Page 48 of Stormswept Colorado (Hart County #3)

FORTY

Ayla

The media still hadn’t found out I was dating Teller yet. It was inevitable they would. But I wanted to keep that secret for as long as possible. To have a sliver of peace and privacy for while it lasted.

That meant only a small circle of people could know I was leaving LA.

Before dawn on Sunday, we grabbed our bags and sneaked over to Hayleigh’s house. She was the one who drove us to the private airport, where Dane’s jet would take us back to Colorado. She was giddy as she drove with Teller and me in her backseat.

“Maybe I should try being a ride-share driver,” Hayleigh said, tapping the steering wheel to the rhythm of the stereo. “I would be good at this.”

I exchanged an amused glance with Teller. The windows were tinted, so we didn’t have to worry about being spotted in the backseat.

I’d told Bryan I would be gone for a few days, but I hadn’t wanted to bring any bodyguards with me. I would be sticking close to Teller and keeping out of sight in Silver Ridge. No strolls along Main Street. We were going to be careful.

I didn’t want to spend my life in hiding, but I could handle it for a few days. Especially given what we had learned about Paul .

I was still trying to get over the shock of learning he was Biggest Fan.

But in a way, he’d done me a favor. His behavior had been so egregious there was no way the label could refuse to let me out of my deal.

Stalking me in order to push me into a romantic relationship had to count as a breach of contract.

I was full of nervous excitement as the jet landed, and we got into Teller’s SUV, which he’d left at the airport a few days ago.

After so many weeks, I was finally heading back to Silver Ridge. It felt like no time at all, and yet it also felt like forever. Because so much was different.

I had a wonderful man who loved me, and I was quickly falling for him.

Ducking down in my seat, I waited for Teller to give me the go-ahead that we’d passed through the town. “There’s Dixie,” he murmured. His arm moved. I guessed he was waving.

“People must know you were gone for the weekend. What are you going to tell them?”

“The truth, if you’re okay with it. That I went to see you. I’ll just leave out the part where you came back with me.” His hand ventured over and rested on my arm. “You sure you feel comfortable being alone while I’m at work?”

“Totally.”

We’d already discussed this, and I’d given it a lot of thought. Teller lived in a quiet, woodsy area without any visible neighbors. No reason for anyone to know he had a guest. He’d also told me he had a security system. Since very few people even knew I’d left LA, we had nothing to worry about.

I was taking a break from recording, but I planned to work a lot on my next album. In fact, I was already bursting with ideas, my fingers itching to get them down.

If Ruxton Records agreed to let me go without a long legal fight, then I would be free .

That also meant no record deal to distribute and promote this album.

But I had me . My own determination. I had direct links to my fans through social media.

Plenty of other artists had released independently, so why couldn’t I?

And I had Teller. It was going to be amazing waking up next to him every morning. Enjoying a quiet dinner together and making love in his bed.

Maybe the world would figure out where I was sooner rather than later. We would deal with that when it happened.

But no matter what, this album was going to belong to us . Nobody else.

“Okay.” He patted my shoulder. “We’re clear.”

When I sat up, we were just pulling onto a long driveway with pine trees on either side.

“Teller,” I breathed. “This is…stunning.”

His house was set into a clearing with a babbling creek.

Woods surrounded the clearing, cut through by just the driveway and a bridge that crossed the water.

The home itself wasn’t giant. It had a small footprint with an attached garage, everything about it quaint and inviting.

A combination of timber and stone, with a stone chimney rising over the shingled roof.

“I love it so much.”

He beamed with pride. “I’m glad.”

We both got out, not bothering with the baggage yet. I wanted a better look around. “How far are we from Main Street?” I asked. It was like we’d stepped into another world. Yet it was somehow still quintessential Hart County.

“A fifteen-minute drive. I didn’t want to be too far from Piper and Ollie. They live right near the center of town, close enough for Piper to walk to her coffee shop and to Ollie’s elementary. But I also wanted privacy.”

“Because everybody in Silver Ridge is always in your business otherwise?”

“They are. I don’t have my constituents spying in my windows when they walk by. Anybody who’s out here came here on purpose.”

I laced our fingers together as Teller showed me around the rest of the property.

He’d done a lot of work on this place. But there were still unfinished projects.

Like a messy shed and a half-built picnic table.

“The table is a project with Ollie,” he explained.

“Lately we’ve been focused on building the treehouse at Piper’s place.

Otherwise Ollie’s going to grow out of the treehouse phase too soon. ”

The mention of Ollie made me think of Maisie. How close she was right now.

And somehow, Teller knew just what I was thinking. He lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles. “We can invite family over later. Surprise them. If you want.”

“ Yes . That would be amazing.” Even though I wanted my visit to stay quiet as far as the bulk of the town was concerned, I had to be able to see Maisie and the O’Neals. That was nonnegotiable.

“But first, I’m taking you inside.” Teller swept me off my feet and into his arms, bridal style. I laughed in surprise.

The interior of his home was just as quaint. Simple decor, lots of warm wood. An updated mountain cabin feel. All of which I’d seen on video during our calls, but homier than a screen could convey.

“Take me to your bedroom? I want to see it in person.”

His smile was heated. “I know what you want, Troublemaker.”

“If you’re thinking I want to get naked and horizontal in your bed, then yes, you’re correct.”

I’d shared my home and my bed with him, and now I was getting to enjoy his. LA and Silver Ridge were so different, yet Teller and I were a perfect fit in both locales.

I could get used to this.

“Teller Landry, hosting a party,” Ashford said. “Now I’ve seen everything. ”

I hid around the corner in Teller’s kitchen pantry as the O’Neals arrived. Laughed silently as Teller greeted them. But when I heard Maisie’s voice, I couldn’t hold back any longer.

I stepped into the living room. Maisie did a double take. Gasped. Then she barreled toward me. “Aunt Ayla!” she screamed, loud enough to hurt my eardrums. Ouch . But worth it.

“Hey you.” I caught her when she leaped at me. She was too heavy for me to carry around at this point, but I squeezed her thoroughly before easing her down.

Stella loped over, tail going a mile a minute as she licked all over my face.

“Good to see you too, Stella,” I said, laughing and wiping my wet cheek.

“What are you doing here?” Maisie asked. “Is it ’cause Uncle Teller is your boyfriend? Do you live with him now?” She bounced excitedly.

“Um, no, I don’t live here. But I did come to visit him for a while. And visit you too.”

“But then why aren’t you staying at my house with Daddy and Emma and me?”

“Monkey, Aunt Ayla can stay wherever she wants.” Ashford came over for a hug next, followed by his wife.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Emma said. “You look great!”

“So do you. How’s married life?”

“Amazing.” She laced her hand with her husband’s. “Never thought I could be this happy.”

Neither did I , I thought. Thank goodness I didn’t say it aloud. Teller and I were nowhere near ready to make that kind of commitment. But it was nice to think about.

He’d changed everything for me.

Grace and Dane showed up, both of them far less surprised to see me. Then Callum, Piper and Ollie. Everyone had brought food for the party. It was cold but sunny outside, warm enough for Teller to fire up the grill and make hot dogs and burgers for lunch while the kids played fetch with Stella .

We hung out with our families. Teller and I had our arms around each other, my head on his chest. The first time we were together in front of them. I loved it.

“We’re out of potato salad.” I picked up the bowl. “I’ll be right back.”

“I can help,” Grace announced. She trailed behind me. Once we were in the kitchen, she perched a hand on her hip. “So, you and Teller are cute together. I can finally spill that he’s had a crush on you for ages.”

“What?” I paused with a spoon in the potato salad container. “Are you sure?”

She cackled. “It was obvious to those of us paying attention.”

I gave her a sardonic look, and she only laughed louder.

“Trust me, that man has been so into you for so long. Even if he didn’t know it himself. Thank goodness he figured it out.” She leaned in. “I would love to hear sometime how it all happened. Did it start with him arresting you? Was that your version of foreplay?”

I winked. “Someday, I just might tell you.”

Grace took the spoon from my hand and took over filling the salad bowl. “You know, my brothers and I grew up with the Landrys. Now that you and Teller are together, the uniting of our two families is just about official, since you’re pretty much an O’Neal.”

“Aww, thanks. I’m glad to be. It feels good to have both our families here. Seriously…I couldn’t have made it through the last couple years without all of you supporting me.”

“It was no hardship.” Her lips twisted, bright eyes turning sad behind her glasses. “The only person who’s missing is Grayden. The oldest O’Neal brother. And I’m still working on that.”

“Let me know if I can help.” I knew how hard it was to be estranged from a sibling. Grace had reconnected with her oldest brother recently, but Ashford and Callum weren’t so sure about doing the same.

“We’ll get there.” Grace pushed out a breath, shaking off the change in her mood. “For now, I’m thrilled that you’ll be around more. I assume so, anyway. Are you thinking of moving to Colorado? Even just part-time?”

I glanced toward the door. Everyone else was still laughing and having fun outside. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “We want to be together all the time, but it’s hard to figure out how that will actually work.”

She nodded sympathetically. “Dane moved to Silver Ridge to be with me, but his job is pretty mobile.”

“Dane still travels though, right? He goes back to New York a lot.”

“Sure. He does. I go with him when I can.”

Even if I made Silver Ridge my home base, I’d have to travel a lot. Would Teller want to come with me? But I didn’t see how he could if he continued serving as police chief.

“You’ll make it work,” Grace said. “I’m sure of it.”

“Let me borrow some of your hope and optimism?”

She laughed. “Ever since Dane and I fell in love, I’ve had plenty to go around.”

That night, after everyone went home, Teller and I crawled beneath the covers.

Our families had promised not to blab to anyone about my presence in town.

Of all of them, Maisie and Ollie were the most likely to let something slip.

But they loved the idea of being spies, like they were helping me keep a secret identity or something.

Teller tilted my chin to kiss me. “You’re comfortable here? At my place?”

“Very.” I sighed as I relaxed into him.

During Ashford and Emma’s wedding weekend, I’d briefly imagined making a home in Silver Ridge.

I’d dismissed that idea quickly. Thinking Teller and the O’Neals wouldn’t want to deal with the problems my fame brought to their door.

But now, I knew Teller wanted me here. Ashford and Emma had also reassured me.

Did I really want to move here permanently though? What about my life in Los Angeles? My house and kooky friends. The ocean.

What if Teller and I could truly unite our lives? Neither of us having to give anything up?

I imagined how perfect it could be. Somehow traveling back and forth between here and California or wherever I was on tour. I still, even now, didn’t see exactly how it could work given our jobs. But I had to hope. Teller had said he wouldn’t let anything keep us apart.

Maybe we really could have it all.

I was starting to drift off when Teller grunted, picking up his phone from the nightstand. “New text from River. I’d asked him to look into Roy Carpenter, just in case there was a connection to Paul Ruxton.”

“Really? Did he find something?”

“Take a look.” He showed me the text.

River

Sergeant Roy Carpenter passed away six years ago. Lung cancer.

Six years ago. Before I’d even signed with Ruxton Records.

I certainly didn’t miss Sergeant Carpenter, but he was another part of my past that was dead and gone. Yet those red daisies…was that just a coincidence?

And the old photo of me as a teenager. Where had Paul gotten it?

“You okay?” Teller murmured, stroking my hair.

“I will be.”

It didn’t actually matter where Paul had dug up that old photo of me. We’d outed him as Biggest Fan. His sick little game was over, and he couldn’t hurt me.