Page 80 of Chase Our Forever

I know the moment I hit the brake that it was a bad idea. The tires of my car slip against the snow-covered, icy road, doing nothing to slow the speed of the car. My entire body tenses as I get closer and closer to colliding with the deer.

It runs away at the very last second, but it’s too late. My car spins out of control no matter how hard I try to guide it back on track. It feels like I’m whipped in every direction. One moment, the road is in front of me; the next, my car spins off it. My buckled seat belt is the only thing that keeps my body in the seat as I collide with shrubs and tree branches and fall down a steep incline into a ditch.

I let out a terrified scream as I head right for a large tree. I close my eyes and try to brace for the impact, but nothing can prepare me for what it feels like to run right into a tree at the speed my car’s going. My head flies forward, and the last thing I remember before slamming against the steering wheel is how worried Dean will be about me.

48

DEAN

My heart poundsas I stare at the door. I haven’t heard from Liv yet, and a sinking feeling settles deep in my bones as I do the math in my head.

She should’ve been home hours ago. I thought she’d be home by the time Clara and I got back from my parents’ house, but she wasn’t. I tried to keep it cool and assure myself it was fine. She was driving all the way to Pinehurst, so it’d take her some time to get there.

But now that I’ve put Clara to bed and it’s gotten dark, I start to worry since she still isn’t home.

I close my eyes, trying to settle my panicked breathing. My mind wants to go to the worst-case scenario, but I try to steer it from that. Maybe she’s just lost or needed gas, or the most logical thing is maybe it took longer for her to pick up my gifts than she expected.

But why isn’t she answering her phone?

I try her again, but it goes straight to voicemail. Just like the other twenty-seven times I’ve tried calling her.

“Fuck.” I slam my phone down on the kitchen counter and try to figure out what to do. My brain fills with all the worst possible things that could’ve happened to her.

She’s lost.

Her car broke down.

She’s hurt.

She got in an accident.

I scrub my hand over my face, trying to rid myself of any intrusive thoughts. It doesn’t work.

“No, no, no,” I plead. “Not again.” My voice breaks as my forearms find the corner of the counter. I place my head in my hands, trying to decide what to do next.

I don’t want to overreact, but something deep in my gut is telling me something bad happened. I can’t even go out to search for her because I can’t leave Clara alone.

My hands shake as I pick my phone back up. I press my father’s name in my phone and wait for it to ring.

He picks up on the third one. “Did you forget something here?” he asks, humor in his voice. I can picture him perfectly, sitting in his recliner as he pretends not to be invested in whatever reality TV show Mom’s watching.

“Dad,” I begin, my voice barely audible through the panic coursing through me.

“What is it?” His voice gets serious immediately.

“It’s Liv,” I manage to get out. I do everything I can to keep my voice calm enough so he can understand me. “She hasn’t come home yet. I’m worried.”

“We’ll be right there.”

I hang up before he can hear the strangled sound that comes from my throat. I begin to pace, feeling useless waiting for my parents to get here. My teeth dig into my bottom lip as I wonder if I should call the police. I have Sheriff Phillips’s home phone number; I could call him and see if he thinks I’m overreacting or not. But I don’t know if Liv is even in his jurisdiction.

I’ll wait until my parents get here and see what they think. Maybe if I can just hit the road in search of her, I’ll find herimmediately and realize I’m just severely overreacting. I wish I’d known where exactly she was going in Pinehurst so I could call and see if she’s still there.

Should I call the local hospital there and see if anyone matching her description has been brought in?

I shake my head as I continue to pace back and forth. I hate feeling helpless, and that’s exactly how I feel right now. Maybe I could call around to see if Liv told anyone where she was going.

I try Pippa first. She and Liv have gotten close, and there’s a chance Liv could’ve confided in her about where she was going to get my gift. I’m worried she isn’t going to answer when, finally, her voice picks up on the other line.

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