Sucking in a deep breath, I lower myself into his driver’s seat, unable to stop the laugh falling from my lips when my feet are miles away from the pedals.
It takes me a few minutes but eventually I manage to figure out how to move his seat, get the engine started and the mirrors just right.
Driving his car without him, possibly without his permission, feels all kinds of wrong. But it’s better than staying here or taking a bus back to campus.
Without overthinking it, I put the car into drive and press my foot on the accelerator, immediately regretting it when the car jolts forward with power that I’m not used to.
“Holy crap,” I breathe, my heart thundering in my chest, my foot slamming the brake pedal through the floor. “Shit.”
It takes me a few seconds to get a grip on myself, and when I’m ready to try again, I press it a little gentler. The last thing Leon needs right now is for his car to be smashed into pieces by me.
I’ve already done enough damage.
He might not deserve it, but I can’t help feeling like the least I can do is deliver his baby back to him in one piece.
The drive back to Maddison is long, but quick and that’s probably my own fault because I refuse to stop.
Once I was on the highway, all I wanted to do was to get as far away from Miami as possible, as quickly as possible.
By the time I pull up outside the address that Peyton messaged me with, it’s dark and my body aches from sitting in the same position for hours. My head steadily throbs from my concentration and dehydration. But none of it was enough to make me prolong this more than necessary.
My hands tremble as I stare up at the house he lives in for the first time.
It never really occurred to me before that he’d never invited me back here. He’d told me that it was full of football players and that was enough information for me not to walk through the front door, even if I was with him.
But now, I realize just how big of a red flag that probably should’ve been.
I was so swept away by the whirlwind that was Leon Dunn that I never really stopped to question some of the most obvious things.
I was too lost in my own insecurities. Too distracted by him to see it.
Feeling stupid, I climb out of the car, needing to get away from the constant reminder of him.
Pulling my cell from my bag, I find Peyton’s conversation and tap out a message to let her know that I’m here before taking off in the opposite direction of the house.
I have no idea if she’s inside. If he’s inside. But I do know that I haven’t got the energy to see either of them.
Every step I take away from the house feels like I’m walking through wet cement.
My eyes burn with tears but I refuse to shed any more.
I’m back now. I’m home.
I can put the past two weeks behind me like they never happened and move on with my quiet, secluded life without any parties or hot football players to distract me from what’s important.
My future.
My goals.
The walk back to my building is longer than I was expecting and by the time I step up to the front door, I can hardly keep my eyes open so the last thing I need is to find Letty sitting against the wall waiting for me.
“There you are,” Letty breathes, rushing over to me and pulling me into a hug.
I try to keep it together, I really, really do. But the second her arms engulf me, I lose every bit of control.
An ugly sob rips from my throat, my body trembling in her arms.
“I-I’m sorry,” I whisper, my voice cracking with emotion.
“It’s okay,” she says, sounding almost as cut up as me, and when I pull back I discover that I’m not the only one with tears cascading down my cheeks. “I know, Macie. He told us.”
“Shit,” I breathe.
“I—we—had no idea.”
“Christ.” Wiping my cheeks with the backs of my hands, I look up at the dark night sky above us, focusing on the twinkling stars for a few seconds.
“I had no idea it was him,” I whisper. “If I knew then—”
“Shall we go inside?” I look up at my floor, seeing the lights on in the living area.
It’s Friday night, I’m sure everyone’s out partying but I really don’t want to walk in there and discover they're having a rare night in and have to deal with all the questions.
“Or we could go to my place,” she offers. “Kane will be there but we can kick him out.”
“N-no, you don’t need—”
“Let me help.”
Before I know what’s happening, she’s got her arm around my shoulders and is leading me toward her car.
The short drive to her place is in silence, although it’s not an uncomfortable one.
Even with everything that’s happened, I still feel that connection to Letty. And the fact he’s told them and she doesn’t hate me tells me that she either feels it too, or he never got to the part that involved me. I’m seriously hoping for the former.
“This place is nice,” I say, looking around at their open plan apartment.
“Thanks. It’s not much but it’s home.”
Footsteps sound off from down a short hallway before Kane’s booming voice fills the space.
“I’ve been waiting for you, get your ass nak—oh, we have company,” he says, cutting himself off the second he sees me. The moment he registers that Letty’s been crying, his brows pinch, concern filling his handsome face. “What’s wrong?” he asks, his voice softer than I’m sure it usually is.
“I’ll tell you later. Do you mind giving us a little space?”
“You’re kicking me out?”
“No, just hang in the bedroom or something,” Letty suggests.
He stares at her, amusement filling his face.
“It’s no fun in bed alone, Princess. You know that.”
“Christ, you’re insufferable. Go hang out with Devin or something.”
“I’m sure I can find some trouble to get into,” he says, wrapping his hand around the back of her neck and pulling her in for a kiss that’s entirely too erotic considering they have company.
My cheeks heat as his tongue finds its way past her lips and I force myself to drag my eyes away from them.
Taking a few steps forward, I give them some privacy as I check out their place.
It’s cute, cozy. All the things I would say are the complete opposite of Kane. It amuses me that a man like him has fluffy cushions and a fuzzy blanket over his couch.
I guess it just goes to show what the love of a good woman can achieve.
He mutters something to Letty that makes her groan before chastising him and pushing him from the apartment.
“Sorry about that, he’s—”
“Completely in love with you,” I finish for her. “I think it’s cute.”
“It is. Just… don’t tell him that,” she jokes. “He doesn’t like that people know he has a soft side.”
“I’m sure everyone knows. It’s in his eyes every time he looks at you.”
She laughs. “If only it was always that way,” she mutters, walking into the kitchen and pulling the refrigerator open. “Wine?” she asks, holding up a bottle.
“Umm… I don’t really drink.”