Page 14 of The Mistletoe Bluff
I shoved the memory away, my body shivering from standing in the cold.
“Don’t you have a job or work to do other than drive me around?”
“I’m on a break,” he said.
What the heck does that mean?
“Come on, I’ll drive you home.” He stood next to his car, waiting with far too much patience.
“Fine,” I said.I didn’t have another option.
Oliver opened the passenger door for me, and I rolled my eyes at him.
“I can open my own door, Oliver.”
A smirk was his only response as he offered his hand to help me get into the Jeep. I ignored it and hoisted myself up and into the seat. He huffed a breath before jogging around the car and jumping in himself. Oliver flicked a ridiculous number of switches before pulling out of the parking lot, and it was a moment later that I realized he had turned on the seat warmer for me.
I blew out a frustrated breath. Not only was I without my own car for the next three weeks, but now Oliver, my own personal Lex Luthor, would be driving me to and from work if I didn’t find someone else to give me rides, forcing me to be in his presence?
On top of spending Christmas alone…
I suppressed a sigh.MerryChristmas to me.
Oliver
An awkward silence filled my Jeep as we drove down the streets of Meridel.
Maya sat curled in on herself in the seat, one elbow propping her chin up on the window. Her entire body was pointed toward the door, making it clear that she didn’t want to be here with me, and shedefinitelydidn’t want to talk.
My throat itched with words unsaid, begging to be blurted out. I wanted to know everything about Maya. Why she was so angry at me for winning that competition, why she thought I ruined her life, what went through her mind when she was taking pictures that made her look so…alive,and what would put a smile on that beautiful face of hers. I wanted to know what her laugh sounded like, or what her lips—
No. Stop thinking like that.
I shook my head, trying to expel the thoughts. As much as I desired to learn everything there was about Maya Beck, she had made it clear she didn’t want me around. I wouldn’t disrespect her wishes…even if I wanted to get closer.
Get a grip, Oliver. Never going to happen.
“Shouldn’t you be keeping your eyes on the road instead of on me?” Maya asked, breaking the silence, lifting a brow as she met my gaze. “Or are you looking to damage your car as well?”
My hands tightened on the steering wheel. “I guess you’ll never know.”
She scoffed. “Are you going to tell me why you hurt Betsy?”
“Betsy?”
“My car, Oliver. Betsy is my car.”
My body stilled at the sound of my name in her voice, and I forced a light laugh between my lips. “You named your carBetsy?”
Her scowl could have stopped my heart in my chest. “She’s old and faithful, and you took her away from me.” Maya crossed her arms over her chest.
“Why didn’t you name her Old Faithful then?”
Maya snorted, turning her head away from me, probably so I wouldn’t see the smile twitching at her lips.
“You didn’t answer my question,” she replied after she had stifled her laugh.
“You wouldn’t be satisfied with me saying it was an accident and paying for it?”
