Too Close

Chapter 2

Olivia's P.O.V

I sat in the café across the street from school, tempted to try and get ahead of my school assignments. I'd spent the last hour and a half scrolling down my Facebook feed, sipping on hot chocolate. I hovered my mouse over a picture of the girl's field hockey team posted just a few hours ago by the school's athletic account. The girls posed in a muddy field grinning at the camera, holding up a shiny large trophy.

For a moment, I wished I'd spent more of high school in athletics or school clubs. Instead I'd spent the past three years focusing on maintaining an A average and working at the local convenience store to save up for college while squeezing in volunteer hours at the church.

I sighed. There was no point dwelling on it now, now that I was a senior with less than eight months before graduation.

After stalking a few more posts, I stood up to order another cup of the cocoa. I waited off to the side as the barista made it. When she called out my order, I handed her my card. Picking up the cup, I took the lid off, bringing the drink to my lips. I absently blew over the surface of the cup and watched the smoke whisk away in front of me. She handed me my credit card and I tucked it back in its spot in my wallet. When I moved to walk back to my table, still blowing over the hot drink, I smacked right into the hard chest of the person who had been standing right behind me. The lid popped off from the impact and the cup's contents splashed on him and spilled onto the floor.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry," I reacted quickly, grabbing a handful of the napkins on the counter behind me and instinctively began dabbing at his sweater. Luckily none of it got on his bare skin but I knew it had to be burning through the sweater.

"Are you serious?" He growled. My mouth gaped open at his outburst, hand frozen mid-dab, and I finally looked up at him. I did a double-take. It was the same guy from the store the other day with the shave cream.

I considered that he must have been new in town because I had never otherwise seen him before. Well, that and he had the kind of face you couldn't forget. Now, seeing him twice in one week and both times being a disaster, I hoped this would be the last time I was publicly humiliated.

"Get out of my way," he shoved past me and headed for the bathroom. I tucked a few strands of hair behind my ear and grabbed more napkins to wipe up the spill with my foot, ignoring the heat rushing to my cheeks from my embarrassment.

"It's okay I can do it," I glanced over my shoulder at the girl behind the counter. She came over with a wet floor sign and picked up the empty cup.

"It's fine. I'm already done," I straightened up and threw away the napkins. When I heard the restroom door swing open I looked up to see him walking out. He had taken off his sweater, which was now slung over his shoulder, and sported a T-shirt that looked untouched by the hot chocolate.

The barista offered to make me another but I told her not to worry about it and instead packed up my things to leave.

It only took me fifteen minutes to get home. I pulled up behind Jack's SUV and shut my car off. Walking up to the house, I slid the key in the door and it turned easily, already having been unlocked.

"Hello?" I closed the door behind me and walked into the kitchen. I grabbed an apple from the fruit basket next to the sink and took a bite, moving toward the hallway to my room.

"Liv?" Mira called from the dining room. I winced. I was hoping I could get away before she could ask me to help her finish weeding the lawn.

"Yeah?" I called back, tentatively.

"Would you come here please?" I followed her voice and stepped into the dining room.

Mira Callahan sat at one end of the dining table holding a coffee mug with both hands while her husband, Jack Callahan sat at the other end of the table, reading the newspaper.