Page 131 of Light My Fire Three Times
I stare at Leo’s text for a long moment.We’ll talk after.That doesn’t exactly solve anything. But it’s all they can offer right now. I swallow hard and type back:
Olivia:We need to be careful. Who knows who the gossip will get to, and how much it will spiral out of control.
I don’t even know if that’s what I want. Part of me wants them to come here, to take me out of this town and away from the gossip, away from all of it. But that’s not realistic. Not right now.
Jesse: We’ll keep it between us. Don’t worry. Just focus on getting through today.
Karl: Yeah, we got this. Just keep your head down. We’ll handle it.
I nod, even though none of them can see me. It’s not a solution, but it’s the best I can hope for right now.
I need to get through today with my head held high.
I can do that, right?
Right?
The end of the day finally comes, and I’m so ready to close the truck.
The last few hours have been a blur of polite smiles and forced pleasantries as I try to ignore the chatter and whispers, just getting through the shift.
But Vanessa’s words have been gnawing at me all damn day.
I’m exhausted. Mentally, physically, emotionally.
I lock the truck door behind me and breathe in the sharp, cold air.
It’s the kind of night that makes your breath visible, each puff a reminder that I’m still here, still standing even if the world around me feels a little too loud right now.
The streets are quieting down, but the town is still alive with those twinkling Christmas lights that everyone seems so fond of.
Pine and cinnamon still linger in the air, a hint of hot cocoa around every corner, but I can’t get into it. Not tonight.
I hear footsteps crunching in the snow behind me, and I don’t need to turn around to know who it is. Jesse’s voice, deep and warm, cuts through the night.
“Livvy.”
I turn to face him, and there he is, standing in the cold, wearing that look of quiet concern. I want to brush it off, to tell him I’m fine, but we both know that’s not true.
He isn’t alone. It seems that Karl and Leo have arrived as well.
“We’re walking you home.”
I open my mouth to protest because I don’t want to be a burden, but I swallow the words before they can come out. What’s the point in arguing? I need them right now—more than I want to admit.
“We need to know everything that happened today,” Karl insists, linking his arm through mine. “So, we can work out what to do next.”
I roll my eyes. “No revenge. You know I don’t want that.”
Leo practically growls. “Well, she’s a real piece of work.”
“I know,” I agree. “She said terrible things about you, Jesse.”
Jesse’s steps slow, and I feel his presence beside me. He says nothing for a moment, and I can almost hear the gears turning in his head.
“Liv…” he starts, “I don’t know why she’s even back in the picture. Honestly, we were never really together. I don’t even think we were ever close to being a couple. It was more like asituationship, you know? We hooked up a few times, but it never went anywhere.”
I glance up at him, my brow furrowing. “So, she’s been acting like you two were serious?”
