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“Fine. But we all know what you really are,” Leah says to Mariah.
I open my mouth, but before I say anything, Mariah laughs. She actually laughs and it doesn’t sound forced or fake.
“Of all of the things youdon’tknow, and there are many,” Mariah tells Leah. “What Iam, is one of the biggest. You don’t really know anything about me.” She pushes off the wall and takes a step forward. “And I think I’d actually really like to keep it that way.”
Leah looks a little taken aback. Obviously she’s very used to people caring what she thinks.
Amanda was correct when she said these two are good for each other. Leah can help strengthen Mariah’s convictions, and Mariah can be that little bit of pushback that Leah doesn’t get anywhere else.
Leah and I might have more in common than I’d like to think. She’s surrounded by people who’ve made her life very easy, kept her in a bubble, where they’ve told her who she is froma young age, where she hasn’t really had a reason to question that or break out.
Yet.
A beautiful woman with the last name Gale inspired me to think that I could do something more. Maybe the same will happen for Leah.
“Whatever, loser,” Leah says to Mariah before turning and stomping off toward her car.
Of course, her self-actualization might take a little longer.
Mariah blows out a breath, her shoulders slumping as the kids disperse. “Thanks.”
“You didn’t need me,” I tell her. “You would’ve handled her.”
“Yeah. I handle her all the time. But it’s kind of exhausting. Sometimes it’s really nice to have someone else come along and do it for me.”
That hits me right in the chest.
“I really like that. I don’t mind being there for you whenever you need it.”
“It’s like what you’re doing for Mom,” she says.
“What do you mean?”
“Mom doesn’t really need you either. She fights her battles and deals with stuff, but I can tell she really likes having you around. She’s a lot happier. She smiles a lot more. She’s more relaxed. And I know it’s because you’re here. One more person on her team, having her back. She deserves that.”
And now she didn’t just hit me in the chest, she reached in and wrapped her hand around my heart and is squeezing.
“I just really…”
Mariah smiles. “I know.”
I’m not sure what Mariah thinks she knows but… She’s probably right. I’m learning she’s right about a lot of things.
“So the podcast talked about us again, huh?”
“Yes, and these people are so stupid,” she says with an eyeroll. “You and Mom were gone for the weekend. The podcast reports that Cian and his mystery women were in Autre for the weekend. But nobody is adding this up? I’m surrounded by idiots.”
I chuckle. “People see what they want to see. Leah does not want you to be right. Plus having a prince just walking around, teaching history at the high school, is a little far-fetched.”
“And yet here you are.” She turns and starts toward the parking lot. “Can you give me a ride to Mom’s shop? I need to tell her about this.”
“Of course. Then will you come help me make dinner for tonight?”
“I’ll sit at the island and watch and supervise. But I have history homework to do.”
I chuckle. She does. They have a test in my class on Friday.
Chapter 30