Page 16 of When The Mountains Held Us

Dammit, I should have given her my number.

I wanted to, had opened and closed my mouth more times than I’d like to count, but it never seemed to be the right time. She was consumed with the scenery around her, and I wasn’t going to be the one to break the wonder in her eyes and draw her away.

Watching her drink in her surroundings, the sun shining through the windshield and making her skin glow with something akin to ethereal beauty, was captivating. I’ve replayed the image in my mind so many times today that it’s got to be burned into my retinas.

Good.

By the time Isaac blows the whistle to signal the end of the day, my shirt is soaked through with sweat, and I’m ready to get the hell home and shower. Dirt sprays from beneath the squeal of tires as the first group of guys take off down the road. Looks like I’m driving the rest of us back. Justin and Brandon sidle up beside me on the way to the truck, and I give them both a quizzical look.

“What do you two want?’

“We’re so glad you asked,” Brandon says, mock relief in his voice.

“You’re coming to the bar with us tonight,” Justin declares, the firm line of his mouth and his no-nonsense tone making it clear he’s not about to take no for an answer.

“I’m not really feeling it tonight, guys.” They don’t need to know that I made up my mind to go over to the apartments after work to see if Oakley is settling in alright.

“That girl really did a number on you, bud.” Justin snorts, like he already has the whole thing figured out.

“That girl has a name.”

“Which is…?” Brandon prompts, and I grind my teeth together, not wanting to examine too closely why such a simple question makes me feel like someone set fire to a raw nerve. It’s just a damn name.

“Oakley.” I bite out my response, knowing that it’s only a matter of time before the whole town knows the name, age, birthplace, and social security number of our newest arrival.

It’s one of the drawbacks of living in a small town. It’s impossible to blend in when everyone makes it their mission to know everything about you, even the things you’d rather keep hidden. The townsfolk around here are decent, honest people, but they’re like a dog with a bone when they catch a whiff of a newcomer.

“So what’s your deal with her anyway?” Justin asks as we climb into the truck.

“There’s no deal. I gave her directions, then found her on the side of the road when her car ran out of gas. I gave her a ride into town.”

“And you just happened to find her stranded on the side of the road?”

“Isn’t that what I just said?” I adopt a bored tone, but I’m getting annoyed, the constant line of questioning grating on my nerves like sandpaper.

Justin pushes me a little further still. “You told her to take a right at the stoplight when you gave her directions, right?”

I give a single nod of my head as I pull the seatbelt across my chest and click it into place a little more forcefully than necessary.

“Wait, then how did you find her on the side of the road? You take a left to get to your house.” Brandon’s a nice guy, but sometimes his own stupidity gets the better of him. I glance into the rearview mirror in time to watch Justin jab Brandon in the ribs with his elbow. He lets out a low grunt, and mutters, “What? It is.”

“That’s the point, dipshit. Our buddy Levi here went looking for her.”

“Who went looking for who?” Isaac asks, catching the end of Justin’s sentence as he climbs into the passenger seat.

We take off down the road a moment later, and I glare out the windshield at the blur of green that passes as I maneuver us back to the shop.

“I think Levi’s got a girlfriend,” Brandon supplies.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I grumble, pinching the bridge of my nose and sucking in a breath through my teeth.

“I thought you just slept with her, but no shit, she’s your girl? That’s awesome, man. I’m happy for ya.”

A twinge of guilt at my irritation rattles through me. Isaac’s words tell me that he really does want the best for me and is happy for me.

Not that there is anything to be happy for. Oakley isn’t my girlfriend, and I definitely did not sleep with her.

But you want to.