Page 12 of Sin in the Mountains

"Love and hate are a fine line," Betty muses.

I flush, remembering how I chose to ask Levi why he hates me, while he was worshiping my body. He didn't say he didn't hate me, though. What did he say?

Everything I said in my letter is still true.

What did he mean? What letter?

Unease slides through my body and settles like a pit in my stomach. A nagging thought hits me. I need to know why Drake and Levi stopped speaking.

"Cora, could you hand me my phone?" I ask. My stomach is queasy as I send out a text.

Call me when you get a chance.

Does the letter explain why he hates me?

If what he did to me last night is hate, then I might be able to live without love.

Chapter 6

Levi

Thereceptionisinfull swing. The cake is cut, dinner has been served, and speeches are winding down. Scarlett and Melody gave a joint toast to Cole and Miranda, and Jameson is finishing up his well wishes. I'm up next, and then the DJ has promised a few "fun activities" before the dance floor opens.

The happy couple sits at a table up front by themselves. The wedding party is scattered among tables in front of them, everybody sitting with their significant other. As the only singles in the group, Scarlett and I ended up at two different tables across the room from each other. Aside from the constant charged looks throughout the ceremony and pictures, we haven't been able to talk.

I tap my foot impatiently, and then Anderson jostles me as everyone raises a glass at the end of Jameson's speech.

"You okay, man?" he asks, and I nod, making my way up to take the microphone from Jameson.

"Miranda and Cole. Congratulations," I start, fumbling with my words as I try to remember my speech. My mind is all jumbled up, but as I turn to two of my closest friends, I know exactly what I want to say.

"Cole and Miranda's story is about getting a second chance at love. A boy who pined for a girl who disappeared from his life, until years later when his new boss insisted on buying him a cup of coffee on his first day of work. It was fate. Years apart made them who they are today. The perfect fit for each other. And the thing about fate, if you believe in it, is the timing is already planned. It's destined, so wondering what would have happened if they'd started dating years ago defeats the purpose. It's today's versions of each other that finally brought them together."

A series of awws breaks out among the crowd, and I chuckle before continuing. "I was young when I realized what love is. It's not a definition you can find in the dictionary, and it's not about finding someone who completes you, or fills a hole of some sort. I truly believe we're all complete individuals on our own."

I look out at the crowd now, my eyes stopping when I find Scarlett. "Love is about meeting someone who loves you for who you are. The person who knows when you need company, when you need to be alone, when you need to laugh. When you need to go camping, or need food, or need a nap. Love is when you care so much about someone, you are willing to let them go. Someone you don't want to live without, but, you will, if it means they find happiness."

Scarlett's lip quivers, her green eyes swim with tears, and my heart breaks. I want to run to her, scoop her up in my arms, and fix what I've broken. Instead, I attempt to bring this moment back to the reason we are all here today. The two people whose love brought me back to mine.

"Luckily, these two found their happiness together. To timing, fate, and delicious coffee. To Miranda and Cole!" I raise my glass, and the reception hall erupts with applause.

I take a drink and give my friends each a big heartfelt hug.

"Thanks, man." Cole pats me on the back and then steps back to make way for Miranda.

As the DJ grabs the mic from me, I look toward Scarlett's table, disappointed to see her empty chair.

Betty walks up to me. "Beautiful, Levi." I bend down to make it easier to hug, but she grabs my arms instead. "She's in the lobby. For the love of God, man. The timing is right."

I grin. Leave it to Betty to know everything. I pat her hand before taking off for the hotel lobby. When I skid to a stop outside the double doors, I spot her immediately. The tiny crystals on her silver dress glint in the bright lights of the hotel lobby, and she looks like a dazzling star.

Scarlett turns toward me with tears in her eyes.

"Levi, last night you said you told me how you felt in a letter. What letter were you talking about?"

"You know what letter, Scarlett." I shake my head, walking toward her until she's right in front of me. "Theletter."

"What letter, Levi?" Scarlett asks again, and I stare at her in disbelief. Is this really how she plans to play this? After everything I said in there? As if it never happened.

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