Page 17 of Squatch Out!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

OLIVIA

S louched down into a camp chair in front of the smoldering fire, I can’t stop thinking about Sean. My fingertips absently brush across my still tingling lips. The kiss we shared has been running through my mind on a loop that alternates with a flare of anger and then embarrassment.

I wasn’t ready for our time together to be up, but then Tony and Brian were dragging me out of the truck, and Sean was driving away without so much as a wave.

“That was rude!” I’d snarled, spinning around and then shoving Tony away from me.

I’ve been sitting here ever since, rethinking the conversation Sean and I had while we walked. He was so attentive, looking at me like he actually cared about what I was saying, even the crazy bigfoot stuff. And then… when he kissed me…

Tony and Brian had to ruin all of it.

“Hey, Liv?!” Tony says loudly, like it wasn’t the first time he tried to get my attention.

“What?” I snap at him. Then I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “Sorry, my mind is just miles away today.”

“It’s okay.” Tony gives me a crestfallen look as he scoots his camp chair closer to mine, so he can lean in and talk to me without anyone overhearing. “Do you want to talk about it?”

He’s already apologized a hundred times for pulling me out of Sean’s truck the way he did, but I don’t think he really is. Just like I don’t think he’s here to talk about Sean. At least the human version of him.

“There’s not much to talk about,” I say, just as Brian appears from behind me and sits on my other side with Darren appearing a moment later.

“Girl, you were carried off by a bigfoot— twice , in as many days . We’ve been dying to find out what happened to you.” Brian says.

I knew the guys wouldn’t leave me alone unless I told them something about last night.

I can’t tell them the truth, obviously. My mind races to come up with something believable enough so they won’t question it.

Because when I promised not to expose Sean and Owen for what they really are, I meant it.

“I have some terrible news for you,” I begin. “There really is no such thing as bigfoot.”

“How can you say that?” Tony practically shouts. “We watched him throw you over his shoulder and carry you away.”

Scrunching up my nose, I whisper, “It was just a man in a suit.” It’s not a lie. “Word got out that we were hunters, up here looking for bigfoot, and he thought it would be funny to give us a scare.” I hold my breath, hoping they buy it.

“Bullshit!” Brian scoffs. “The way his schlong was wagging, there’s no way that was a suit.”

My cheeks start to burn red-hot. Oops, I forgot about that part. “I don’t know how to explain that, but he changed right in front of me.”

Tony slouches down in his seat with a deep frown. I can’t tell what he’s thinking. Does he believe me, or is he placating me? I hate that I might have planted a seed of doubt into his mind. But if it protects the sasq’ets , then I’ll do it.

“It’s awfully convenient that you come back and suddenly change your story,” Darren snorts from the other side of Brian. “At least the bear story was halfway believable.”

“Sorry this doesn't fit with your narrative,” I clap back at him. “The first time he dumped me in a cave and left. But this last time… he dropped me on the ranger’s doorstep and … revealed himself.”

“So that’s it?” Darren scoffs. “They don’t exist because you got embarrassed by some guy in a ghillie suit.”

“Hey, back off, man.” Brian jumps to his feet, putting himself between Darren and myself. “Olivia isn’t a liar, so if she says it happened like that, then it did.”

“Then you’re an idiot too.” Darren jumps up and stabs his finger in Brian’s face. “I didn’t come here for this shit. I thought you guys were professionals.”

“Dude, what’s your problem?” Tony jumps in, stepping up beside Brian. “None of us ever claimed to be professional . We came here to camp and hopefully find what all of us thought we’ve seen before.”

I appreciate the way these guys are willing to stick up for me, but it’s not necessary. Pushing myself to my feet, I place a gentle hand on Tony’s shoulder.

“It’s fine. I’m used to no one believing I saw what I saw, but I’m not lying.” I look past him to Darren. “You can believe whatever you want. No one here is going to stop you from doing that. But me? I think I need a break.”

And with that, I turn and make my way across the campsite to my tent. When I push open the mesh door and step inside, my breath catches at the sight of the shredded clothes kicked into the corner from when Sean was here and then shifted.

All of it was true. You’re not crazy. It really happened.

Picking up a piece of Sean’s shirt, I lift it to my nose and I’m hit with the calming scent of pine after a heavy rain.

Dropping it back to the ground, I look around my normally tidy tent. My sleeping bag is a tangled mess and strewn across the small space. My neatly stacked items are spread all over the floor.

The last words I said to my friends echo through my mind. I think I need a break.

And I realize they are true.

Dropping to my knees, I start picking up the scraps of Sean’s clothes. Then I move to my bag and sleeping area. For the next hour, I pack up everything inside my tent. When I start to pack that up too, Tony comes over to me.

“Liv?” he says quietly as I push the tent poles into the bag.

When I look up at him, I don’t try to hide the tears in my eyes. “Can you give me a ride to my car?”

I’m not sure why I’m so upset over this.

It’s probably just everything that’s happened over the last couple days.

And today… today I learned a lot of truths.

The kind that make you rethink everything you thought you knew.

The kind that you just need to be alone with, so you can get your head straight again.

Tony drops down so he’s kneeling in front of me. “Shit, Liv. Did someone—did that guy hurt you?”

My heart twists when I realize that he thinks Sean might have— “Oh, no. No, no, no, nothing like that,” I assure him.

Tony lets out a relieved breath. “Is it Darren? Please don’t feel like you need to leave because of that asshole!”

Leave it to Tony to get me to smile when it’s the last thing I feel like doing. “I’m not—it’s not—” He drops his chin and cocks an eyebrow at me. I’ve never been able to get anything past him. “Ok, it’s not all because of him,” I admit.

“What if we ask him to leave?” he suggests, but I’m already shaking my head.

“No. I need some time to think. I’ve got a lot of things to process.” I offer him another smile. “This campsite cost an arm and a leg, so don’t waste it. I’ll see you at the lodge when the week is up.”

Tony helps me finish packing and then we load it all into the SUV. Brian also tries to talk me into staying, but in the end, I think they both understand why I’ve decided to duck out early.

Darren is, not surprisingly, missing when Tony drives me back down the ridge to where my little hatchback is waiting for me.