Chase Our Forever (Sutten Mountain #3)

1. Liv - Three Years Later

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LIV - THREE YEARS LATER

The sun is warm on my face as I guide my car down the winding mountain road, no other car in sight on the narrow lane. The wind blowing through my open windows rolls over me, and I adjust the baseball hat I’d picked up at a random gas station on my head. It does nothing to tame the long tendrils of my hair. They whip in every direction.

I smile to myself, loving the chill in the air. I’m used to humid heat and sticky air, so the coldness that whips against my cheeks is a welcome feeling.

For the first time in my life, I feel free. I’ve been on the road for days, and I don’t know what’s next for me or where I’m at, but none of that matters. The only thing that does is that I’ve escaped the clutches of my past. I get to start over, and I’ve never been more excited about having a blank slate.

The intense growling of my stomach pulls me from my thoughts, reminding me I didn’t eat breakfast. I woke up this morning in a sketchy motel in a town I don’t even remember the name of, and when I went to their vending machine to grab something to eat, the only thing they had were strawberry Pop-Tarts. I’d spent too much of my life living off stale strawberry Pop-Tarts because they were my father’s favorite. I’d opted to go hungry instead.

I could’ve stopped at the small diner next to the motel, but I was too eager to get back on the road. I’d never seen any mountains before, and all I wanted today was to see the sunrise.

It didn’t disappoint.

I grew up in Florida, and this trip is the first time I’ve ever left the state. I didn’t have an end destination in mind when I left. Anywhere is better than what I left behind.

Watching the brilliant orange hues illuminating the road ahead of me, I’d never felt so free. I’d felt at peace for the first time in a long time—maybe in forever.

My stomach furiously growls again. I glance over at the passenger seat, where the snacks I’ve collected along the way sit. There isn’t much left. There’s a bag of beef jerky that I probably should’ve thrown away at my last stop because the only thing left in the bag are small crumbs that’ll do nothing to curb my hunger. I could eat one of the granola bars I’d packed from home, but they were already expired and stale. I’d rather go hungry than stomach another one of those.

Thankfully, I only have to withstand a few more angry protests from my stomach before I see a sign for a town called Sutten Mountain. I’ll be coming up on it in about ten minutes. Hopefully, the town is large enough that I can find some food. I’m starved and would love to stretch my legs a little bit before hitting the road again.

My mind wanders as I follow the signs to the small town. The road becomes a little wider and the trees a little more sparse as I get closer. I drive slowly down the cobblestone street, completely taken aback by how unexpectedly cute this town is. I let my gaze travel from one building to the next, thankful to have found it. I’ll definitely be able to find food here and explore for a bit. I’m a little shocked by the number of people walking the sidewalks on either side of the street. It’s fairly early in the morning for a weekday, even though I don’t know exactly what time it is because the clock in my car is broken, and I forgot to charge my phone last night.

The moment my eyes land on a bright pink sign that reads Wake and Bake Coffee and Cafe, I know exactly where I want to stop. I quickly slam on my brakes and yank the steering wheel to the right to snag a parking spot in front of a dark building right next to the cafe.

I roll up my windows and grab my purse, anxious to finally eat something today. I pretty much skip to the door of the cafe, already confident that I’m about to have the best baked good of my life just by the smell.

A bell chimes above me as I open the door and take in my surroundings. About half of the tables are filled with people enjoying a coffee or a treat, but I’m relieved to see some empty tables and booths. I’ll be able to find somewhere to sit and hang out for a little bit. There’s even a section on the other side of the space that has art on display, which I definitely want to check out while I’m here.

“Welcome to Wake and Bake!” a redhead says from behind the pink counter, pulling my attention from my perusing. She’s got a wide smile on her face, seeming way more chipper than I expected for this early in the morning.

“Hi,” I respond, stopping in front of the display case filled to the brim with assorted baked goods. My mouth salivates as my eyes roam over my options. I don’t have enough money to buy much, but maybe I’ll splurge and get a couple of pastries with a coffee and only get cheap gas station food for the rest of the day. I’ll find a way to scrape enough pennies together so I can get whatever I want from here. It all looks too good not to.

I lick my lips, trying to decide if I want sweet or savory. Maybe I need to do both.

“First time here?” the girl behind the counter asks, the wide smile still on her lips.

“Is it that obvious that I’m an outsider?”

This makes her laugh. She shrugs apologetically. “I work almost every morning here. I could probably list off every person who lives in this town if you gave me enough time.” She pauses for a moment, her eyes drifting over my body. “Also, tourists don’t typically wear jean shorts and a tank top in the middle of fall. If anything, they come dressed a little too warm for the season. So, I’m guessing you’re passing through?”

I think over her words for a minute, pulling my eyes from her and looking at the food again. “I’m not sure,” I mutter. She seems a few years younger than me, but I don’t feel like admitting to her how much of a mess my life is right now. Or that I have no idea what cities I’m passing through and where I’ll choose to stay. For now, I’ll just settle on making a decision on what food I want to eat.

“Well, glad you stopped by Wake and Bake. It’s your lucky day. The owner, Pippa, has made some of her most popular recipes, even though, most of the time, she saves them for the weekend.”

I smile, wondering which of these are the crowd favorites. My bet is that one of the most popular has to be the cinnamon roll that is bigger than my head. “What do you recommend I get?”

She claps her hands together enthusiastically as if she was just waiting for me to ask that. “I’m so happy you asked,” she answers excitedly. “You can’t go wrong with the pumpkin cinnamon roll. I know pumpkin in the fall is entirely cliché, but this one doesn’t count. Trust me.”

I nod, loving how easy it is to talk to her. I look at her name tag, finding out her name is Lexi. “Okay, I’m trusting you, Lexi.”

“If you’re hungry, I’d also recommend the parmesan and sausage croissant. It’s delicious, and I have one almost every morning.”

“I’ll take one of those, too.” I scan the cabinet full of food, trying to decide what else I want. Everything looks delicious. If I didn’t have to save my money until I land somewhere and find a job, I think I’d buy one of everything so I could try it all. “And maybe one of the apple turnovers, and that’s going to be it for right now.”

Lexi nods, looking away from me to type some things on the iPad in front of her. “Would you like a coffee at all?”

I’m nervous about what the cost will be of the items I’ve already selected, but I’m exhausted from getting up so early. A coffee would be amazing, especially since I want to sit here and hang out for a bit. “I’d love a coffee.”

“Perfect. What can I make you?”

I anxiously chew on my lips as I look at the bright pink board behind her. I have no idea the difference between a latte and a macchiato. I’ve drunk coffee since I was fifteen, but it was only because I needed to find a way to be able to handle going to school full-time and working until ten each night. Besides, the only option for coffee I had was instant coffee that tasted disgusting but got the job done.

“Ummm…surprise me?” A nervous laugh escapes me. I must look like such a mess to her. If only she knew just how much of a mess I actually was.

Luckily, Lexi doesn’t seem thrown off by my lack of a go-to coffee order. If anything, she looks excited at the idea of surprising me. “I love surprises. Just tell me if you’d rather have hot or iced?”

I think about it for a moment. “Let’s do hot.”

“Is all of this for here or to go?”

“For here. Is it okay if I stay awhile?”

“Please do. Pippa should be in soon, and you have to meet her.”

I give her a small nod and try not to flinch when Lexi tells me the price of my food and coffee. The total is close to what I used to spend on groceries for myself for the week, but I try not to dwell on it. Soon, I’ll find where I want to start building a new life for myself, and I’ll get a job. I’ve spent ages saving money to get by on my trip. This one little splurge isn’t going to clear everything I’ve saved up, but my heart does race a little when I open my wallet and hand over the cash.

“You’re all set. If you want to go find a spot to sit, I’ll get you your food and coffee as soon as they’re ready.”

I give her a smile, tucking some of the extra bills she gave me into the tip jar before turning to look at the cafe. It’s one of the most warm and inviting places I’ve ever been to. Everywhere you look, you see pink, but in a cute kind of way that makes you feel cheerful. The only other colors in the space are from the opposite side of the business where the art’s on display.

There’s a booth tucked into the corner of the space that catches my eye, and I walk over to it. It’s the perfect spot for me to enjoy my food and coffee because it gives me a view of the entire cafe. I have no phone and only a book I found in a Little Free Library at one of my stops. It’s a fantasy romance with tattered pages and a faded cover. The title is barely legible at this point, but it doesn’t matter. I’m having the best time sneaking in more reading time any spare moment I can.

Sliding into the seat, I set my old and worn bag next to me and take a deep breath. My eyes scan the small little cafe as a realization settles over me.

I’ve been on the road for a few days now, and I’ve only wanted to stop long enough to eat or sleep. Nothing called to me that made me feel the urge to stay any longer than needed. But something about this town is different. I can’t put my finger on what it is, but all I know is I think I might want to stay here longer than a few hours.