By Ava Hunter — Tail Me

For a few weeks, it worked. The town of Oakhaven welcomed her, treating her like just another resident. Caleb showed up regularly, "checking in" on the fence line, but he was always sitting on her porch. Their connection was instant, a quiet comfort in the chaos of her life. She found herself watching for his truck every afternoon, the way his heavy boots sounded on the wood planks bringing a sense of safety she hadn’t felt in months. But the past is a jealous thing.

Would you prefer to hear about their first date in the small town? Ava Hunter - Books - Romance.io Tail Me by Ava Hunter

Caleb’s truck roared up the dirt driveway, kicking up gravel and stopping directly between Elara and the intruders. He stepped out, not asking questions, his face a mask of cold fury. He didn’t look like the gentle, quiet man she’d spent the last few weeks with. He looked like the mountain itself: unbreakable. For a few weeks, it worked

Later that night, sitting by the fireplace, Elara finally felt her heart slow down. Caleb was looking at her, his eyes warm again, but filled with a new protective intensity. Their connection was instant, a quiet comfort in

"You're not going anywhere, Elara," he said gently, reaching across the gap between them to take her hand. "They won't come back."

The manager stammered, his bravado instantly evaporating under the weight of Caleb's stare. The stalker, realizing he was outmatched, quickly faded back into the dark woods.

Elara Vance didn’t run to the Smoky Mountains because she wanted to see the autumn leaves. As the reigning country-pop princess, she was running from the blinding flashbulbs, the controlling manager who felt more like a warden, and the stalker whose notes had gone from fan-mail to threats. She left her tailored suits and platinum record awards in Nashville, trading them for flannel, hiking boots, and a cabin in the middle of nowhere that her uncle owned. She just wanted to disappear. Then she met Caleb Stone.