Page 41 of Stormswept Colorado

“Sometimes. I can always get called in, any time of the day or night. When I’m off duty, I spend as much time as possible with Ollie. And Piper, if she’s around, but I’m happy to give her a break. Tough being a single mom.”

“I’m sorry. It’s great that she and Ollie have you.”

“I do what I can.” I set the water down. “What about you? What do you do when you’re not working?”

“I’m always working. Except when I’m in Silver Ridge. This is my hot vacation spot.Mostly. Even on vacation, I still have interviews, calls with my manager. There’s always something.”

“Is that why you drove across the country that first time you showed up in Silver Ridge? To get a break from all that?”

She took another bite of her burger before answering. “Yeah.”

“And then, when you got to Silver Ridge, I wasn’t very welcoming.”

“You, not welcoming?Really?”

I chuckled. “I deserve that. But I didn’t know what to do with you. You showed up here with a whole lot of attitude and chaos ensued.”

Her face fell. Shit, I was screwing this up.

“But that wasn’t your fault,” I went on. “You came to Silver Ridge needing help.”

“Youdidhelp. You and your officers helped create a diversion so I could escape all thosereporters.”

“But I should’ve been kinder about it. That’s what I’m saying. I’ve been told I can be intimidating, and I’m working on that. But if you ever need help in the future, any kind at all, I’ll do whatever I can.”

“I see what you’re doing.”

“I’m not trying to be subtle.” I still wanted her to tell me about that screwed-up email. “I’d like to make sure you’re safe.”

Her finger traced a pattern in the condensation on the window. “Why?”

Because you’re getting under my skin. Because there’s something achingly fragile in you, and it calls to me.

“I like helping people. Probably explains my career choices.”

She blinked, her jewel-green eyes meeting my gaze as I looked from her to the road and back. “Most people want something from me, even if they claim to admire me. Some see me as a mirror, a reflection of something I can’t control, and they want to punish me for it.”

The raw honesty in her tone slayed me.

Right then, the realization slid home. I’d been wrong abouteverythingconcerning Ayla Maxwell.

“You deserve people in your corner. I know you have Ashford and the O’Neal family. And probably a bunch of people in LA.”

“Not as many as you’d think.” She said this quietly, like it hurt her to admit.

“Then I’ll be in your corner too. You owe me nothing, okay? You don’t have to beanyonewith me except yourself.”

FOURTEEN

Ayla

The snow startedabout a half hour into the drive. About the time we would’ve made it to Hartley if the weather were clear. But I actually didn’t mind that the trip was taking longer. Especially after that awful message had stirred up every old fear and negative feeling inside me.

Teller’s presence was comforting. I never would’ve thought I’d say that about a broad-chested, bossy police chief, especially notthispolice chief. But I liked being around him, now that we understood each other better.

He had a hero complex. But was that such a bad thing?

For the longest time, I’d felt like everything I’d built could disappear in an instant. My childhood had taught me that. I had money and fame, but that didn’t buy me peace of mind.

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