Page 98 of Starcrossed Colorado

I wadded up a napkin and threw it at him. But we were all laughing.

Callum brought out the whiskey bottle again. I nodded, and he tipped another half-inch of brown liquor into my glass.

Callum went around topping up everyone else’s glasses. “Here’s what I want to know. How did the media find out that Ayla was Lori’s sister in the first place? Obviously, Ashford has been keeping that under wraps for a long time. It’s hard to imagine Ayla telling anyone, either. Don’t celebrities hate the tabloids?”

“What about Danny Carmichael?” Grace asked. “Lori could’ve told him her sister’s identity.”

Emma’s gaze sharpened. “Why him? Because Lori worked in his office?”

Grace tilted her head thoughtfully. “That. But I used to think…well, I wondered if maybe Lori was seeing Danny. Since we’re all being honest tonight.”

Judson took a sip of whiskey. “Lori was around the dentist every day. Proximity counts for a lot.”

I shoved my glass away, bile rearing in my throat. “Why would you think that? Lori couldn’t stand him.”

“Youcan’t stand him,” Callum corrected. “Are you sure Lori felt the same way?”

“I…” Shit. I didn’t actually know.

There was so much I still didn’t know.

Emma crossed her arms on the tabletop. “Danny got Maisie and me away from that reporter, and I appreciated that. But he was pretty rude to me afterward.”

My eyes narrowed. “Rude to you?”

She waved her hand, like that part wasn’t important. “I had the feeling he’d heard the name Ayla before. Like he knew something, and he was smug about it.”

“Danny and I get along okay,” Elias said. “I could try talking to him about what happened today. See if he lets anything slip about Lori or her sister. Or anything else Lori might’ve told him.”

I scrubbed a hand over my face. “I guess. Thanks, man.” Honestly, too much had happened today. It was hard to wrap my head around all of it.

I was wiped.

Grace and Callum hugged me on their way out. Judson tipped his hat to Emma.

Elias clapped me on the back. “I hear you asked out my baby sister,” I said under my breath.

Elias smiled sheepishly. “I thought it would be easier to get forgiveness than permission. Plus, I didn’t know if she’d say yes. She still hasn’t.”

“I could be okay with it. I know you’d be good to her.”

“If she gives me a shot, I will.”

I was grateful for all of my friends and family, but when Emma and I were finally alone again, I pulled her against me and just held on.

Damn, I was relieved. That Emma and Maisie were okay, but also, that I wasn’t carrying around this secret anymore. Funny that I’d always dreaded this very scenario, yet now that it was here, I almost felt better.

A big part of that was Emma. Knowing she’d protected Maisie. Though it frustrated me to no end that I hadn’t been there.

“You sure you’re okay?” I smoothed my hand over the bruises on her elbow.

“Fine. What about you?”

“Pretty good. Considering. But there’s something else I need to do.” I took out my phone, went to my settings, and unblocked the last of those Los Angeles numbers. I held my phone to my ear. The number rang.

Voicemail answered, and I said, “Ayla, this is Ashford. I’m willing to talk. Call me back, butdon’tcome to Silver Ridge. We had a reporter show up here and scare Maisie, and if that happens again…”

Emma reached over and squeezed my bicep reassuringly.

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