Page 60 of When The Mountains Held Us

The bear continues on its way, its fuzzy black behind disappearing between the thick tree trunks. My heart still racing, I hastily check to the side, making sure there are no cubs waiting to run out and give me another heart attack, before finally letting my foot off the brake and continuing on my way.

The pounding in my chest calms a fraction as I draw nearer to home, but with every slowing beat of my heart, the pull of those haunted eyes beckon me in again.

Thirty-One

Oakley

Slamming the car door behind me, I toss my bag onto the passenger seat and drop my forehead to the steering wheel. I shouldn’t have snapped at Levi that way. There has to be an explanation for what I saw, and I fight with myself to figure out what it might be. After a few grueling minutes, during which my mind plays and replays the image of Layla sitting on Levi’s lap with her arms around his neck, I’m no closer to figuring out what the fuck happened than I was before.

What I do know is that I am absolutely losing my shit. I’ve been on the edge of losing it for a while now, and seeing Layla on his lap is sending me into a fucking spiral. The tattered thread of my sanity, when it comes to Levi, has officially snapped.

I’m so sick and tired of pretending I don’t feel something for him, when every glance from those emerald eyes has me wishing I could hold their attention, if only for a moment. This thing between us has come to a head, and I don’t know how much longer I can pretend I don’t feel this unexplainable draw to him.

“Ugh!” I beat my hands against the steering wheel, smacking it a little too hard and making the horn blare a short, crisp note.

Maybe I should call Jessie. She’s always down for girl talk.

No, I can’t call her. Besides the fact that it’s super late and she’s probably sleeping, she might be with Justin, who would no doubt eavesdrop and waste no time relaying my girl drama to none other than the offender himself. I need to ask her to fill me in about their past the next time I see her. I’m dying to know the story there.

This is infuriating. I should have taken advantage of that shift drink I always turn down at the end of the night. I have a feeling that facing Levi when I get home is going to take a little liquid courage.

With a sigh, I turn the key in the ignition and listen to the rumble of the broken muffler as the car roars to life. Before pulling out, I check the mirrors, and something at the other end of the lot catches my eye, causing me to do a double take.

A single car sits across the lot. It’s off, no sign of interior lights on within the vehicle, but is that…?

No. I shake my head, peering back into my rearview mirror as I will my eyes to see what I can’t make out in the dark. It almost looks like someone is sitting in the driver’s seat, but I can’t be sure. It’s so dark out that not even the color of the vehicle itself is clear. It could just as easily be a dark blue as it could be dark red. Even if it wasn’t pitch black out, besides the solitary street lamp I’m currently parked under, it’s doubtful that I would be able to make out any other details, my eyes already dry and straining after an entire night of pouring drinks in the dim bar.

Yet still, my heartbeat thrums in my chest, the only noise accompanying it being my ragged breaths.

I know that car. Or at least, I think I do.

It looks eerily similar to the old, beat-up Ford Focus Travis drives.

I rub my tired eyes with my fists, knowing I probably smudged my mascara under my eyes, and take another glance in the mirror. I can’t make out anything else. Sighing, I fasten the seatbelt across my lap and throw the car into drive.

As I take the turn onto the main road leading out of town, my mind races with the possibility of that actually being my ex. I know he’s around, but, thus far, he’s yet to show himself. After not hearing from him since the break-in, I’d hoped he had admitted defeat and made his exit.

A wave of unease blankets me, and I take another quick peek in the rearview before breathing a sigh of relief. I half expect to find the car following me.

What would I even do if it was?

I’m being ridiculous. There are plenty of people who leave their cars at the bar overnight after drinking too much, content to hitch a ride home with a friend and come back tomorrow to pick up their ride. I’ve even seen a few people camp out in their backseats or the bed of their trucks after a long night. It’s nothing out of the ordinary for a car to be left in the parking lot of Joe’s.

I breathe a little easier as rationalization eases the worry clawing its way up my throat, but it doesn’t stop me from checking the rearview mirror occasionally as I take the winding backroads home. As soon as one worry dissipates, another takes its place.

Levi is likely already home, and I hope that he took my advice and didn’t wait up for me. Every instinct screams that I should be furious at what I witnessed—and it’s true, I can’t tamp down the irritation—but a quiet part of me says I don’t know the whole story, yet.

Just call it what it is, Oakley. You’re jealous.

I am not jealous!

Really? Cause I’m pretty sure at this point you share blood relation with the green-eyed monster.

Would you shut up already?

If you weren’t, why would seeing Layla and him together bother you so much?

The voice in my head has a point. Why would I care who he spends his time with if I don’t wish that it’s me instead?