Liam may be a fantastic dad, but he’s also a professional hockey player who travels all over the country for games. Meaning, he’s alone in city after city with his choice of women to meet up with. And yes, I’m a true cynic when it comes to love. My dad’s indiscretions destroyed my belief that men are faithful.
Ashley picks up on the second ring. “Hey, sugar! How’s New Orleans?”
“In my rearview.”
“Already? You said you were going for a family reunion. Everything okay?”
Moments like these are when I wish I were more of an open book. My friends are lucky if I give them the title of the story. I did share the reason behind my trip with Emerson, but that was it. And Ashley is a good friend, but I swore Emerson to secrecy.
“Yeah, that was an abbreviation of the whole story.”
“Give me the cliffs notes.”
“I flew here to meet my birth mother for the first time. She never showed, and I ran headfirst into Liam Storm at the airport. He and I are now copilots driving back to Montana.”
The line is so silent I think I’ve lost the call.
“Ash? Are you there?”
“I think I know why you don’t share a lot,” she says finally. “Because when you do, you can level a person in three sentences.”
I laugh.
“First of all, I’m so sorry she never showed. You must have felt so many emotions.”
“Thanks, Ash.”
“Second of all, Liam? Jared said Liam was driving here. Alone.”
“That was his plan.”
“And you changed his mind. Hmm.” I can hear the wheels turning through the line. “I remember you two at the Lucky Cowboy. Your chemistry was obvious.”
“Don’t rev me up more than I already am.”
“So you’re attracted to him?”
“Look, I’ve got eyes. And a pulse. So…yeah.”
“Liam’s a hottie. All the Storm brothers are. Heck, I’m marrying one.” Ashley laughs. “But Liam is the most…I don’t know what the word is exactly but…”
“Jaded?”
“That’s it. But he’s also incredibly caring and selfless and kind. However, he’s complicated, Haley.”
“I’m aware. Again, I’ve got eyes.”
“His divorce seemed to really rock him.”
“Subject change. Remember I need to rev down, not up with my copilot.”
“Right. Okay, well, since you’re driving here, how would you like to make a small detour and head to Wild Ranch in Texas Hill Country so we can do a video from there? I was thinking we could juxtapose your video with me on Wild Ranch here in Montana, and we could chat with each other. I’ll talk to Mia, but I think she’ll be on board. Wild Ranch in Texas is one of her foundation’s big supporters.”
Mia Wild is my boss. She’s CEO of Circle PR, and she and her husband, Declan Wild, a retired hockey star and one of the greatest players in history, got together to launch her dream, a foundation for abused and abandoned horses. Mia and Declan live on Wild Ranch in Montana with the Wild brothers who run the ranch, and they take in as many horses as they can afford each month. Mia has hired experts in the field who work with the horses to heal and rehabilitate them. Everything I do is to bring in donors and donations.
Mia is my hero. I would love to do something just like what she’s doing someday. I love working for her, but I dream of starting my own foundation for exotic wildlife.
“Of course. I’ll ask Liam. He’s very on top of time and schedule and all that,” I say. “We’re only supposed to be at this gas station for fifteen minutes. I think he actually clocks it.”
