Page 50 of When The Mountains Held Us

It’s a challenge and an invitation, and he lets out a long breath as if steeling himself for what he’s about to say. When his next words finally meet me in the air between us, I realize why.

“I saw your phone last night. I promise I wasn’t snooping. It was sitting here on the counter, and it started vibrating with texts from an unknown number. I didn’t mean to look. Actually, that’s a lie. I purposely looked, and for that I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have invaded your privacy like that, but with everything that happened last night, I think my head was in worst-case-scenario mode, and I… I had to know that you’re okay,” he rushes out and, despite his admission, I see the action for what it truly is: concern for me and my safety.

I don’t need him to tell me what the texts say to know who they’re from. Dread sidles up to my already uneasy stomach, twining with the feeling like two long-lost lovers. He takes a moment during which he seems to try and collect his thoughts, glancing down at the counter where he still holds his hand over mine.

“Am I? Okay, I mean,” I ask tentatively, needing to know the gist of what the messages say, but not being brave enough to look at them yet.

“I think your ex is in town.”

As the words leave his mouth, the culmination of all my fears and doubts crash through me. If I weren’t already sitting down, I’d be reaching for the stool to steady myself at the words I prayed I’d never hear.

Levi drags his gaze over my face, no doubt taking note of the rapid pulse in my neck. It lingers on my mouth the longest before flitting up to meet my returned stare. I immediately drop my eyes because, despite the seriousness of this moment and the words he just uttered, the look in his eyes only serves to remind me of my dream. That is definitely not a place I can allow myself to go to right now.

“Oakley, did you hear me?”

“Mhmm, yup,” I answer absentmindedly before grabbing my coffee and taking a steadying sip, then watch as the liquid sloshes up the sides of the mug as I set it back down in front of me. “What did he say?”

He pushes the phone in front of me. “Take a look for yourself.”

With shaking fingers, I pick up the phone, taking a quick moment to scan the texts. It’s strange in a way. I’d taken to deleting the litany of previous texts without reading them, not allowing myself the satisfaction of giving that man another ounce of my attention. But reading them now doesn’t have my insides twisting in crippling fear like they did before, when I’d first started receiving the messages. I’m not sure if I’m becoming more numb to it, but that small voice inside my head tells me that it has everything to do with the person sitting across from me.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have read them.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” I dismiss his apology with a wave of my hand, truly meaning what I say. “I would have done the same thing if I was in your position.” My forced laugh causes the crease in his forehead to deepen. I want to lean forward and smooth the wrinkles out with my fingertips.

“I know you mentioned only staying the night, but I think you should reconsider.” I open my mouth to protest but he holds a hand up between us in a silent plea to hear him out. “Before you say no, just… fuck, just think about it. If those messages aren’t just a ploy to get you to talk to him, if he really is in town, I don’t think it’s safe for you to be anywhere else.”

“I can take care of myself,” I state, defiance rearing her head.

“I know you can,” he placates, and I can tell that he means it. “But just because you can, doesn’t mean you have to do it alone.”

He’s right. The logical part of my brain knows this. Knows that I can’t do this on my own, no matter how determined I am to try anyways. Maybe accepting help when it’s offered isn’t the worst thing. If it was Travis that broke into my motel room—who am I kidding, he literally admitted it—then he knows where I’ve been staying, and that tiny slice of heaven I cut out for myself is no longer an option for me. There is every chance that he’ll come back, and I know I won’t get away unscathed next time. It was pure luck that I was out when he broke in last night. Having walked to the store to meet Jessie before the hike, my car was still parked outside my room. He probably expected me to be there, but when he didn’t find me, he took the next best thing.

I swear Levi can see the war raging in my head right now, but he sits quietly, patiently waiting for me to come to a decision.

“Okay, I’ll stay.”

Relief floods his features, and he graces me with that half smile I’ve come to love.

“Attagirl,” he murmurs, and fuck if that damn word doesn’t have my insides twisting for an entirely different reason. Pushing back from the counter, he brings his now-empty mug to the sink, giving it a quick rinse before placing it in the rack.

“I need to get the rest of my things. And my car.”

He nods his agreement as he stands on the other side of the island. “When you’re ready, we’ll go and get you checked out of the motel. I’ll call Justin and have him meet us there, and he’ll drive your car back here.”

“I can drive my own car.”

“I know you can, darlin’. But I’m not taking any chances. If your ex is keeping tabs on the motel, I don’t want him following us back to the house. When do you work next?”

I do the math quickly in my head. “Tuesday night.”

“I’ll have Justin bring the car to his house then. We can park it there for the next few days until things cool off a bit.”

“What if he thinks I’m staying there and tries something? I don’t want to put anyone else in danger.”

“Do you think he would? You know him better than I do.” His question isn’t condescending, but that of someone trying to objectively examine the situation from all angles.

“I’d like to think he wouldn’t. I’ve never known him to be physically violent towards anyone else. Only towards me, and only when he’s on a bender.”