Destiny (The Academy Series Book 1)

by D. D. Larsen

  I nod.

  “There is something about him that doesn’t seem quite right. I would be careful if I were you.”

  She says the same thing I have been thinking. He does seem strange. Maybe the desire I feel towards him is solely from his looks, since he’s very easy on the eyes. I haven’t seen him with his shirt off, but when he carried me, I felt the muscle definition of his chest.

  A hand waves in front of my face and I look up at Tollen, embarrassed. She smiles as if she can see where my brain went.

  Tollen reaches out for my now empty glass as she says, “Let’s refill and then I want to hear more about this boss of yours. That sounds like a story.”

  With a new full glass of wine in my hand, I dive into the subject of Liam. As I tell her the story, I realize just how one-sided it was. There were so many red flags.

  “Tollen, I feel so embarrassed. He was using me, and I fell for him. He was my boss. I never should have gone there in the first place. Look where it got me. He was probably with other women the whole time we were together. Or not together together, but you know.”

  I look over at Toby, who is playing with her toy blocks. She has some chocolate smeared on her face, along with a look of concentration as she tries to build a block tower.

  Tollen must understand what I am thinking. “She is still young enough that you can say whatever you want. But I do need to start watching my mouth. She said ‘shit’ the other day and we both know Mark rarely uses colorful language, so she must have learned it from me.”

  I nod. “It seems obvious now that he was using me. But now he keeps calling and texting me. I figured he would forget about me and move onto the next girl but now, I’m confused.”

  Mulling it over, Tollen says, “From the sound of it, you seem to care about him. Maybe it’s not the big L, but you were together for what almost two years?” I nod and she continues, “I’d say you are always going to wonder what his intentions were if you never talk to him again. Take it from someone that has been on the ignored side… it’s not fun.”

  Just as I’m about to apologize for the hundredth time, a police patrol car comes flying up the road and skids to a stop. Mark hops out, concern on his face. When he sees us, he visibly relaxes and slows his pace toward us.

  As he’s opening the gate, Toby sees him and runs over. “Dada, Dada.”

  He swoops her up and holds her tight he says, “Why aren’t either of you answering your phones?” His voice is tense.

  I pat my pocket and realize I must have left my phone in the car. Tollen answers before I can. “We’ve just been catching up. I don’t think either of us realized we didn’t have our phones on us.”

  Mark wipes the chocolate from Toby’s cheeks. He sets her down and says, “Tobs, why don’t you go grab me one of whatever is smeared all over your face.”

  She takes her job very seriously and toddles into the house. Murmurs of “ookie” and “dada” come from her direction.

  Mark is getting rid of her. My concern spikes.

  “What’s wrong?”

  He takes a deep breath all right.

  “There was a bear attack, or we think it was a bear attack, on a pair of hikers, two young women. It was outside the park on the west side of town. I was just there, helping, for the last few hours.

  “The bear did a number on the two girls and neither of them had identification on their person. I was worried it was you two and when you didn’t answer my calls, I got even more worried. I called your house, Jamie, and your mom said you were hanging out with Tollen, making me even more concerned. I rushed over here as soon as I could.”

  We both ask a few more questions, but Mark can’t share many details. The mood of our calm afternoon has been turned upside down. I tell Tollen I am going to head home as Mark follows her into her house.

  As I get into my car, the thought of those poor women chills me to the bone. I am immediately thrown back to when my brother was attacked and killed. It’s been a long time, but I wonder if what killed my brother killed those girls? They always thought it was a bear, but the whole situation was very hush hush. Even at ten years old I remember thinking people moved past it very fast.

  An iciness travels down my spine as I remember the howl I heard when I was lost in the forest. Were both attacks done by the wolf? Was I in more danger than I thought the other night?

  Chapter 14:

  Over the next week, the bear attack is the talk of the town. There hasn’t been a fatal animal attack since my brother and his friends seventeen years ago. Animals tend to mind their own business.

  This week has been a constant reminder of my brother’s death for all of us and it has been tough. I’m older now and I realize how much we don’t know.

  The two girls were identified when their parents reported them missing a few days after the incident. They were both college students from the city, up for a day of hiking. Every day rangers have been scouring the trail, trying to track down the bear so it can be euthanized. Once an animal kills, it can’t stay alive. It’s too dangerous. My father has been sullen and quiet, and I know he’s having flashbacks. They never did find the animal that attacked my brother and his friends.

  While I’m working at the shop, the bell above the door rings and Wren walks in. I haven’t talked to him since he left my house in a huff after I rebuffed his advance. In his uniform, hiking boots, and a black shirt, he looks edible, like something I wouldn’t be able to turn down this time.

  He gives me a small smirk, like he can read my thoughts. I shake my head trying to think of anything else. No such luck.

  He leans on the counter. I wait for him to say something, but he just stares at me. Again.

  My patience breaks. “Hey, can I get you something to drink?”

  Really, Jamie? That is the best you can think of?

  “Coffee, black.”

  As I am getting him his coffee, I feel his eyes drilling into the back of my head.

  Turning around, I hand him his coffee and ask, “Yes?”

  He takes a sip of his coffee, “We got the bear.”

  It takes me a second to understand his words. They caught the bear that killed those girls.

  “Well that’s good to hear! I was getting worried that my father was going to get shot with all those people roaming the forest with guns.”

  He nods in agreement. He takes a seat at one of the tables closest to the coffee bar. Another customer comes in and I help them. Wren’s eyes are on me the whole time, watching me while I work.

  What is he still doing here?

  After the other customer leaves, Wren sets his coffee on the counter and comes around it. He stops super close to me, his eyes probing. I have to look away. “Um, you’re not really supposed to be back here. Roberta—”

  “Jamie, will you come over to my house tonight so I can cook dinner for you?”

  I’m shocked. This seems so out of character for him. I know he wants to touch me, but he’s being good, keeping his hands to himself. Probably because of how I acted the last time.

  I glance up at him. He gets more gorgeous the closer I get. Not like Liam’s pretty boy looks or Mark’s warm teddy bear looks. He’s rougher, but much more appealing.

  I promised myself no boys, but what’s wrong with a friendly dinner between friends?

  “Yes, a friendly dinner sounds very nice. How does seven sound?” I am so lying to myself, but I am determined that this will be a meal between friends, nothing else.

  Mark and Tollen seem to have grown closer since this incident so I haven’t spent much time with them this week. I need to get out of the house; the tension is suffocating.

  Wren’s eyes burn with heat and the pull between us only increases as he stares at me.

  The doorbell rings again causing him to step away. He murmurs, “Seven,” then slips through the door without a backward glance, leaving his barely touched coffee on the counter.

  What did I just get myself into?

  Still flus
tered, I look at my next customer. The first thing I see is a blond mop of hair I would recognize anywhere.

  Liam.

  Chapter 15:

  Liam is here. Standing in the coffee shop in my small town.

  All the memories I have tried so hard to forget come crashing back. All the nights spent together, dinners out, and “breaks” in his office.

  What is he doing here? How did he find me?

  I haven’t answered a single one of his texts or calls, thinking he’d get the picture.

  Now he is here. Standing in front of me in tan shorts and a green polo that makes his eyes pop. He looks amazing, and, without my consent, my body reacts.

  I square my shoulders. He was my boss, so he always seemed to have the upper hand in our relationship, or hook ups, whatever you want to call them. But no more.

  “Hello, Liam, can I get you something to drink?”

  “You never answered me. I called. I texted and called again and . . . nothing.” He hides it well, but I can see some anger burning in his cool blue eyes. I know he isn’t used to being ignored.

  “I don’t owe you anything, Liam. If I didn’t want to talk to you then that was my choice.” At that moment, a group of young girls comes through the door, giggling. They all seem to stop at the same time and stare at Liam.

  I clear my throat to get their attention. Slowly, they pull their eyes away from him. Ignoring Liam, I get their orders, skim lattes with extra sugar syrup.

  As they walk out the door, I turn back to Liam, who hasn’t moved. “I’m working, Liam. What do you want?”

  “Jamie, I have missed you. I know we didn’t end things well and you probably hate me, but will you just hear me out?”

  Liam is a shrewd businessman, who rarely shows much emotion. He doesn’t compromise and he doesn’t take no for an answer; he simply bulldozes everything in his way.

  I will not be bulldozed by him, but the emotion flashing through his eyes makes me lessen my reaction. During the years we were together, I never saw that look.

  I glance at the clock and sigh. “I’m off in twenty. If you want to wait, we can talk.”

  His eyes brighten slightly. “I’m staying at the Stanford hotel. We could have dinner there.”

  This was how our entire relationship, if it can be called that, went. He would just say what we were doing, and I would go along with it. Not anymore. I don’t know where this may lead, but he is not going to dictate everything like he did last time.

  Plus, going to his hotel will likely lead to more than dinner and I’m smarter than that.

  Not to mention Wren, who invited me over to dinner tonight. It may be as friends, but I decide to mess with Liam a little. He put me through hell and it’s time he got some of his own medicine.

  “I’m busy tonight. I already have a dinner date,” I say, not hiding my delight in the way his eyes show a flash of anger. Were his eyes always this transparent and I just never noticed? “But we should talk. There is a table out back if you want to wait.”

  He looks shocked that I said no to his plan. Good.

  After ordering an iced macchiato, he heads out back. I look at the clock. Ten minutes until I am done with my shift. What the hell am I going to say to him?

  Roberta walks in a few minutes later. One look at my face and she can tell something is wrong. I give her a quick recap of the situation with Liam, and Roberta says, “You seem to have lingering feelings for him, so go and talk to him. He drove over an hour to come and see you. You were obviously more than just a quick lay. In my experience, guys’ brains work very differently than ours. He may not have realized he cared until you were gone. My advice is to hear him out, but don’t fall into an old routine that already didn’t work once.”

  With her advice swirling through my head, I go out to the back patio and find him talking on the phone. I realize it’s the middle of the week and he likely interrupted his busy schedule to see me. How did he know where to find me, anyway?

  He sees me and ends the call without saying anything. He stands and leans in to kiss me, but I turn my head to the side so his lips touch my check instead.

  Before I can say anything, he grabs my shoulders and looks me straight in the eyes. “God Jamie, I’ve missed you like crazy. You have every right to be mad at me, I didn’t handle things well. I thought I could forget and move on, but I couldn’t. Something about you won’t let me forget.” He looks riled and confused, like he really can’t understand why he can’t get me out of his brain.

  I take a step back.

  “Liam, stop. I know what we had was not a relationship. I thought it was, but it never was one to you.” Liam tries to interrupt but I stop him. “I thought I was in love with you and it hurt me when you dropped me without a second thought. It made me realize just how stupid I had been.”

  “No, Jamie. You’re wrong. It was a relationship. I got freaked out when we got caught. And then you came back here—”

  “Liam. Please. Let me get this out. I didn’t run home because of you. I knew one day I would return, and it felt like it was time. Part of me is connected to this area. I tried to fight it for years, but since I have returned, I feel a level of peace I was never able to accomplish when I was gone.

  “I am not proud of my actions when it comes to you. We both knew we were doomed to fail. I apologize for not returning your calls and texts, but I hadn’t decided what to say yet.

  “Yes, I am still attracted to you, but I am not just going to jump into bed with you because you drove all the way up here. I am not a pawn you can manipulate, not anymore. I must get home and change before my other plans for the night.”

  With that, I walk off the porch and to my car.

  As I put my key into the ignition, I fully expect to never hear from him again. He was with a version of Jamie I never plan on being again. Maybe it’s because of that night in the forest, but I feel like I’ve grown a new layer of skin.

  I will not be treated poorly. I am better than that.

  Chapter 16:

  As I pull up in front of Wren’s house, my stomach starts to somersault. I made it clear that this was a friendly dinner, but I already know I was lying to myself. It is as if my cells are pulling me toward him in a purely primal manner.

  I hate being told what to do, so I immediately feel the need to rebel, even against my own body. Strange, I know, but I’m done apologizing for being myself.

  As I walk to the door, bottle of wine in my hand, I remind myself that the point of tonight is to get to know Wren. Even though we have interacted a fair amount since I’ve returned, I know very little about him.

  I raise my hand to knock on the door, but it opens before I have the chance. Wren is in the doorway, an expression on his face that brings only one word to my mind: dangerous. In black jeans, black boots, and a tight black t-shirt, he screams rebel. It’s such a contrast to the preppy, country club clothes Liam wore earlier.

  He says nothing as he turns and walks back into the house. No hey, how’re you doing, nothing. So much for a friendly dinner.

  Stepping inside, I shut the door behind myself, peek in the mirror by the door, and follow.

  I spent longer than I would like to admit getting dressed for tonight. For a friendly dinner, I should have worn jeans, but I instead chose a flowy, blue summer dress that probably looks like I’ve made too much effort. I curled my hair, giving the traditionally straight strains some volume and took my time trying to make my makeup look natural. I wanted to look nice but not like I took too much time getting ready.

  Why do I get so nervous around Wren?

  Every cell in my body comes alive as I enter the kitchen and see him standing out on a balcony beyond the sliding glass doors. He doesn’t turn as I come up behind him and stand at the railing beside him, looking out over the town below and the mountains in the backdrop.

  This makes me think of the view I had from my old apartment in the city. It faced the side of another building. I always forgot to close the b
linds as I walked around and found my neighbors staring. But here, on this hillside overlooking Accalia, there are no other houses close enough. We are completely alone.

  But this is just a friendly dinner. A dinner to get to know Wren. I have a thousand questions about him after all, the least of them being how he can afford a place as huge as this on a ranger’s salary. I turn to him, ready to get some answers.

  But he moves so fast I can barely breathe as he cages me against the railing with his arms and presses his body against mine.

  All my thoughts disappear as the heat of his body sears mine, sparking wherever our bodies touch. I look into his eyes and find them more yellow than brown. My brain cycles back, picking up a thread of déjà vu, but loses it as he lifts a hand to trail it down the side of my face. His pupils are dilated, his breathing heavy.

  In my brain, I keep chanting, friends, friends, friends.

  But I also know I’m so screwed.

  As if he can read my thoughts, he asks, “Why are you trying to stop this? I can tell you are as affected by me as I am by you.”

  Why am I fighting this? It feels so right when I think about taking that next step, giving over to my body’s demands to be with him. I’ve never felt an attraction like this before. The intensity frightens me a little.

  I have a habit of diving in too fast and end up getting burned, and I don’t want that to happen again. These feelings I have unsettle me, causing a battle in my brain as if two people are arguing over what to do.

  “We don’t even know each other.” Having his body this close frays my nerves and my willpower. My body is getting more demanding the longer I stay pressed against him.

  “We know each other better than you think. Jamie, I can’t get you out of my head.”

  We know each other? I just met him a few weeks ago.

  I slowly slide out from between his arms. I know he could easily stop me, but he doesn’t try.