Page 5 of Stormswept Colorado (Hart County #3)
FOUR
Ayla
The afternoon with Maisie couldn’t have gone better. First, we visited the hardware store. Silver Ridge Hardware & Supplies wasn’t your typical home improvement center. It was more like a gift shop that happened to have some wrenches and chainsaws in the back.
Maisie and I never made it past the locally made preserves, handmade children’s toys, and adorable tchotchkes they sold up front. My niece loved getting prizes from there, and I loved soaking in that small-town ambience.
After that, we spent time at the park with her brand new toys. A whole family of tiny horse figurines, a barn, and a corral. Maisie also got a book about horses, and she informed me in great detail about everything she learned as she read.
There’d been a bit of drama when Stella tried to run off with the black stallion, but we recovered the horse figurine before any real damage was done. Phew .
A few people at the park had seemed to recognize me, but I stayed focused on my niece, and they left us alone. My driver Bryan had been able to relax on a nearby park bench.
Now, we were back in Maisie’s room. She was setting up her horse sanctuary on her dresser, while I sat on the floor, my back to her bed. “There you go,” Maisie cooed at the dappled mare. “This is your new home. You’ll love it here.”
I rested my head against the mattress and smiled.
The afternoon had been exactly what I needed. Just a few hours of feeling normal, like I wasn’t the starring attraction of the celebrity circus.
Some people thought that being famous meant my life was perfect. But I’d been stabbed in the back so many times. A few years ago, my former assistant had sold a story about me to the tabloids, violating her NDA for a quick buck. I wished she was the only one.
True friendships were even harder. Plenty of people wanted to be seen with Ayla Maxwell, but it wasn’t so simple to find someone who saw me for me .
Yeah, I knew how that sounded. Champagne problems. All my dreams for my career had come true and then some. I had more money than I would ever want to spend.
But that didn’t make me any less lonely when I was on the road or at some award ceremony, surrounded by people who saw me as a product instead of a human being. I was only as valuable as my last big hit.
Which made this time with Maisie and the O’Neals even more precious to me. I loved visiting Silver Ridge. Maybe it was a cliché, but the small-town pace of life was slower. I had time to stop and breathe here.
“What’s all this?” Ashford stepped into Maisie’s room, grinning fondly at her.
“Dad, look at my horse ranch! Isn’t it pretty? Aunt Ayla bought it for me.”
“Did you remember to say thanks?”
“Yes! Twice! Thank you, Aunt Ayla. See, Dad? That’s three.”
“I stand corrected.”
I reached out to brush her dark hair from her eyes. “You’re so welcome, cutie-pie. ”
Ashford’s gaze slid over to me. “We’re going to need a new house just to hold everything you and Dane buy for her.”
“That’s what aunts and uncles are for.”
Maisie went back to playing, and I got up. Ashford and I stepped out into the hall. I followed him toward the living room. “So, are you thinking about getting a new place?” I asked.
He shrugged. “It’s been on my mind. Need to get through this wedding first. But I’ve been scoping out some places.”
I nudged him with my elbow. “If you need help with a downpayment, all you have to do is ask.”
“Dane’s offered the same. But there are some things a guy has to do for himself.”
“You’ll work it out. Just be sure your new house is zoned for horses. I see a pony in your future.”
Ashford shot me a glare. “Don’t even think about it.”
I poked him in the side, loving that he and I could joke around like this after so many years of being estranged.
When I left home at sixteen, I broke ties with my family, including Lori.
It was one of my biggest regrets. My sister and I had reconciled shortly before she died, but I’d lost years of being with her.
Having a family. Knowing Maisie as a baby.
Ashford had thought I was a terrible person, and honestly, I’d had my doubts about him.
Then a couple of years ago, the pressures of fame had nearly broken me.
I hadn’t been able to trust anyone. Not even the people closest to me.
The label execs, my manager, my assistant…
I’d had to be strong to make it in this business, but too often I’d been tricked or taken advantage of.
It had felt like the walls were closing in.
I checked myself into a rehab facility for exhaustion and anxiety. But even there, paparazzi had climbed the fences to get photos of me. I left in secret one night, bought a car with cash, and drove all the way to Silver Ridge.
Ashford and Emma helped me find a safe place to stay over in Hartley, with Emma’s aunt and uncle. I’d finally gotten the peace and quiet I so desperately needed. Ashford and I talked through all our misconceptions and mistakes.
After that, everything changed. I hired a completely new team, including Cheryl as my artist manager. I started making more decisions on my own and fighting for my freedom, even if I had to claw for it piece by piece. It hadn’t been easy.
I would always be grateful that Ashford hadn’t turned me away when I needed him.
“Where’s Emma?” I asked.
“She had a couple piano lessons this afternoon. Last ones before we get to be on vacation.” Ashford glanced at the clock on his phone screen. “Then we’ll take Maisie to the babysitter, and we’ve got the bachelor/bachelorette thing at Hearthstone Brewing at seven.”
“Perfect. Can’t wait to start celebrating.”
Maisie suddenly appeared. She had a way of sneaking up on us and listening when we had no idea she was there. “Daddy, can I go to the battler party too?”
“ Bachelor party. And it’s not for kids. We already talked about this, monkey.”
“But Aunt Ayla gets to go. She’s not that old.”
Ashford smirked at me, and I hid a smile. “I am known for my youthful energy onstage,” I pointed out. “But I’m twenty-seven. Older than Emma. I’m all the way grown up.” Even if sometimes I didn’t feel like it.
Maisie pouted.
“You always have fun with Dixie,” her dad said. “Stella’s going with you too. You can bring your new horse toys.”
“It’s a horse ranch .” She pivoted on her heel and marched back down the hall to her room.
“You see what I’m dealing with?” Ashford muttered.
I patted his shoulder. “You’re a lucky guy, O’Neal.”
He laughed softly. “I really, really am. Do you want me to swing back here later, and we’ll head to Hearthstone together?”
“No, I’ll meet you there. Bryan will take me. ”
“Sounds good. Just want to make sure someone’s looking out for you.” Ashford pulled me into a one-armed hug. “You’re my sister. Don’t forget that.”
I hugged him back. I would never get over losing Lori, not entirely. But having Ashford as my big brother meant the world to me.
Locking the door to Ashford and Emma’s building, I stepped toward the curb and the waiting SUV.
Icy air swirled the skirt of my dress, leaving goosebumps up and down my bare legs.
“Ready for your evening?” Bryan opened the passenger door for me.
“So ready. The wedding festivities are about to officially begin.”
I jumped into the passenger side, while Bryan went around to get in the driver’s seat. Main Street was close enough to walk, but my driver preferred to keep the vehicle close in case I ever needed a quick exit.
I’d changed out of my jeans and T-shirt, opting for a floral-print dress, a long coat, and a pair of cowboy boots. It was freezing outside, but that wasn’t going to stop me from dressing cute.
I’d also left my hat and sunglasses behind. But tonight was supposed to be fun. A celebration. I didn’t want to spend the whole time hiding.
“Where to first?” Bryan asked with a lopsided grin. “We’ll have to navigate around all this rush-hour traffic.” He gestured at the road ahead, which had maybe two other cars puttering along and a handful of pedestrians.
“A change of pace from LA, right?”
He shrugged. “I’m not complaining. ”
“I saw the cutest baby store earlier when I was out with Maisie. I thought we could do a little shopping for Brody before we head to the brewery.”
His grin widened. “You know I won’t argue with that .”
Bryan Krueger had been a mixed martial arts fighter before changing careers to something more stable and less likely to result in bodily injuries. Yes, he was my bodyguard, but mostly he drove me around and scowled at anyone who got too close.
Despite his usual suit and tie, he looked like a bruiser. But he had a heart of gold. Recently, he’d married his longtime girlfriend Mikaela, and baby Brody was their pride and joy.
Things were completely platonic between me and Bryan, but under different circumstances? He would’ve been my type. A little rough around the edges. Tall, with his dark hair buzzed close to his scalp.
Also, did I mention biceps as big as my thighs? Yowza .
Bryan’s physique reminded me of a certain police chief. Another man I had no business considering attractive.
And why couldn’t I stop thinking about him?
I resolved to put Teller Landry out of my mind.
Bryan parked, and we made our way toward the baby store I’d spotted earlier, hoping it would still be open. The sun had already disappeared behind the mountains, and rustic streetlights lit the pavement and the Main Street storefronts.
Then I heard the shouts. My head turned toward the sound before I could stop myself.
“Shit, that’s Ayla Maxwell! Baby , you’re even hotter in person!” A group of college-age men stood on the other side of the street, gawking at me. Their bright neon jackets pegged them as tourists from the ski resort.
One of them put his arms in the air and thrust his hips. I jerked my gaze away, disgust swirling in my stomach. Maybe I should’ve worn the hat and sunglasses after all.
Bryan made a low, growly sound in his throat. “Fucking assholes. Just ignore them. ”
“Already on it.” I couldn’t react. You never knew when someone was filming, and they might edit the video to make me look like the bad guy.
“Oh come on, Ayla, come take a picture with us! Baby, please!”
Did they seriously think I’d stop and talk to them after they behaved that way? What was wrong with people?
Bryan put a hand on my shoulder, and we kept walking. I didn’t want their taunts to affect me, but tremors still ran along my arms, making my hands shake. A toxic mixture of anger and dismay.
Laughter and more shouts followed us as we continued down the block. But the men didn’t cross over to approach me. Probably because Bryan was here looking all murderous. Doing his job.
Those guys were nothing compared to some of the trolls online.
I had people on my team who managed my social media and tried to weed out the worst comments, but things always slipped through.
Bullies were the same the world over. They wanted to steal someone else’s joy.
Turn it into something twisted and ugly.
Most of the time I just let the bad stuff flow past me. I had a thick skin. But when something truly awful caught me off guard, I couldn’t stop my physical reaction. That urge to rage at the world for being so awful.
Like the flower arrangement I’d received in Toronto with the old photo of me. It had reminded me of my childhood. My father, the colonel. The biggest bully of all.
“You okay?” Bryan asked.
Forget about them , I told myself.
“Yeah. All good.” A few deep breaths later, and I was back to my happy mood. I’d had such a wonderful day in Silver Ridge so far. I refused to let anything spoil it.