Chapter Thirty-Eight - Blaire
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Blaire
“What in the hell is wrong with this ho-dunk town?” Patricia slams her phone down between us.
I stare out the window, despondent as the flashing cop car lights stream over my face.
Red.
Blue.
Red.
Blue.
It’s the only thing my brain can process right now as I have to focus all my energy on muting the voice inside me that is screaming to get out of the damn car.
I thought that once I crossed the town line, then maybe I’d come to some sort of acceptance of my miserable fate because I’d be too far to walk back to Rile Ranch. But now there’s apparently a police barricade. And it’s taking every bit of will to not break out in a sprint to get back into the Rile brothers’ arms.
“It must be because of all the paparazzi,” the driver shakes his head as he steps back into the car after talking to the police. “They’re probably going to start writing tickets before they can leave forever and never be tracked down. They just don’t know how to deal with this kind of thing here.”
Leave forever.
I blink away another tear, a mixture of relief and aching grief. In just a few moments when the police clear, the paparazzi will be gone and can’t bother the only people in this world I love.
But I’ll be gone too.
“They apparently don’t know how to handle anything,” Patricia says with a scoff. “What did they say, exactly?”
“It was nonsense,” he looks back at Patricia. “Didn’t make any sense. Something about not letting princesses go without a fight. Maybe something they call city people.”
My head whips up at that.
“They said princess?” I scoot myself forward in the seat. “That exact word?”
The driver nods. “Yep. Didn’t make any sense, but the officer wouldn’t say anything else.”
I sit back, wide-eyed, in my seat.
Could it be?
Patricia narrows her eyes at me. I hide the grin threatening to break wide open by looking out the window.
But sober reality hits me hard again. Even if for some reason they come for me, I can’t just go back with them. Nothing has changed.
So what’s going on?
I roll down my window and immediately the camera flashing starts. But I don’t care. I scan the scene. The police barricade is directly in front of us and behind us is the swarm of vehicles that have been following me. But then I spot something else that I didn’t notice before. There’s a line of people. I recognize a lot of them from Solace Springs. A good portion of them are even on horseback. The image is equally striking, as it is confusing .
What in the hell is going on?
I see a small figure darting between all the cars. Her red hair makes it easy to track her in the sea of reporters and paparazzi, who are now getting out of their cars to check out what’s happening.
Lacey arrives at my car door, out of breath.
A security guard immediately approaches Lacey, but I tell him that it’s okay.
“You were just going to leave without saying goodbye?” she says, gasping to catch her breath. “Well, jokes on you because you aren’t going anywhere.”
“Blaire, explain what the hell is going on right now,” Patricia’s voice simmers with anger.
“Ugh, it’s you.” Lacey crinkles her nose in disgust. Patricia isn’t exactly liked around here. Every time she came to town with me in the past, she made an impression at the local businesses. And not the good kind.
“Solace Springs has something to say,” Lacey continues. “And you’ll want to hear it.”
I step out of the car without thinking twice.
Patricia protests behind me, but I don’t listen.
I weave through the cars with Lacey. The paparazzi swarm me and shout their questions in my direction as my bodyguards fend them off. Some are being nice and some are being purposely inflammatory to try to get a rise out of me. None of it makes a difference to me and I walk with singular focus through it all.
Just as I’m reaching the crowd, they start to part.
My heart swells at the sight. Cameras click madly around me, and for the first time, I can understand why someone would want to capture this moment.
Colt, Reese, and Briggs ride in on their horses in perfect coordination. They emit grace and power as everyone makes room for them. I completely stop breathing .
They scan the crowd, and Briggs is the first one to see me. He nods and smiles reassuringly. Even though I have no idea what they’re up to, in this moment I let hope bloom in me for the first time since I left them.
“Here’s how this is going to go,” Colt shouts loudly and everyone else quiets. “Every one of you in front of us, besides Blaire Evans, is going to get the hell out of Solace Springs. You will be let out one by one and the sheriff is going to delete your photos and fine each and every one of you.”
Protests break out from around me. Colt lifts up his hand to signal he’s not done, and to my surprise, they listen.
“You’ve broken the law. Every single piece of land beyond that town sign is privately owned and you’re trespassing.”
I gasp at what he’s saying. Murmurs start around me.
“You’re being let off with only a fine today if you cooperate, but it will be jail time if you don’t.” Reese speaks now. “And if you think you will slip into this town unnoticed and try again, just look around. All of Solace Springs is united in this.” He takes a breath, considering. “And you all should be ashamed of yourselves. Blaire Evans is not a product for you to sell. She’s a real person with a wicked sense of humor, more strength and bravado in one pinky toe than the rest of us can hope to have in a lifetime, and a good, true heart. And if Blaire Evans can only count on one town in this entire world to be good to her, then it will be us.”
Cheers erupt from both sides of the brothers.
I laugh, tears streaming down my face.
Colt tips his hat to me and then extends his hand. “You ready to come home, princess?”
I kiss Lacey on the cheek and tell my bodyguards that I won’t be needing them anymore. Then I look at my guys and start running towards them like I’ve wanted to do since the moment I left them.
“Blaire!” Patricia’s shrill voice sounds behind me. “Our plane leaves in one hour.”
Colt grabs my hand and helps me mount in front of him.
“You know what?” I shout back at her as I settle myself in front of Colt’s lap. “I think I’ll stay in Solace Springs. It’s full of fine people who really know how to handle things.”
I throw her criticism of the town back in her face.
She shakes her head, not admitting defeat.
“And if the paparazzi really want to report on something, they can report on how you helped my mom steal millions of dollars from me. I didn’t put it together until she showed up here recently and reported immediately back to you. I was wondering how you could afford all that new jewelry. So thanks for that closure.” I smile as Colt turns the horse around. “Oh, and you’re fired!” I shout over my shoulder.
Colt wraps his arm around my waist. “We love you, Blaire. Don’t you ever try to sacrifice yourself for our happiness again. You are our happiness, princess.”
I lean my head back on his chest. I just got rescued on a horse by three men who call me princess as we ride off into the sunset. I’ve starred in many fairytales, but this one is by far my favorite.