Page 23 of Squatch Out!

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

SEAN

I sleep hard and deep with Olivia wrapped tightly in my arms, until the persistent chime of my sat phone wakes me sometime after noon. It’s Owen.

“I’m letting you know that I’m heading to your place, since you stole my truck again. So, this is your warning to shower or do whatever you need to before I get there.”

I grunt my reply.

“Also, we have a meeting with Clive later this afternoon.”

“Yeah. Okay.” Then I hang up before he has a chance to bitch at me about his truck again.

After tossing the phone aside, I curl myself around Olivia once more and groan softly into her ear, “We gotta get up and showered. Owen is on his way.”

She whines softly as she cuddles against my chest. Jesus, it’s the most adorable thing, the way she burrows into me.

Having her like this, all soft and sleepy, makes me want to do things to her that will keep us in my bed for the rest of the day.

Maybe the rest of the week. Except Owen will be here in about thirty minutes.

“C’mon, baby.” I disentangle myself from her so I’m sitting on the edge of the bed.

She pulls her legs up, rolling into a tight ball, which exposes the delicious curve of her ass, and I can’t help myself. I smack the flat of my hand against her soft, fleshy cheek. Not hard, but enough that it makes a loud smack.

“Hey!” she shouts, bolting upright and glaring at me. “What was that for?”

After pushing myself to my feet, I reach across the bed for Olivia. “We gotta shower and grab some food before Owen gets here.”

She blinks sleepily as she lets me help her to her feet, then follows me into the attached bathroom. It’s nothing fancy. A glass shower, sink, and toilet.

I start warming up the water and then usher Olivia in first. As tempted as I am to shower with her, I know the moment I get her soapy body within reach, I won’t be able to keep my hands off her.

While she showers, I make us a quick lunch. By the time it’s ready, she’s finished. We switch, and I shower while she eats.

I’m just finishing my sandwich when Owen pushes my front door open and it falls off its hinges. “I thought you were going to fix this?” When he tries to close the door behind him, it refuses to stay shut.

“I am,” I say with my mouth full. I point to the new door and hardware that is still propped against the sofa. “Your clothes are somewhere in that pile too.”

Shaking his head, Owen gives up on the door and strides into the kitchen. “You’re going to end up with bear problems,” he grumbles as he starts opening and closing drawers. “Where do you keep your tools?”

I know he won’t rest until my door is fixed.

I also know he’s right about the bears. I’m lucky one hasn’t found its way inside yet.

After shoving the rest of my sandwich in my mouth, I get my tool bag that I keep in the back of the pantry.

Together, we have the new door hung and the locks replaced in record time.

While we are working, Olivia cleans up the kitchen and starts a load of dishes in the washer. She’s wiping off the table when we finish.

“Are you ready to go?” I curl my arm around her waist and pull her into my side.

“Sure, where are we going?” Olivia asks.

“Port Angeles.” I barely get the words out when my girl’s eyes suddenly light up. “What’s that look for?” I laugh.

Her cheeks flush a bright pink, but she shakes her head. “I don’t have a look! What are you talking about?” But she’s failing miserably at trying to hide her smile.

“Spill it, what about Port Angeles has you all excited?” She bites down on her bottom lip and drops her eyes, like she's embarrassed, it’s adorable.

“Um, it’s on my list of places to check out while I’m up this way, that’s all.”

I have a feeling there is more than she’s telling me, and my curiosity has me pressing. “And why is that?”

“You can’t laugh.” She covers her face with her hands, so her words come out muffled.

“I promise,” but I’m probably lying.

She peeks at me through her fingers. “ Twilight .” Owen and I both groan loudly, but she keeps talking, “I was actually planning to visit both Port Angeles and Forks before I had to head home, but then… well, everything kind of went sideways.”

“I can’t believe you’re a Twi-hard!” I whine, mostly teasing.

“Shut up! You said you wouldn’t laugh!”

“I’m not laughing. I think I’m dying on the inside, though.”

“Like you have room to judge, Squatch-boy!”

Owen’s head kicks back, and his deep laugh fills the room. “She has a point.”

Olivia turns away to hide how embarrassed she is at our teasing, and I don’t like it. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t love how many tourists those movies have brought to our area, but I do appreciate the money and what it’s done for our economy.

“You want to go to the restaurant, right?” I ask her quietly. “The one that’s based on the movie? Bella Italia .”

Olivia perks up. “Yes.” Then she narrows her eyes. “How do you know about it? Unless–Aha! You’re secretly a Twi-hard too!”

I scoff just as Owen adds, “I’ve heard they have really good food.”

“Have you now?” Olivia’s teasing grin lights up her whole face as she looks between my brother and me. Then she grows serious. “I’d really like to go.”

Well, shit. The way those five words hit the center of my chest, it looks like I’m going to be taking my girl on a guided tour of Forks and La Push at my next chance.

Clive lives in a modest bungalow that faces the straits. The salty air has faded the cedar siding to a dingy gray, and his small yard is in desperate need of weeding. With a wheelchair ramp that’s been built over his front steps that’s in dire straits as well.

Before we’re out of the truck, Clive is already at the front door and waiting for us. I don’t recall him being that stooped or leaning on his cane so heavily. Then I wonder how long it’s been since I’ve seen him and realize it’s been a few years.

“Hey, Clive,” I call out as we get closer.

He smiles and waves. He’s wearing a clunky pair of glasses and a plaid button-up shirt with his signature bone and silver jewelry. His white hair is pulled back from his face and twisted into a long braid that falls all the way to his waist.

“Come in, boys,” he hollers, holding the door open for us. Then he dips his head to Olivia. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, miss.”

Despite the neglect on the outside of his house, the inside is neat as a pin as he leads us into a small living room. Letting out a loud groan, he falls back into a recliner and then points to the afghan-covered couch next to him.

“So, you’ve gotten yourselves caught, huh?” He chuckles. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a scandal like that.”

Owen and I exchange a sheepish look as we sit down with Olivia between us.

“I am assuming the boys here have explained things to you?” Clive asks her.

Olivia nods, and he leans back in his recliner, giving it a nudge with the toe of his cowboy boot to start rocking.

“Alright, my dear, Owen filled me in on what’s going on, but why don’t you tell me your side of what happened? ”

Olivia glances up at me and then over at Owen. Then she turns her attention to Clive.

“Well, sir, I came up here to camp with some friends. There was a last-minute change, and one of our friends invited someone who we didn’t know.

And he’s… well, he’s the one who’s causing trouble.

He recorded Sean changing from a squatch to—to human.

” Olivia twists her fingers together nervously, “Now he’s threatening to release the footage and expose Sean if—if I don’t tell him where he can find other squatch. ”

Clive leans forward and pins her with a frown. “And how did he get this footage?”

Olivia turns a nervous look at me, and I nod, encouraging her to tell him everything. “He had a recording and said it was a bigfoot mating call. When he played it, um, Sean came out of the forest and grabbed me.”

“There is no such thing as a bigfoot mating call,” I tell her gently. Then to Clive, I say, “He was playing a recording of some kind of digitized animal sound.”

Olivia turns to me with a frown. “Wait, but if it wasn’t a mating call… then why did you come running out of the trees with a—” Her eyes drop to my crotch.

Clive sits up straighter in his chair, suddenly very interested in my answer.

I clear my throat to try to hide my embarrassment. “Ah, well, when I got closer, and I picked up your scent—” I spread my hands in a shrug.

“My scent?” Her cute little nose wrinkles.

I lean forward to whisper so only she can hear me. “You smell really fucking good, baby.”

Beside us, Owen clears his throat. “And why don’t you tell us what happened next, Sean?”

I’m sure my face turns beet red with even more embarrassment as I finish Olivia’s story. Recalling how I kidnapped her and took her to the cave—although I conveniently omit the NSFW parts.

Clive listens patiently until we’ve finished, then he suddenly bursts into a peal of hearty cackles. “So you’re telling me you found yourself a woman who came out here searching for bigfoot?” He leans forward and slaps his knee. “I mean, no one’s ever going to believe that.”

Beside me, Olivia clenches her fists on her knees, and I reach over to cover one.

“I didn’t come searching for bigfoot,” she bites back as she pushes my hand away. “Just…hoping, I guess. Me and my friends, each one of us had an experience. I saw one when I was a little girl when I wandered away into the woods and got lost. He—led me back to my family.”

Clive grows serious. “You know, the sasq’ets don’t just reveal themselves to anyone.”

A smile tugs at the corners of her mouth, and she tilts her head to the side. “Yes, that’s what I hear. But what does that mean? There’s nothing special about me.”

I open my mouth to disagree with her, but Clive leans forward in his chair and levels her with a serious expression.

“There are many legends of the sasq’ets , but a common theme is that they are known as protectors.

They’ve always watched over the forest and those inhabiting it.

So, when you got lost, I suspect you fell into the category of needing protection. ”

Olivia leans back into the couch cushions with a smile. “That’s very sweet. I like that explanation.”

“Well,” Clive takes off his glasses to wipe at his eyes before settling them back on his nose, “I’ll spread the word to the others. Let them know what happened and to watch out for?—”

“Darren,” Olivia interjects.

“Right. Darren. By tomorrow, I’m sure everyone will know about it, and you know we’ll all corroborate your story. Help build you a nice little alibi should you need one. In the meantime…” Clive pushes himself out of his chair with a groan and then crosses the room and opens the door.

“Wait. That’s it?” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.

“Well, yeah.” Clive looks us over for the moment. “What did you think, you were going to get a blessing for being a dumb shit or something?”

Olivia tries not to laugh, but her shaking shoulders give her away, and a smile spreads across Clive’s wide mouth. “Here’s some advice for you. Don’t fuck it up with that one. I like her.”

Owen starts laughing too, and I give them both my fiercest glare.

“And that goes for you too,” Clive adds, pointing a gnarled finger at Owen.

“Me?” His eyes grow wide when he points to himself.

“Yes, you. You need to do right by that little lady you’ve been stringing along. It’s long past time you settled down.” He sweeps his hand from Owen to the door. “Now, get out. I’ve got bingo tonight, and my ride will be here any time now.”