Page 21 of Out of Place

One corner of her mouth tips up like she wants to smile but stops herself. “Was that almost a smile, sweetheart?” I tease.

“Shut up.” She rolls her eyes and climbs into my truck.

I get in my seat, crank the engine, and pull out of my spot on Main Street. I feel my pocket vibrate with what I’m sure is a text from one of my friends, but I ignore it. I don’t owe them an explanation. I wouldn’t even know how to explain this anyway. Since Olivia walked through the front door of Dottie’s house, I’ve felt a pull toward her. One I can’t seem to ignore. One I don’t want to ignore.

“Why don’t you know how to drive?” I ask after a minute of silence.

“I’m from New York. We don’t drive much there. And my father has a few drivers on staff for us. I just never needed to learn.”

I nod. That makes sense. What does not make sense is what I say next. “I could teach you.”

She looks over at me with one eyebrow raised. “To drive?”

“Yeah.”

“Why would you do that?” she asks slowly, like she thinks I might have some big ulterior motive. It pains me to think she doesn’t trust people and makes me wonder why. But that’s a conversation for a different day.

I shrug. “Why not? If you’re going to be here awhile, you should probably learn to drive. And who knows, you may enjoy driving.”

She laughs. “Have you ever been to New York? I doubt I’d enjoy driving there.”

“I haven’t. The only place I’ve ever been to is the beach in Florida,” I tell her honestly. Growing up, we didn’t have much money. My parents tried their best, though. We’d get a hotel room every few years and drive down to the beach. They’re some of my best memories; I’m sure my younger sister would say the same.

Her eyes go wide. “You’ve never been anywhere else?”

I chuckle at her expression. “No, ma’am. I take it you have?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, for events and stuff, but also vacations. . .” She trails off like she suddenly realizes she’s not supposed to talk to me like a friend. As much as I like her attitude, I want her to open up to me. I think I can get her there one day.

“So what do you say? Can I teach you how to drive?” I ask like she’ll be doing me a favor if she agrees. And in a way, she would be. I’d be able to get some extra one-on-one time with her. See if she’ll open up to me.

She studies my face, and I try not to smile. I like her eyes on me. “I guess I’ll let you.”

I pull into the familiar Underwood Farms dirt drive. “Alright. Next time I’m off, we’ll get started.”

“Ok.” She stares out the windshield. “Could you just not tell your friends I don’t know how to drive?”

Fuck. I hate that Cam has made her feel like this. She doesn’t deserve this. If what the girls were saying is true, she’s here to turn her life around. From what I can tell, she’s trying. Just in the few days she’s been here, she’s gone from wearing high-heeled boots and lingerie—which I certainly didn’t mind looking at—to work boots and baggy jeans. Her fingers are caked in dirt at the end of every day like the rest of us, and she hasn’t complained. . . much. But no one has swooped in to save her. She’s here, doing something she’s never done before, and I respect the hell out of that.

“Sure, sweetheart. It’ll be our secret.”

“Why are you being so nice to me?” she asks quietly.

“Because you deserve my respect as much as anyone else,” I answer. The truth is, everything about her fascinates me. Maybe it’s because she’s shiny and new in town. Or maybe I see someone special under the mask she tries to put up. Someone who needs a friend and who might be a little more afraid than she leads on.

She eyes me for a second before climbing down from the truck, not allowing me to get the door for her, and grabbing the bags from the back.

I lean against the side of the truck and watch her walk up the porch. I could say I’m not checking out her ass, but it would be a lie. She turns right before the door and catches me checking her out.

She smirks. “Hey, Landon?”

“Hmm?”

She smiles at me. “Thanks for the ride.”

CHAPTER 8

Olivia