He paused, not meeting her searching gaze.She felt compelled to help him, but how?He was the one with the big idea to explore his possible family history and build a legacy for his friend.She was along for the ride.
“Order room service if you’re hungry.Sorry about the nachos.That’s two meals I’ve cheated you out of.”And he was gone.
“Maybe I won’t need a gym.Some wedding night,” she muttered and then laughed.
They had a legal marriage.Nothing more.She’d thought the legal process unnecessary, but since she’d had a few days to see Telford operate, he was surprisingly honest—especially for a wealthy man.Even tonight when confronted he hadn’t lied to his maybe half-brother—or brothers.She should probably do her job as assistant and start researching.
She kicked off her boots, peeled off her dress and slipped her lounge-at-home elastic pants and the three-quarter zip matching hoody.It was soft, warm, and cozy, and she pressed the switch on the gas fire and looked longingly at the champagne chilling and the snacks.Though it wasn’t a true marriage, it seemed rude to indulge without him.She wished she’d had the presence of mind to hold on to her glass of wine.She’d only had a couple of sips, and it had been delicious.
She could order more.He’d been clear she could bill anything to the room, but he’d return at some point and be hungry.They could do room service then and discuss next steps.
She reached out for her craft tote.Crocheting little animals would be good gifts for any Telford children they might meet.The two Telfords tonight had felt like a saturated testosterone ad for the American west.And there might be more of them.Small-town, rural ranch hotties.No doubt they started young.She shut down the tickle of memory.It had no place here.And if the Telfords hadn’t started to breed like the prodigal bio dad who’d confronted them in Denver, she could drop some off at the hospital she’d seen.
Maybe she should crochet horses.Perhaps the hotel boutique would sell them on consignment.She’d spotted it at check-in, tucked away in an alcove across from the bar.It looked like it had a lot of art, local crafts, and gifts as well as baskets filled—with local products, perhaps.Or she could make a baby blanket for the baby that had been shoved in Cash’s arms last month.Too personal?Too soon?Or maybe he’d sorted things out with the angry mother and no longer had the child.
It was going to be like the blind leading the blind if she was tasked with helping Telford navigate his family dynamic.But that was what she’d been hired to do unless during his run he decided he wanted to drive back to Denver.Dismay filtered through her.It was scary how committed she already felt to his goal of building a legacy for Cam and for having six months minimum to plan for a new life.
She was emotionally invested.Not good.But Telford had ponied up a hefty deposit that she’d banked.And she had a contract that spelled out the consequences if either of them backed out early.Financially she was covered.
Emotionally she felt vulnerable.
Hoping to quiet her doubts, she pulled out her phone and began scrolling for a sample of a crochet horse.She could make a few to practice before turning back to creating another duster-style vest—one with leather and metal western accents to mark her time in Montana.She could feature them with the local scenery framing them in her online shop.But a pattern for a baby blanket caught her eye.
She started to work, pushing aside the image of Telford running in the cold and dark.
*
Telford ran foran hour and twenty minutes, before he returned to the room, steeped in guilt for leaving Ayana alone for so long.He never imagined he’d be such a coward facing what might be family.He returned to the room, sweaty, but not calmed.He headed for his shower, but the sound of splashing and humming from the primary suite stopped him in the tracks.He knew he should have insisted she take the room with the bath.
He pictured her sleek and naked, submerged in bubbles teasing warm, wet flesh.
He longed to enter the bathroom though he had no right.He’d promised that any sexual relationship with Ayana couldn’t be a hookup—just about quenching primal urges.To distract himself from unwelcome lust, he grabbed a water from the fridge.Downed it and stared through the window at the twinkling lights of the small town.
Could this have been his hometown had his bio dad been a better man?
No point in examining what-might-have-beens.His mother and he had paid the ultimate price.Now he had to decide the path forward.Research the Telfords and approach them?Cash had mentioned a DNA test.He could do that.Make it official.He had a lot to protect too.Restless, he noted a pile of dark blue fabric on the coffee table that hadn’t been there before.He reached for it, only noting the still-attached hook thing and ball of yarn.Carefully, he spread it across the table, not wanting to damage her project.He didn’t understand how knitting or whatever the other thing she mentioned today worked.
The fabric was soft and dark with various stars lining one side in white with a larger, silver star glimmering in the middle.
A baby blanket?
Unsettled, he dropped to the floor and began doing a variety of push-ups as if he could sweat out and push away the image of a naked, gleaming Ayana on the other side of the door, maybe or maybe not longing for a baby at some point.
*
She took outher earbuds and stood up, draining the water.She’d practically fallen asleep in the tub.It had been a total luxury, one she’d only experienced at the hotel in Denver, and as she reached for a towel, she vowed she’d take a long, deep soak in the tub every day they were at the Graff Hotel.That would be her memory of indulgent luxury she’d tuck away—after all, she’d grown up without running water, bathing every few days with Alissa in glacier-fed water collected in livestock trough.
She glanced at her phone.Telford had been gone a long time.Should she worry?How long should she wait before calling the police?She shrank from that idea.The Family had been off the grid, avoiding anything having to do with the government.She still didn’t trust authority figures—especially those who cloaked themselves in their convenient Lord’s words that had deviated miles from the real Bible she’d read out of curiosity a few years ago when she’d been sick in bed and bored out of her mind on the cruise ship.
Wrapping the towel around herself, she flung open the door to return to the room.The sound she made sounded feral.
“Apologies.”Telford popped to his feet all taut, bronzed skin that looked airbrushed.No shirt.Just thin, athletic shorts.Bare feet and abs she could count.
“For what?”She could barely choke out the words.
“I should have controlled myself better.”
She stared at him, trying to make the words make sense.
