Page 55 of Leah

I cast him a stare that I hoped he could read, and judging by his dark expression, I was sure he got my message.

Checking the time, I quickly finished up my food and gulped all my juice down. Then I stood up and started to gather my things.

“I have to go,” I let everyone know. “My shift starts in an hour, and I’m cutting it close. Thanks for having me, guys.”

Carter pushed back his chair and stood up. “I’ll walk you to the car.”

“What did I just say about leaving the house?” Rome retorted.

“I’m walking her to the end of the driveway, Rome. Calm your shit.”

“At least put on a hat.”

“Yeah, I’ll produce my hat out of thin air, thanks.”

“Harold has one at the bottom of the stairs, on one of the hooks,” Marlena then said. “You can use that one in case there’s anyone around. We haven’t had a flux of cameramen in a very long time, but just in case they’re around, it’s better than nothing.”

Not really, I wanted to say. Nothing could disguise Carter. He stuck out like a sore thumb anywhere he went.

“See you later, Leah!” Rome called out to me on my way into the house.

“See you, Rome,” I called back.

Carter followed closely behind me as I walked down the stairs and to the front door. Moving past me suddenly, he grabbed Harold’s trucker hat on one of the hooks on the wall and opened the door before I could. Smiling charmingly at me, he waved me out.

“Just being a gentleman,” he explained when I shot him a puzzled look.

“Didn’t think you had it in you,” I joked as I slipped out.

He fitted the hat over his head, and it looked damn good with his longish hair poking out of the sides.

“You look like a Southern man now,” I teased, hiding my smile.

“Bless your heart,” he replied in a thick Southern accent. “That makes me happier than a tornado in a trailer park.”

I burst out laughing. “A tornado in a trailer park?”

He shrugged, dropping his surprisingly spot-on accent as he replied, “I’ve met my fair share of Southern people. Some of them say the weirdest shit, but goddamn, they'll take the shirt off their back to help you.”

“I bet.”

He walked alongside me on my way to the car, and we were all smiles despite our awkward as hell night. All I could think about was that damn kiss and how incredible it felt. He appeared distracted by thoughts too, and I had a feeling we were both thinking the same thing.

“I like your car,” he then remarked, staring at my dented to shit baby.

I glanced at it too, feeling my chest billow with pride. I saved that baby up cent after agonizing cent. “Yeah? Better than your Lamborghinis?”

He scoffed. “My Lamborghini has nothing on your fat ass car.”

“That’s right.”

“Did you buy this big boy with all these marks and dents?”

I studied the body for a moment. “Uh…someof them.”

He traced several of the long lines against the driver’s side, looking at me with furrowed brows. “Someone key it?”

I shrugged absently. “Yeah, I got keyed a while back.”

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