She wants Brian and Beaumont, she wants to be in the spotlight, she desires money, and I’m sure there are a million other things that she would gain. We’re complete opposites and I wonder how Beaumont could want me after being with someone like her.
A knock on my car door causes me to practically jump out of my skin. It’s Louis and although I shouldn’t be surprised to see him here, I am. He tugs my car door open and I quietly slip out and stand to my feet.
“You scared him, ignoring him like that,” he softly explains.
I nod. I knew what it was doing, but I needed the space. I needed some time to think. Being confronted by a naked woman in his home was not what I’d expected. The mature thing would have been to text him and let him know that I was okay, that I was safe.
“She was responsible for the vandalism. She spied on us when we were at our most vulnerable. I’m not sure how to process that.”
Louis nods, he turns his head to look at the store, then shifts his gaze back to me. “You may not like what I think about the whole situation,” he begins. I bite the corner of my lip and wait for him to finish. “I think that you’re going to have to let anything and everything that isn’t part of your relationship with Beaumont go. It will drive you crazy. People do mean shit, they do stupid shit, and you will not be able to stop them. Especially when it comes to social media and jealousy.”
Inhaling a deep breath, I close my eyes for a moment, then reopen them. “I never wanted to be famous. Not even when I was a little girl. All I wanted to do was be able to live a simple life without being scared. That’s all.”
Louis grins, but it’s an almost sad smile. He reaches forward, wrapping his fingers around my shoulder and gives me a small shake.
“I think everyone wants that, Hutton. One way or another, living a good life, not being scared, not being judged, it’s what we all crave. You may not want to be in the spotlight, but you fell in love with a man who lives in it, front and center. You’ll either have to accept that part of him, or not…”
Nodding, I shift my gaze toward my shop, then back to Louis. “Love is stronger than whatever the media could throw our way, or women like Andi.”
Louis shakes his head. “He had the sheriff come out last night. Threw her out of there for trespassing. He’ll be filing a temporary restraining order against her, and you know what that means, babe?”
“Hmm?” I ask, too in shock to even speak.
He leans forward, his face just inches from mine, his white teeth smiling as he tells me. “Means, it’s going to be all over. As soon as the media gets ahold of that little bit of information, things are going to go crazy, are you ready for that?”
I bite the corner of my bottom lip, my eyes shifting to the ground, then back up to meet Louis’ gaze. “Honestly? No. But if it happens it happens. The only thing that I care about is Beaumont.”
“What about yourself?”
“If I have him, then that’s all that matters.”
His lips twitch into a grin. “Good girl.” He chuckles.
He lifts his other hand, wrapping his fingers around my other shoulder then slowly turns me around on the sidewalk. He releases me and takes a step back. I don’t turn around to see where he’s gone, I don’t care.
Because there is a man standing in front of me. He’s got a gigantic bouquet of lilac roses in his hands. They’re so massive that they cover his entire face. Slowly, he lowers them. Revealing the man that I already knew was behind them.
“Darlin’ girl,” he murmurs.
He doesn’t move, his eyes just roam over me. I know what he sees, because I saw that girl in the reflection of my PawPaw’s mirror. My eyes are tired, a bit bloodshot, and there is no hiding the dark circles and puffiness from the tears that I cried all night long.
“What are you doing here?”
His lips immediately lift into a smile. “My woman needed me. I needed to take care of some shit here, apparently.”
“Beaumont,” I breathe, taking a step toward him.
He still doesn’t move, I don’t know if he can or if he purposely isn’t, but his entire body is solidly in place. Closing the distance between us, I stop before I crash into his body and smash the most beautiful bouquet of roses I’ve ever seen.
“I’m never going to be a girl who wants to be famous. I’m never going to look like a supermodel, and I’ve honestly never wanted to. I’m always going to be me, always going to be Hutton Baker who owns and loves working at her small salon in Burnet, Texas,” I rapidly say.
Beaumont’s brows shoot up and his eyes widen for a moment before his face completely relaxes in front of me. “If I wanted someone who craved attention, I wouldn’t be standing here in front of you, Hutton. I know that you don’t want to be the center of attention, neither do I. What I want is a nice quiet life, with a family.”
“But you aren’t going to just quit playing, are you?” I ask, confused by his words.
He shakes his head. “No, never. But my life here, my home in Gallup, this is my sanctuary and I hope that you’ll share it with me, darlin’.”
“What about the rest of your life?” I ask on a whisper.
He drops the bouquet to his side, reaching for me and wrapping his hand around my waist, pressing his palm to my back before he pulls me against his body. Tilting my head back, I look up into his dark eyes.
“You’ll be at my side for every part of my life, darlin’. Whether you want to be thrust into that bright light or stay in the shadows. That’s all up to you, but you’re mine and I ain’t ever lettin’ you go, Hutton. I’ll take on the spotlight just as I always have, and my life here in Gallup will be separate, just as it always has. Our life together is going to be what we make it though, you can count on that shit.”
Without another word, his lips slam against mine and his kiss takes my breath away.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
HUTTON
“Darlin’, you okay?” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.
I don’t realize it until his hand moves from around my back and I feel his fingers wipe the falling tears from my cheeks. My bottom lip trembles as I look up into his eyes. Nodding, I don’t verbalize that I’m okay, but I am, more than.
“I have to get to the sheriff station this afternoon, make sure that paperwork is done, file for a restraining order against Andi.”
“That’s going to cause drama…” I say, letting my words trail off.
He smirks. “Darlin’, this week I’m causin’ nothing but drama. Firing my manager and Brian, then this whole Andi debacle. Plus, putting my Los Angeles place on the market. The media isn’t going to know what to report on about me.” He grins.
“Why, why all of that?”
“Andi, Brian, and Daniel are all intertwined. They need to go. I’ve finally just seen their true colors and I don’t like them much.”
“What about Austin?”
His face softens, his eyes smile and he lowers his head, running his nose alongside mine. “Seems Austin is getting himself together, as best as he can. He and Jesse are going to possibly stay on, but I can’t keep Brian, he’s going off a deep end that I can’t be part of.”