan probably just wanted this to get resolved with as little fuss as possible.

“So you’re letting everyone go free?”

Teller rubbed a hand across his square jaw.

“I’m not okay with people brawling in the middle of Main Street.

But the tourists who were involved say they’ll be leaving town tomorrow anyway.

They also said they’d make a public apology to you and your driver.

There were no significant injuries. So this might be worth an alternative resolution instead of filling up my jail overnight. Saves me a hell of a lot of paperwork.”

“Thank you,” I breathed.

“But I’ve got one condition. You need to keep your head down for the rest of your visit here.

Any minute now, those videos of the fight will get posted online, if they’re not circulating already.

Everybody in the world will know you’re here.

I’m willing to let things slide this time, but if Bryan is involved in another brawl? I won’t be able to go easy.”

His strident tone made me want to argue. But his point was valid. This weekend was supposed to be about Emma and Ashford, not me. “I’m leaving the day after the wedding. Then you won’t have to deal with me anymore for a while.”

“I think that’s for the best, Ms. Maxwell. Don’t you?”

Probably. It was a reminder that I didn’t really belong in Silver Ridge, and that hurt.

But when it came to Teller Landry, I didn’t know anymore what to feel.