I should be fuming, livid as all hell that she’s in my personal space, but I’m not. She stands straight, trying to stretch out her back, and that’s the first time I get a really good look at her face. She’s beautiful. Her eyes are light grayish blue and her lips are a pale pink, but she looks tired. She has dark circles under her eyes and irrationally, I feel bad for her. If her eyes are like that, it’s because she’s probably been busy finding a way to get into my house and she succeeded.
“Let me see.” Lara stands over my shoulder, trying to get a better look at the little troublemaker. Over two years ago, I started receiving fan mail to my home. Most of it was standard post, but it made no sense because my address had mostly been private unless you knew what to look for, so the woman had gotten too close for comfort.
“Oh my God. I know her,” Lara gasps, grabbing my phone out of my hands. I nearly snatch it back, but she moves out of my way. “I know her. Landon, we know her.”
“Well? Who the fuck is she?” I ask, wanting to know as much about her as possible including how they know her.
“Babe, what’s her name?” She hands the phone to her husband. I’m immediately jealous because he’s looking at her. Doesn’t Lara get mad that he’s looking at another woman?
“Oh, that’s…”
He snaps his fingers as he tries to think of this woman’s name, but Lara’s the first to get it. “Oh, it’s Ava something.”
“Oh yeah. I remember now. She’s Ava Henry. Her father’s a big-shot District Attorney in Indiana.” I’m trying to figure out if I’ve ever come across her before, and I can’t for the life of me. I would have known and more than likely asked her out.
“Well, I don’t know her. I’ve never met her. Why is she stalking me?”
“I’m actually shocked that she’d be stalking you. She was dating one of the guys we saw her with at the gala last time. Are you sure she’s your stalker?” I do my best to contain the sudden irrational anger building in me.
“Why else would a woman who goes to parties with you two be in my bedroom?” If she’s hanging with the rich and elite why would she be all the way in Montana making my bed?
“I don’t know, but somehow she didn’t give me that impression, and I don’t think that when I spoke to her I even mentioned I had a brother,” she states, tapping her lips. “We didn’t, did we?” Landon shakes his head.
“Well, thanks, Lara,” I say sarcastically.
“It’s so women don’t start fawning over your celebrity. You know you hate it anyway.”
“I do.” She is truly a great sister. I give her a one-armed hug.
“Funny, she made your bed and walked out. That doesn’t look like someone who’s stalking you.” I take my phone away from my brother-in-law. Absurdly, I’m jealous of him looking at her in such a private place. It’s my bedroom and she doesn’t belong in there, but then again, a part of me doesn’t want to let her walk out of the room.
“Landon’s right. She would be rolling around in your sheets.”
“Maybe she’s taking those as a souvenir or some shit,” I grumble. Why else would she be in there?
“I don’t know, big brother.” She rubs my back as I stare at the still I captured on my phone.
The kids make a loud noise in the other room, so Landon runs to check on them and Lara follows. Feeling confused and needing answers, I try to call John, but it goes straight to voicemail.
I try several of the guys, but I can’t get through to any of them. “Strange. I can’t seem to get a hold of a single employee and it’s not going to voicemail,” I mutter as they come back into the room.
Just then, my phone rings. I answer, listen, and then hang up. “It’s the driver here to pick me up to take me to the airport.”
“Are you sure you want to go to the house? You should call the cops first,” Lara says, sounding ever the worried sister. I kiss her cheek.
“No. I’ll call John and leave him a message before I get to the airport. There was a strong storm. Maybe it knocked out some towers or the power.”
“Honestly, I don’t think she’s a stalker. Why wouldn’t she find a reason to bump into you? She’s met us, and if she’s your stalker, then she knows Lara’s your sister. Besides, I’m a good judge of character, and she didn’t give me those psycho vibes.”
As I’m getting ready to leave, John tries to call but it keeps breaking up. About two hours later, he shoots me a text right before I board my flight.