Chapter Five - Blaire
CHAPTER FIVE
Blaire
One egg-white omelet, a glass of lemon water, and a heap of dirty stares later, I know I can no longer avoid the elephant in the room. Although, Colt is more like a stallion than an elephant.
I’m not sure if he’s noticed me, but I’ve noticed every hair on the back of his head from four booths away.
The man has a presence to him. A steely demeanor that makes people respect and fear him. Every person who passes his table nods their head in acknowledgment, as if bending a knee before their king. Objectively, I know he deserves the admiration.
I was there the day his parents passed away five years ago. Well, I didn’t know what had happened until I had already landed in Los Angeles. Mr. and Mrs. Rile got into a car accident and didn’t recover. It knocks the wind out of me even thinking about it.
But from what I’ve heard from Lacey, Colt and his brothers stepped up in a way that few people could imagine three young men would have to. They agreed to take custody of their sister, who was only eleven when it happened. And as if that wasn’t enough, they now run Rile Ranch, too. The brothers were always preparing to take over the ranch one day, but no one would have guessed they’d have to do it so soon. And the ranch is a significant source of income for many Solace Springs residents. So, yes, he’s beloved in this town for good reason.
And apparently, I’m disliked in this town for good reasons too.
I procrastinate by texting my friend Ruby. We actually met online before she even knew who I was, but now she’s a close friend. Meeting people through the anonymity of the internet has become a bit of a hobby for me. My therapist says it’s a healthy outlet for someone like me. And hey, it worked out with Ruby. She’s my closest friend, even though recently she’s been busy making babies and having hot sex with her three husbands.
Yep, three . I can’t even get one real fiancé, but she has three loving husbands.
BLAIRE: Guess where I am? Hint: I’m staring at the back of Colt Rile’s head.
RUBY: Solace Springs! How does it feel to be back? Please tell me you finally decided to look for your mountain studs?
I laugh. Okay, I might have met not just met Ruby online, but in a very specific chatroom. The Fun and Filthy Forum is for women who are interested in more than one man. I had been grappling with why I was attracted to all three of the Rile brothers and went online to figure it out.
Then, after chatting with Ruby more, I decided to join another chatroom for singles in Wyoming open to the idea of multiple partners. There’s no way I was going to do that in Los Angeles, but I wanted to test out if it was something I could actually stomach, and Wyoming felt like a safer option. Three guys who Ruby and I started calling my “mountain studs” charmed the hell out of me and we started talking almost every day.
Until I told them who I was. I trusted them enough to share my identity, thinking they had the right to know what they were signing up for if we took things to the next level. And instead of falling in love and riding off into the sunset, they blocked me immediately. I’m guessing they thought I was a catfish. Ruby saw me heartbroken over it for a while, which probably seems absolutely ridiculous, as I never even met them. But that’s how rare genuine connection is in my life. So far, it’s only come from behind the safety of a screen when people don’t know my name before they know me.
BLAIRE: Do you think I should? I’m here for my Gram and to finally get that camper she left me. But seeing Colt is making me already overthink what the hell I’m doing here. Maybe a distraction could be good.
RUBY: Hell yes! The mountain studs just need to know you’re not a catfish and then you’re going to have the best sex of your life. I’m telling you, you’re going to love it. We tried this new position last night that is physically only possible with at least two partners, but preferably three. I can send you a diagram?
I stifle my laugh with my hand. It feels good to laugh.
BLAIRE: I’ll let you know if I have any use for that.
I follow up that message with three laughing, crying emojis.
RUBY: And you’re absolutely positive your mountain studs aren’t the Rile brothers?
That makes me laugh again. No way in hell. Even though Ruby likes to think somehow that could be possible, I know it’s not. The three of them are as territorial as it gets. And they’re certainly not interested in romance. They wouldn’t be wasting almost a year of their life to get to know a girl they might never fuck. It’s just not how they work. And I would know.
I look back up at Colt’s dark hair. In fact, he never responded to one damn message I sent him after I left. None of them did. I just wanted to know if they were okay when I found out what had happened to their parents. I didn’t even really expect Colt to respond. Even before that tragic day, he never let his guard down with me. We gave each other our bodies freely that summer, but nothing else. But I thought Reese or Briggs might have at least let me know they were okay. Maybe it was selfish of me to even expect that from them.
I take a deep, long sigh. I can’t avoid this forever.
I owe it to Gram to do this. It’s the one thing in the world she asked of me.
I take another breath and pull myself together. I’ve accepted a damn Oscar. I’ve met three standing presidents. Hell, I’ve had lunch with Meryl Streep. I can face Colt Rile.
I drop cash in the bill sleeve and place my phone back in my purse.
Lacey is fluttering around from table to table, busy as can be. I think about asking her to come over to Colt with me to break the tension, but even she can’t save me from this.
I take two steps in his direction. From this angle, I can see he’s sitting with a tall blonde woman. I wonder who she is to him? His girlfriend? She starts laughing at something he says and it’s a little too hard if you ask me. How funny could he possibly be?
She licks her lips when her laughter settles down and looks at him like he’s a prime cut of steak and she hasn’t eaten in years. I have second-hand embarrassment because I’ve looked at him the very same way.
Okay, screw this. I can’t face Colt Rile. I’ll find another way to get access to the trailer. I turn on my heel to head for the door and realize my mistake immediately.
I crash into someone who I can immediately say two things about. One, she is lighter than me, so I send her flying back no matter how hard I try to steady her. Two, she was holding something bright red and sticky. And I say ‘was’ because now instead, it’s all over me.
“I’m so sorry,” I say as I bend down to offer a hand to who I can now see is a young teen girl wearing a Mae’s Diner apron and holding tight to an empty Shirly Temple glass. At the very least, I’m glad that none of the drink seems to have gotten on her. Which explains why I feel like I’ve just gone swimming in a pool of red sticky syrup because I’m soaked in the stuff.
Before she can take my hand, a large frame bends down and lifts her. I stare at the same back of the head that I’ve been examining from the four booths away as Colt lifts the young girl to her feet. I get a close-up view of his back rippling under his dress shirt and a rush of a woodsy scent that makes me feel like I’ve transported back in time to five years ago when I got to be this close to him often.
“Are you okay, Kaylee?” Colt’s voice is deep and full of concern.
I take a second look at the girl. It dawns on me that it’s Kaylee Rile, who I haven’t seen since she was just a little kid. It also dawns on me that I just accidentally assaulted Colt’s little sister.
“I-” I start to apologize again, but now I see Kaylee’s face has transformed into an expression that I know very well. She recognizes me.
Before I can get my words out, she’s already off to the races.
“Blaire Evans, oh my gosh. I am so sorry. I swear I didn’t know it was you, I was just trying to deliver-”
“Kaylee,” Colt’s voice is firmly directed at her, but he’s turned towards me. He looks like the same gorgeous man I’ve known, but small lines are starting to etch their way into his tanned skin. Somehow, it only makes him look more handsome. His deep brown eyes take me in as he continues to speak. “You have nothing to apologize for. Just because Miss Evans is a celebrity doesn’t mean she’s not in the wrong. Even famous people mess up.”
I open my mouth to agree with him, but somehow the statement feels too pointed. What are we even talking about here?
Instead, I address Kaylee.
“I’m so sorry, Kaylee. I didn’t see you.”
“I ruined your outfit!” She exclaims, horrified. “And it’s so cute. And it must have cost a billion dollars. And-”
“Kaylee-” Colt starts, but I interrupt him.
“I didn’t even like this outfit.” I stop her. “You did me a favor.”
“Everything okay here?” Lacey comes up behind Kaylee, holding a tray filled with steaming food.
“It’s my fault,” I explain. “I bumped into her.”
Lacey examines the scene and sighs impatiently. “Alright, well then, if you could all kindly stop clogging up my aisles. Colt, will you finally take Blaire to Gram’s camper so she can clear that trunk of a suitcase out of here? And Kaylee, do you mind cleaning this up?”
Colt looks at me skeptically as he pats Kaylee on the shoulder, spurring her to get moving. I give Kaylee a small wave goodbye as she carries on.
“Finally remembered you have unfinished business here, then? That camper has been rotting away on our property for five years.” Colt’s eyes take my measure, looking me up and down as if I’m hiding some secret from him.
But all I’m trying to hide is my bruised ego.
Before I can answer, an unfamiliar feminine voice sounds off behind us.
“Alright, well, good to see you, Colt. You’ll send over the invoice later?” The blonde woman speaks and I hate the relief that washes over me from learning she’s only a business associate and not his girlfriend. She hands him his black Stetson cowboy hat from the table. He takes it and fits it back on his head in one smooth motion.
“Right.” He tips the brim of his hat to her in gratitude. “I’ll send it out when I get home.”
She gives me a tight smile in acknowledgment and walks out the door.
Colt steps away from me and I wonder if he’s going to leave me and let me figure it out on my own, which would actually be perfectly reasonable. I’m a grown woman and I probably should have rented a car or something.
But instead of heading to the door, he wraps his fingers around my suitcase and lifts the massive thing like it weighs nothing.
He looks back at me expectantly, as if I’ll just follow him with no further discussion, like a lost little puppy.
And that’s exactly what I do.