Chapter Fourteen - Blaire
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Blaire
I peel my naked body off of the dusty, bare mattress. The camper van feels like a hotbox with the morning sun beating down on it and no ventilation in the bedroom.
I open my eyes and look around.
All alone.
I shouldn’t be surprised. It was clear what last night was to both of us.
Sex.
Blowing off steam.
Scratching an itch.
Whatever I call it, the truth remains. It wasn’t love. But I have to admit it was really, really hot non-love.
It still doesn’t feel like my finest moment shimmying into last night’s clothes for the strangest walk of shame ever.
I pop open the door of the camper, which is hanging on its hinges, and spot the bag brought over for me last night sitting on the ground as if it’s waiting for a reasonable person to bring it in and carry on their night alone. I grab a water bottle and chug it.
I glance at the bag containing the egg sandwich waiting there untouched. Sorry, egg sandwich. I really wish I would have eaten you, but it turns out I am, in fact, not a reasonable person.
After I take a very non-Hollywood squat behind the camper to pee, I accept my fate and head back to the house for a shower.
I take a deep sigh as I step through the field that connects the camper to the house. It feels like I can finally breathe for the first time since I woke up. The sun is climbing up over the mountains. There’s a refreshing breeze that rustles the long blades of grass, making their shadows dance.
This place could really be magic. But I can’t help the feeling of emptiness that followed me from Los Angeles. I’ve seen so many wonderful things in my life. It’s part of the job to have access to things most people could dream of. Yet, I’m getting damn sick of seeing all the wonderful things alone. I want to share it with someone. I try to fight the hurt that this walk could have been shared with Colt if he had bothered to stick around.
Even though last night was a disaster trying to find my Mountain Studs, I can’t give up. It’s the only hope I can cling to right now.
Because while last night was really sexy, now it just feels like I’m going on the same self-destructive path by choosing superficial connections in place of meaningful ones. And it’s already feeling bad.
I wonder what the three Mountain Studs are up to at this very moment? Hopefully not also taking a walk of shame.
And then it hits me. The Mountain Studs have that nickname for a reason. They can’t stay away from the mountains for long.
I need to remember all that I can from our conversations before they blocked me. I can even go over some screenshots I sent to Ruby for clues. They had their favorite trails and I bet if I look at a map, I can make a checklist of places to find them.
My walk transforms from a dejected sex monster trudging out of her den to a woman with a purpose cheerily bouncing along.
Now I just have to sneak into the house unnoticed.
I head toward the giant robin egg blue hydrangea bushes that line the garden. If I can just get past them unnoticed, then I’m in the clear and I can take a nice long shower to wash off every bad decision I made last night.
I round the corner, thinking I can take a sigh of relief but stop dead in my tracks.
It’s a family freaking breakfast.
Briggs, Colt, and Reese are seated around the stone outdoor dining table, passing around a plate of pancakes like they’re the Brady bunch. And I would blow them off, despite them looking frustratingly adorable, but I can’t. Because seated at the head of the table is Kaylee. And I haven’t seen her since our incident in the diner.
I straighten my top out to make sure there’s no rogue boob coming out the side of it. Colt notices me and a grin spreads across his face. I glare back at him accusatorily.
Yes, I made it out of the camper alive, you asshole. Thanks.
Kaylee turns to see what her brothers are looking at and I immediately transform my face from disdain to pure pleasantry, even if it requires a bit of acting.
“Kaylee!” I exclaim excitedly. And this part isn’t an act. I have nothing but fondness for the little girl who is now very much a teenager. “I’m so happy to see you again.”
“Blaire!” She swivels off of her chair and jumps up to give me a hug.
I hug her back, feeling surprisingly sentimental about her excitement. I wasn’t expecting it.
“So you remember me?” I ask when we part. “I wasn’t sure you would, since you were just a little thing the last time I saw you.”
“Are you kidding me? I still have the hoop earrings you gave me.” She smiles broadly. “Colt was so mad when he saw me wearing them for the first time after I got my ears pierced.”
“Then they were a gift for both me and you,” I laugh. “I’ll let you raid my suitcase later and see if we can find more things to get Colt even more mad.”
“No need for that.” Colt shakes his head. “Kaylee already knows how to do that without your help.”
Kaylee scoffs. “I’m a literal angel. Don’t listen to him.” She turns to head back to the table. “But come join us. The pancakes are getting cold.”
“Oh-” I say, ready to decline politely.
“I squeezed the orange juice, and it’s the best thing you’ve ever tasted,” Kaylee says as she motions next to her. That’s when I notice an untouched place setting.
They expected me to join. I suppose that partially makes up for Colt leaving me naked to suffocate in our sex greenhouse.
“But just be warned,” Briggs taps the empty chair, inviting me to sit down. “We’re a fight to death for the last pancake kind of family.”
I grin. “I’m not afraid of you three.” I pull the chair out. “But I will keep an eye on Kaylee,” I mimic suspicious eyes at her, and she grins.
“Smart woman,” Colt says matter-of-factly.
“Colt Rile, that might be the first nice thing you’ve ever said to me,” I say before bringing a glass of Kaylee’s orange juice to my lips.
His eyes lock on mine. “I’m pretty sure last night I had a lot of nice things-” his deep voice slows, realizing what he’s saying. He glances at Kaylee nervously. “To say about your dancing at the bar. I guess all that Hollywood is good for something.” He recovers quickly.
I swallow hard, knowing fully that’s not what he would have said if Kaylee wasn’t here. I heat remembering the praise he had for me last night. He’s a man of few words usually, but damn, last night his words were generous, just like his…
“Will your fiancé come join us here in Solace Springs?” Kaylee changes the subject and I’m grateful for it. “My friend Emma would die if she ever got to meet Mika Lane.”
Well, I’m grateful for it for about a second before I realize I have no good answer for her.
But I haven’t been media trained most of my life like a show horse for nothing. I can handle the tough questioning of a sixteen-year-old girl.
I take a long sip of orange juice to think and she wasn’t kidding, the juice is really good.
I decide to go with a version of the truth.
“Well,” I say finally. “You’ll likely see in the news reports soon that we’re no longer engaged. But just keep in mind that not everything you read is true.”
“Okay,” she says, drawing the word out. “Cryptic much?” She eyes me suspiciously.
Man, I thought teenagers were supposed to be oblivious to everything around them, but Kaylee doesn’t miss a beat.
I keep it as simple as I can and shrug. “I don’t love him.” I say plainly. “And I never did. That’s all that really matters.”
“Well, maybe you can finally date one of my brothers then.” She says with a mischievous grin. She is fully aware of the chaos she’s trying to create, but that doesn’t stop me from nearly spitting out the juice.
“Where in the hell would you get that idea, Kay?” Reese raises his eyebrows at her, genuinely looking curious.
“Oh, come on.” She rolls her eyes. “It’s a small town. There has always been gossip that one of you were dating but I just can’t get a read on which one.”
Yeah, join the club, Kaylee. I think to myself while avoiding eye contact with everyone.
“Hey, would you look at the time,” Reese says, looking at his watch with exaggeration. “You’ve got to get a move on if you want to finish packing for camp.”
Kaylee looks between us all incredulously, obviously not distracted by the subject change. When she meets my eyes, I just take a bigger sip of orange juice.
She sighs. “Okay, I get it. You’re in a hurry to get rid of me.”
“Kaylee,” Colt starts.
“By the time I get back from camp, it will at least give you all enough time to get your story straight.” She eyes us, but there’s laughter behind her eyes. I can see Colt visibly relax.
I take a long sigh when she finally leaves.
“I told you I’m not a good role model,” I whisper under my breath as I get up to go and finally wash last night’s sins off of me.