Page 60 of Seeking Her Studs

Briggs pounds the side of the truck after he swings the last of our bags into the bed. I hop into the front seat. Even though I insisted I take my turn sitting in the back, they wouldn’t have any of it. It’s that dash of cowboy chivalry embedded in them. And I’m woman enough to admit I kind of love it. They’re right, there is a princess in me that isn’t going anywhere, anytime soon.

Now that we’re on the road, I whip my phone out to text my friend Ruby and tell her that I’m finally ready for a diagram of that position she mentioned. Among my notifications, one name stands out to me. Mika Lane, my supposed fiancé, texted me. He’s given me my space ever since I left, likely not knowing what to even say to me.

I click on it, already feeling anxious.

MIKA LANE: I’m sorry. I know this wasn’t the most ideal way to end things in the public eye but Frederic found evidence of you being with another guy and was going to craft an entire story about me being cheated on by you, and I knew I had to get ahead of it. When I saw the picture, I realized that you look happy. Even though we don’t know each other very well on a real level, I’ve known you’ve been unsatisfied for a really long time. We’ve lost too many peers in this industry to that kind of unhappiness, and I’m not willing to be a part of pushing someone else to the edge. We might not be liked in this industry after the interview I gave, but it’s better than not liking ourselves. Hope you understand.

I cover my mouth in shock and press the link he included to understand what the hell he’s talking about. An exclusive interview with Variety pops up.

“It was all for show”: Mika Lane Details Deceit with Blaire Evans

I hold my breath as I skim the article. Mika details to the interviewer how there was never anything romantic between us and how it’s not uncommon in Hollywood to have these kinds of relationships between celebrities to promote their image. He also explains how ours got so out of control because our agents saw how well it was being received by the public. Finally, the interview ends with him saying the engagement was out of our comfort zones, and he doesn’t blame me for needing to leave the spotlight for a bit.

I release an incredible sigh of release. He was absolutely right in his decision. I’ll take the vitriol from the public gladly rather than having the Riles dragged into this. It’s ironic that now when Mika is no longer my fake fiancé, I’ve never liked the man more.

“I’m free,” I respond to the Rile brothers’ curious stares. “The world now knows my engagement with Mika was a sham.”

“Wow,” Colt says as he slows down the truck to look at me. “Are you okay?”

I smile broadly. “I don’t think I’ve ever been better.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Blaire

It’s only when we get back to Solace Springs that I realize I spoke too soon. I spot the man immediately on the side of the road. He has the distinct look of someone who is willing to sell another human’s most intimate moments for money. The biggest telltale sign is the telescope lens hanging heavily off his neck.

As we drive, more and more show up. They’re walking the streets of Solace Springs like the place is their hunting ground. It’s strange to see. I always thought Solace Springs was immune to them.

“I don’t understand.” I say as I duck down low in the front seat. “I get that it’s a big news story, but there have been so many other opportunities for them to come. I mean, Briggs and I practically had sex in a public dressing room and still no paparazzi or photos showed up anywhere.”

“Your she-devil agent must have called them,” Reese says. “Or your mom. Those are the only options.”

I whip around while still ducking and press my head against the gap between the seat and the door to stare at him accusatorily. “And why would those be the only options?”

“Uh-” Reese stutters.

“Reese Robert Rile, you tell me what you’re hiding from me at this very moment.” I reach back and pinch his thigh.

“There might have been an incident one time that we sorted out,” he scratches the back of his head. “No more problems since then.”

Understanding dawns on me. Solace Springs isn’t some magical place where no one cares that I’m famous. It’s been these three making sure it’s that way. But how?

“Explain yourself,” I say with another pinch.

“Ow!” He pulls his leg away from me. “Fine. Okay. You remember a long time ago there was that picture of you and your Gram shopping that made it into some shitty tabloid?”

I know immediately the photo he’s talking about. It was over ten years ago and it was the one and only picture of me in Solace Springs that has ever been published as far as I know.

“Yeah, well, the guy who sold it was Stan Brentley. He owns a company fixing fences that we contract on the ranch. We made it clear we would make sure he lost twice as much in projects from us for the amount he sold that photo for. And that anyone else in town who would sell out a person like that would get the same treatment.”

Colt laughs from behind the wheel. “People got real moral about it after that. Suddenly there was this big talk about ethics and the right someone has to their privacy. And then when Wyatt and his friends tried again at the bar, it was a good reminder that we’re still serious about it.”

I sit there curled up in a ball, absolutely speechless. They were protecting me this whole time, even before they had any reason to.

“Jeez,” I finally say. “You barely even talked to me back then. Why would you go through all that?”

“Because it’s the right thing to do,” Reese shrugs. “We saw you around the ranch with your Gram. You were a person like everyone else. You didn’t deserve to be treated like some zoo attraction.”

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