Love Again: Rumor Has It, #3

By Stephie Klaire

Pine Valley spells "small-town charm" with a capital G-O-S-S-I-P.

 

World-famous author, Darby Grace, didn't just write a bestselling series, she built a franchise that landed her in the Hollywood spotlight with fame, fortune— and a bad case of writer's block. Needing inspiration, she escapes to the quirky little town where it all began.

 

Pine Valley isn't the only thing Darby left behind when her books became best-sellers and Hopper O'Reilly hasn't forgotten being written off. Once upon a time, he thought they might share forever, but her story interrupted the happily ever after they had planned.

 

The longer she's back the more Hopper uncovers the woman he remembers— and "The Great Darby Grace" finds her pulse racing fast for an old flame who ruffles her feathers... and steals her heart.

 

Rumor has it, this spunky second-chance love story just might have a happy ending...

• Language: English
• Publisher: THE SSK GROUP
• Release date: Dec 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201688950

Book preview

1

Thunk. The loud sound against the front of her car was followed by feathers in various shades of brown and beige raining down on her windshield. Darby Grace slowed to a rolling speed and checked her mirrors to see what she had hit, only to see a raggedy chicken running across the road through the plume of said feathers.

I’m definitely not in Los Angeles anymore. She chuckled while grasping at her chest to catch her startled breath. Only in Pine Valley.

Pine Valley was a long way from Los Angeles, Darby’s home for the past decade. Before that, she hadn’t really had a home, per se, or perhaps you could say she had several homes. Her family had moved a lot while she was growing up and never stayed in one place too long. It was like a great adventure, which would later prove to be the catalyst for her career, where she sold lies for money… as a writer. A writer who then became a screenwriter living in Hollywood, then an international sensation with a high nine-figure franchise – quickly approaching ten figures – and current Hollywood super celebrity who needed… a break.

Pine Valley was the one place growing up that had felt like home even though it was just an annual vacation spot for her family. When she’d finished school with a degree in bio, techno, something, or another – science – she’d hustled her way back to small-town USA, Pine Valley, to begin her life as… a writer. Following in her father’s footsteps by obtaining a specific degree was where the following ended. Darby had panicked and run off to write a book about a fantasy world full of heroes and mythological-like creatures who assisted them and hunted down dark forces out to end the world in a magical place hidden from everyone but the believers of the said world – the complete opposite of science.

Oh, geez, Darby said out loud when a roaring siren pulled her from her thoughts, forcing her to the side of the road. Not even in town five minutes and the local law pulls me over for an autograph.

She signaled and raised a handout the window to let the officer know she saw him and would pull over as soon as there was a safe spot to do so on the winding road with no shoulder or pull-outs. The officer stuck his arm out the window and waved back vigorously, to which she rolled her eyes. He must know who she is. This is a friendly traffic stop, she thought.

This is the police. A man’s voice came over the PA system. Stop your vehicle immediately.

Darby looked at her speedometer and noted she wasn’t going too fast and quickly took in her surroundings, trying to decide where the distress in his voice was coming from. There wasn’t anywhere to pull over. Did he expect her to stop in the middle of the road? He wasn’t wasting any time to get her signature on some random old napkin he found in his squad car or maybe his ticket book. Been there, done that.

This is the police, he said again.

Yeah, yeah! she shouted to nobody but herself. I heard you the first time. The lights and screaming siren gave you away.

Stop your car immediately, or it will be stopped for you.

What on earth? Darby lifted her arms, with one out the window, in an exaggerated shrug. Pull over where?

Final warning, the man said, flashing his headlights.

What, no police announcement? she said to herself.

This is the police.

Ah! She laughed and shook her head. There it is. Can my life be any more complicated?

Please stop your vehicle, or it will be stopped for you.

And how on earth would he plan to do that? she asked, sticking her arm out the window and pointing to the side of the road, hoping he’d understand her dilemma.

He matched her movement with his arm out the window. Stop your vehicle.

That’s it, she said in a defeated tone. I give up. Middle of the road it is.

As she rounded the corner and began to slow so she could park in the middle of the two-lane road, she saw just how her vehicle was going to be stopped for her. Another police cruiser was across both lanes, blocking the road, and a spike strip laid on the road just before him.

Whoa. I just had to ask the universe, and the universe answered. My life is definitely getting more complicated at the moment. Something big must be going on here. Odd for Pine Valley, she said to herself, taking in the law enforcement presence. She brought her car to a stop and looked outside at the sky to see just how serious this was. In L.A., a law enforcement chopper would be overhead in a serious matter, like this appeared to be, and a dozen more squad cars would surround the area. Neither were present – Pine Valley was still too small for a helicopter and fleet of cruisers, it seemed. The spike strip must’ve been the compromise.

With her window rolled halfway down, she was startled when the officer knocked on the glass with the butt of a large flashlight.

California plates. You’re a long way from home. Mind rolling down your window, ma’am? he said with a stern look.

Oh. Sorry. I thought it was. Darby didn’t want to be rude, but her window was indeed down, just not completely. Yep. It’s been a long drive to get here, that’s for sure.

She offered an uncomfortable giggle. She didn’t do confrontations well.

Once she complied, the officer leaned in a little and took a long sniff. Anything you want to disclose?

Her eyes went wide when they registered what he was really asking her. California. Sniffing. He thought she had marijuana on her. Such a stereotype. Uh. No?

Is that a question or a statement, miss? he asked, unamused.

Uh. It’s a statement?

Another question? He sniffed again while his eyes roamed the inside of her car.

She saw where this was going and immediately panicked. The last thing she needed was bad press, and this would surely bring bad press. It was time to cut to the chase and make herself very clear on the matter.

You mean marijuana? If you’re asking if I have marijuana in my car, the answer is no. I don’t… partake.

When his expression twisted into a look she didn’t recognize or easily read, she was sure she’d offended him. His eyes looked a little red. They were in Oregon, after all. The stuff was legal, so perhaps, this was his chosen pastime.

Oh. Not that there’s anything wrong with it. I mean, if you smoke it, or however else you can take… that, I’m not here to judge. An awkward giggle matched her crooked grin. I mean to each their own. I hear it’s… pretty medicinal. And… stuff. Helps bad joints, not that I think your joints are bad, I just mean when you get a little older and… I’ll just stop now.

She shook her head quickly as if to display confidence and that she was sure of her answer and totally okay with him smoking marijuana, then slumped in her seat.

Ma’am, are you okay? What’s in that container? he asked, pointing at the Styrofoam cup in the center console that she’d picked up at some drive-through along the way.

Oh. Just some water. Well, it was full of Coke. I wanted to drive straight through with no stops, pull an all-nighter, and that did the trick. I was amped. Her eyes went wide again. Not the bad kind. The soda kind. Like Coca-Cola. Not drugs. I don’t do drugs. No marijuana either. I wouldn’t drive while on drugs… because I don’t do them, like ever. Like I said. It’s just water in that cup now. Easier to drink with a straw than from the water bottle.

Uh-huh. The man wasn’t convinced she was of her right mind, it was clear. You mind stepping out of the vehicle for me?

Not at all. Sorry, I’m just nervous and probably coming off all wrong. She chuckled as she undid her seat belt.

Uh-huh. Why don’t you grab your license and registration for me on your way out?

Sure thing. She was beginning to sweat. This is exactly what she was trying to avoid. Confrontation, people, being seen, a spotlight of any kind. She grabbed the documents requested stepped out of the car and handed everything to the officer. "Here you go. Sir. Uh. Can I get you anything else?"

You serving breakfast in there? The corner of his mouth quirked up in a half-smile, pleased with his teasing.

No. How would I serve breakfast… Oh, I get it. Because I said… She buried her face in the palm of her hands. I’m sorry. I meant any other documents. Wanted to make sure I gave you everything you needed.

Right. I don’t know where you’re from in California… He looked at her license, and his brow raised. Oh, Los Angeles. Well, I don’t know what else a police officer in Los Angeles would ask for, but if it’s anything more than the basics, you gotta problem, ma’am. You just stand right here while I run you through the system. Think about what you want to say next very carefully.

What she wanted to say next? What did he think she did? Darby was the definition of do-gooder and the idea that he thought she’d done anything not good had her anxiety on full blast. Had she run a light somewhere in the city, and it was just catching up with her? Perhaps she cut off someone on a bike or in a crosswalk. They took that pretty seriously in Portland, the last city she went through before heading east, toward the mountains where Pine Valley was nestled at the base of the range.

The anticipation was getting the better of her as she wrung her hands together and noted she suddenly had to go to the bathroom. This wasn’t good. She’d lived a decent, law-abiding life, and the minute she ran from her troubles in LA, she landed herself in the middle of a crime. She was the criminal. The actual crime itself was uncertain, but by the way the other officer looked at her after rolling up the spike strip, she guessed it had to be bad. In an awkward moment of locked eye contact, she waved to the other officer who offered a simple straight-faced nod.

Now she really felt like a fool. They were already judging her, and she was clearly going to jail. At least that’s what she’d told herself. Two officers, a roadblock, spike strip, and no autograph… this was serious. It was unclear if this was just a twenty-four-hour hold offense in the local jail or if she was going straight to the big house on felony charges, but something was going down. Now she was wishing she had been right on her initial assumption, and he had recognized her as she passed him somewhere, and he wanted an autograph for his kid or something. It was always for the kids, but she knew better. Her adult following was as large as the younger demographic of fans, and at that particular moment, she hoped he recognized her and granted her a get-out-of-jail-free card for being Darby Grace. She’d never played that card, but her bandwidth for drivel and personal crisis was exhausted. She needed a break. From everything. Not to mention a bed to sleep in, and man, she really had to find a restroom, soon.

I’ve been watching you from back there, and your balance seems intact, Miss Grace, he said, walking back her way. He waved off the other officer, who quickly departed. The older officer stood in front of her and asked, You think you can walk a straight line? I just have to be certain.

Straight line? Oh, sure. You think I’m impaired? She rubbed her hands down her face. I can see why. I haven’t presented myself well and made a bit of a fool of myself, haven’t I? I get really nervous when I’m put on the spot or have to deal with large crowds.

The officer looked around at the empty fields of wildflowers and trees in the distance, then raised an eyebrow at her. Large crowds? You see people around here I don’t?

Darby let out a deep sigh. "No. I’m just doing it again. Rambling and saying quirky things without context. Nerves. I meant I get this way if I’m in large groups or in front of crowds. Clearly, it’s just you and me out here."

The straight line? He pointed the flashlight at the ground and waved it side to side indicating the line he wanted her to walk, prompting her to follow through.

Darby found it odd that he clung to that thing like