Scarred Hearts [A Hearts of Gold Novel] ✔

Chapter Seven

A/N - IDK why, but this song! I heard it in someone's book trailer, and it just gave me flashbacks, because I have not heard it in so long! Well, enjoy this chapter! ☺(IDK why, but I keep putting the banner on here, but it keeps 'deleting' itself)

Chapter 7

By the time Leyda and I had returned to the farm, it was nearly nine o'clock. I saw my dad's car in the driveway, but Leyda's parents' car was not there.

"They must have left for the meeting," Leyda said as I opened my door to get out.

"Don't move," I said with a chuckle.

I ran around the car and opened her door for her.

"Are you going to make that a habit?" she asked, hands on her hips.

"Maybe," I replied with a grin. "It's not every day I get to treat a girl like the beautiful woman she is."

Leyda flushed and started walking quickly towards the house. I had to sprint to keep up with her.

"I didn't offend you, did I?"

"No," Leyda shook her head, smiling as she turned to look at me. "You just keep saying such nice things, and I feel like I don't deserve to have them said to me."

"But you do deserve to have them said to you," I said. "If I don't, who will? My dad always told me to treat every girl like as if they were a princess. That is how he would treat all the girls that were around him, and one of them was my mom."

Leyda smiled softly, looking away at the front door. I looked at the door too; I could hear Matt and Dylan shouting about something. They must have been playing a video game or something.

"Eddie," Leyda said, looking back at me. "If Dylan or Matt says anything . . ."

"Hey," I said, putting my hands on her cheeks, so that she would look in my eyes. "If either of them says anything, they will have to answer to me. Moreover, that was a date, so do not feel ashamed about it. I know that I think of it as a date. I might have given the impression that I did not want it to be a date, but I really did."

Leyda beamed, shoving my hands away playfully.

"I was sleep-walking and you found me in town," I went on, chuckling. "There, now you have a cover story. However, if my dad asks me where I went, I will tell him the truth. I think you should so the same if your folks ask about it."

"That is easier said than done," she whispered, looking at the ground.

"I could talk to them, if you want."

Leyda shook her head, smiling as she looked back up at me.

"Come on," she said, motioning to the door. "We've got some crazy people waiting for us. We have a long drive ahead of us."

I nodded and went to open the door for her. When we entered the living room, we found Dylan and Matt playing Super Mario 3. They were so transfixed on their game that they did not notice us enter. Leyda placed her index finger to her lips, and I nodded. Before I knew it, Leyda had left and returned with a bullhorn and a noisemaker. She handed me the noisemaker and crept up to the back of the couch.

"Let's get a move on!" Leyda shouted. "We've got a long drive ahead of us, and we are burning daylight."

"Gabbi!" Dylan yelled, shoving the bullhorn away. "Where have you been? You do realize that it was your turn to check on the new calves, right?"

"I did it before leaving earlier."

"And where was the knucklehead?" Matt asked, motioning to me. "His bed was empty when my dad sent me to wake him."