Chapter 3
3
Emma
E mma pressed her sunglasses up on her nose as she wandered along one of the busier streets in town. She soaked up every single cute storefront and every old-timey building. This place was so different from anywhere else she’d visited over the years. It wasn’t big enough for a show, and there would be no way her manager would agree to try to book one here, but that didn’t stop her from imagining the possibility.
So far, no one had recognized her. She’d nearly blown her cover her second night here, but the man she’d bumped into hadn’t seemed to realize just who he was talking to. At first Emma had thought she should feel offended, but the relief of being treated like a regular person for the first time she could remember outweighed everything. That relief had stuck with her over the next couple of days, making it incredibly difficult for her to forget him.
The man’s face filled her thoughts and lingered in her dreams. With how small this town was, she’d been surprised that she hadn’t bumped into him again since that night.
There were several other people she recognized—regulars at the restaurant, employees at the businesses, and people who seemed to enjoy wandering through town much like she was doing at this moment. She could have seen herself living in a place like this if she wasn’t a country music star. Copper Creek would be the perfect place to start a family.
But those thoughts were ridiculous. She couldn’t stay here forever. Eventually, Rachel would find her, then she’d be back on her way to LA. Her responsibilities would catch up with her.
For now, the music star, Emma Hart, could disappear and return to a time when life was simpler—when she was Emily Hartford. All she had to do was be vigilant and make sure no one else got a good look at her. She’d been lucky that cowboy didn’t seem to know who she was. Next time, she might not be.
Emma couldn’t help smiling as she observed people going about their normal lives. They seemed so much happier than the people she interacted with in the city. They didn’t need to hustle to get to a job that only weighed on them. These folks appeared genuinely at peace with who they were and the life they led. That was something anyone could value.
She slowed as she came to a shop that had several cowboy hats on display. The one she owned had left with her suitcase on the private plane. All she had in terms of keeping her identity secret was the ball cap she wore.
Tracing the glass, she contemplated whether she could afford one of these hats with the meager funds she had in a private account. Rachel handled a lot of her finances, too—or she’d hired someone to do it. Emma had no doubt that her main account was being watched for activity. The second she used the card associated with it or one of her usual credit cards, Rachel would materialize.
Knowing Rachel, she probably already had the police looking into her phone’s location. It would be better for Emma to spend her money only on the necessities. She needed a phone so she could call her sister and tell her she was fine. She’d need money to pay for the motel, along with food and any other supplies she’d need while here.
“You don’t want one of those.”
Emma jumped and spun to find a woman with dark hair cut short around her jawline. She had a streak of red that peaked out from under her own cowboy hat. She was staring at the hats in the window with her head tilted slightly. Then she shook it before dragging her eyes to Emma.
“This store is mostly for tourists. Those hats are great if you’re going to put them on a shelf when you go home, but if you want to wear it on the daily, you’ll want something more conventional.” She gestured past Emma down the street. “There’s a better store that way. It’s a little hidden, but you’re going to want to check out the options over there before making your decision.”
“Thank you,” Emma murmured.
“How long are you staying?”
Emma shifted, not only unsure about how to answer the question but about whether she should be speaking to this woman at all. She was one slip-up away from her identity being revealed. What would happen if this woman found out who she really was?
“You don’t have to tell me,” she offered. “I just figured I’d ask because you look like you could use some down-to-earth kind of fun. None of this tourist nonsense.”
That caught Emma’s attention, and she peered at the woman with more curiosity. “I don’t know how long I’ll be staying. I haven’t made any official plans.”
“Then you should come out to my family’s property. We raise sheep dogs, but we also have a lot of horses and some good trails. Have you ever been riding?”
“When I was a girl. But it’s been ages.” Emma folded her arms, a smile tugging at her lips. “I’m probably not any good.”
“You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. You just need to get back in the saddle.” The woman snickered. “Okay, that was kinda corny. But seriously, you should come out to my place and we can go for a ride.”
Emma’s eyes narrowed behind her sunglasses. She didn’t know what this woman was up to, and she didn’t have her security team. This could be a recipe for disaster. And yet at the same time, Emma wanted nothing more than to have an adventure. She needed to get out of her slump and have some fun. Without realizing why, she nodded. “Yeah, okay. Give me your address and I’ll come by.”
The woman pulled a scrap of paper from her purse and scribbled the information on it. “I swear that I’m not some psycho,” she murmured as she held the paper out to Emma. “You just looked like you could use a friend.”
Emma took the offering, not sure how to respond to such a statement. Maybe the Lord was opening doors for her and she should give it a chance. She lifted the paper and gave the woman a timid smile. “I suppose we’ll find out.” She glanced down at the paper. “Nice to meet you, Sophia Palmer. I’m Emily Hartford.” It was the name she used whenever she was hiding her identity—the name she was born with.
“Looking forward to getting to know you better, Emily .” Sophia nodded to her before she traipsed off down the street.
Emma stared at the paper, wondering just how much of a mistake it would be to show up at this stranger’s house. She should probably get a burner phone before going off to parts unknown to meet with someone she wasn’t sure she could trust. It was that little thought in her head that told her to take a chance, to allow herself to make mistakes. She’d never been one to hide away from the world. Why would she stop now?
Emma still couldn’t decide if she was doing the right thing by meeting up with Sophia. There were so many risks involved, and not all of them related to her safety. But she’d already made some unwise decisions, and she’d finally come to terms with the fact that she was going to continue to do so until she returned home.
Today she was going to ride a horse with a new friend, and she would be throwing caution to the wind. If Sophia found out who she was, then that would have to be a risk worth taking.
Emma kept her glasses on her face and her head down as she headed toward the house. Before she got there, the front door opened and Sophia squealed as she hurried down the steps. “I can’t believe you actually came.” She pulled Emma into her arms and gave her a big hug. “I thought for sure I had scared you off.” Sophia pulled back. “But we should really get to the horses before anyone else comes out. My family is great, but they ask a lot of questions.”
Emma didn’t have much of a chance to dissect what Sophia might mean before her new friend pulled her toward the barn.
“And you’re going to have to get a different hat. Around here, we’re all cowboys.” She pulled the hat from Emma’s head, causing her to gasp.
Her hair fell to her shoulders, only being pulled back by the hole in her cap. She touched her head and stared in shock at Sophia. This woman was just as crazy as she was.
Sophia laughed. “I have a couple you can pick from hanging up in the barn. You just need one that’s going to shade your face and your neck. No need to make you age any faster, right?”
“Right.” Emma found herself laughing.
They got to the barn and picked out their horses, and just when everything seemed to be going smoother, Sophia grabbed Emma’s glasses. “Wow, these are nice .” She placed them on her nose and posed. “What do you think? Do they suit me?”
Emma froze as she stared at Sophia. It had been a long time since anyone had been so forward with her. Touching her, taking her things, it wasn’t normal, and it definitely wasn’t normal for a star.
Sophia tilted her head and stared at Emma hard. “What? Do they look bad?”
Emma exhaled a sigh of relief. Sophia didn’t know who she was. That made two people in this town who were so sheltered they hadn’t heard of her. She reached for the glasses. “They look great. But my eyes are super sensitive, so I’m afraid I can’t let you borrow them.”
Sophia didn’t seem fazed at all and handed the sunglasses back to Emma. “You ready for the ride of your life?” She climbed into her horse’s saddle and then motioned for Emma to do the same. “Come on. Let me show you around.”
Their ride started out great. The scenery grew more and more colorful as they headed into fields of wildflowers.
“We don’t do much with cattle except to train the dogs with them, so we tend to let our fields do what’s most natural.”
“I think it’s beautiful.”
Sophia squinted out at the surrounding property. “It can be. But there are critters you wouldn’t want to make friends with the farther we get out.”
Emma shot Sophia a concerned look.
“Don’t worry.” Sophia laughed. “I won’t take you out that far.” She motioned to Emma and her horse. “You’re doing really well for not having any experience.”
“I didn’t say I was inexperienced. I said I haven’t ridden since I was a kid.”
Sophia waved a hand through the air. “Same thing.” She beamed at Emma. “Either way, you’re doing great. We’re going to have to make this a regular thing.” She smacked her hand on her forehead. “Wait, I forgot. I’m not going to be here in a few days. My cousin is getting married. They live in Florida.” She groaned. “It’s going to really mess with my hair. I hate the humidity.”
“Florida isn’t so bad,” Emma said and chuckled. It was amazing how easy it had become to feel comfortable with Sophia, even though she was a little out there. “You just have to know how to prepare. I could give you some tips.”
“Really?”
Emma nodded, but at that moment, her world tipped on its side—or maybe it was the horse doing that. Something slithered across the trail, causing the horse to rear up and then bolt in the opposite direction than they’d been heading. Emma let out a scream and held onto the reins as tight as she could.