Page 68 of My Three Mountain Men

“It’s a cosmetics company that does a good deal of advertising on social media. They hire influencers to promote their products. For every purchase that goes through my affiliate links, an income stream gets generated to me.”

“Kids will do anything but actually work these days,” Connors muttered.

“I’m not a kid,” I muttered.

“What’s that?”

“Nothing.” I cleared my throat. “She also accused me of…”

I paused, trying to remember exactly what Aimee had said. It all seemed so fake now, like it had happened to someone else.

“Accused you of what?” he pressed, eyes again meeting mine in the rear-view as he drove.

“Of either stealing or sleeping with her boyfriend. I can’t remember what she said exactly. She said that she saw him at the hotel in Aspen.”

“Who was her boyfriend?”

“I have no idea! I’d never even met Aimee face to face before that!”

“According to you, she had some strong ideas for someone who had never met you.”

“I know!” I agreed. “Which is why I never saw the attack coming.”

I saw his frown, the crease of his face extending to the glass, and I sighed aloud this time. “She lunged for me and jabbed me in the neck with some kind of needle. I passed out.”

“Uh-huh…”

Folding my arms over my chest, I turned and stared out the window. “I don’t know why you’re making me tell you this if you don’t believe it.”

“I think it’s unbelievable that some stranger would attack you over makeup.”

I jerked my head back around. “What about a guy?” I challenged. “She conceded that they were dating, didn’t she?”

Connors fell silent for a moment, pondering my angle. It was easier than explaining exactly how much money a sponsorship could entail with the right influencer.

“And you know the Millans,” I went on. “Do you really think they’re going to pick up some random internet superstar and keep her when their whole MO is keeping a low profile?”

The silence deepened.

I had him thinking.

“Aimee attacked me and left me for dead in the mountains. She set up her boyfriend out of sheer blind rage, and now she’s probably wracking in my FlyGirl contract on top of everything else.”

The sheriff cleared his throat. “I can have someone look into that.”

Hope swelled through me as I realized he was taking my theory seriously. “Really?”

“If there’s merit to it, I’ll investigate,” he agreed. “I told you, I’m a man of the law, Miss Summers. But if I find any shady business going on here—”

“You won’t from me,” I promised.

“I better not. Or I will bring the whole hammer of justice down on your head,” he vowed.

I laughed shakily. “I would expect nothing more, Sheriff Connors.”

* * *

To my shock, I wasn’t brought back to Aspen but instead flown home to LA, courtesy of the Pitkin County District Attorney.

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