Page 18 of Into the Mountains (Blue Grove Mountain #3)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHARLOTTE
MAY - FIFTEEN YEARS AGO
THE FIRST DATE
I ’m in a dream. Elias Hayes’s hand is resting on my thigh and he wanted to put it there.
He wanted to be on this date with me and he wanted to kiss me under the streetlight a few minutes ago.
Not caring who was around even after the woman from the coffee shop and her friends basically made fun of us for it.
I mean, we were kind of making out in public, but for once in my life, I really wasn’t giving a shit.
Which is exactly why I pulled him back. To show her that I wasn’t going to let her faze me.
A year ago, I think that moment would have played out much differently but not this time.
I’m a different Charlotte than I was before. Bolder, louder, not afraid to speak up for myself or for the others around me and I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t ever let that part of me get lost again once I found it.
Feeling bold again, I chase that feeling and let my hand come to rest on top of his, the warmth of his hand seeping into my skin like the sun on a warm summer day, followed by the settled feeling in my chest. A feeling I haven’t felt in a long time.
Contentment. Neither of us were ready for the night to end just yet, so Elias suggested driving my car back to my parents’ house, insisting he can call his friend to come get him.
The ride back to my house is quiet and I think after the business and the amount of noise we endured from the trivia night, we are both more than okay with the silence.
We settle on the oldies radio station playing softly in the air, and the wind from the open windows tugs a few more strands of hair loose from my ponytail.
Usually, I’d care about looking more put together, but one, it’s the end of the date and two, I truly just don’t care.
So much so that I find the scrunchie holding it back and tug until it’s out, my hair whipping around me, wild lassos ready to catch the wind.
Elias laughs and squeezes my hand. We both roll down our windows all the way, letting the wind fill the car and mix with our laughter.
The warmth from his hand leaves me as Elias reaches for the radio dial, a familiar song starting, one I’d recognize anywhere.
And for the last few minutes home, we belt out the lyrics to “What I Like About You” by The Romantics.
Once we pull into the gravel driveway, Elias turns the music down. When the song comes to an end, a different kind of quiet settles in along with a mix of emotions. I feel exhilarated and excited. And sad the date has come to an end.
“This was the perfect date, Elias,” I say while trying to wrangle my hair to get it out of my face. One strand gets caught in my eyelashes.
He reaches out his hands and smooths it down for me, combing back a few strands that I missed. Sparks dance along my skin where his fingertips touch and suddenly it’s not just my chest that has that warm feeling. It’s my whole body.
“You’re perfect.” His voice is a whisper and his eyes pierce into mine. Intense and longing. The space between us is almost nonexistent so I make it extinct and press our lips together.
Perfect.