Dirty Faces- Book 1

Chapter 16: Freckles

Chapter 16: Freckles

The porch light lit up at Leslie's house before Kody had even shut off the engine. He had her home well before the curfew they'd been given but he imagined her nosy mother had been sitting by the window since he picked her up, waiting for the first hint of the return of his noisy truck engine. Leslie shook her head. "If you don't wanna walk me to the door, I wouldn't blame you."

"I don't mind talking to your parents."

"I think I mind you talking to my parents."

"They can't possibly embarrass you more than my mama would me if she was here...Heck, my whole family seems to have a certain knack for embarrassing me."

"Oh, come now. They mean well."

"And so do your folks."

"I suppose so." She looked up to watch the activity of the curtains, fully expecting the front door to open at any moment and her daddy to be standing there with a shotgun. "Speaking of your family, did you know there was a barn dance tonight?" she asked.

He chuckled.

"What's funny?"

"Speaking of my family... yeah I heard, obviously from the same source as you."

"I've heard Jack can really cut a rug."

"He can indeed."

"I'd like to see that sometime...he says you're quite the dancer, too."

"Does he, now?"

"Yep, told me so Sunday."

He said something under his breath that she couldn't quite make out but was pretty sure it included the word murder. Then he laughed and shook his head. "Oh, Jack, Jack, Jack."

"What is it?"

"You know why his eyes are brown, dontcha?"

She thought for a moment. "Because...your aunt and uncle both have brown eyes?"

"No. It's because he's full of shit, that's why. I can't dance."

She laughed. "Well that's fine, too, because neither can I so far as I know."

"So far as you know?"

"I've never actually tried. As I'm sure you've noticed, my mama and daddy are a bit...old fashioned. They think dancing's sinful."

"Then it's probably best we didn't go dancing tonight, seeing as I can't and you ain't allowed, don't you think?"

"I guess so," she sighed. "Had a nice time anyway, though. Thank you for supper."

"Thank you for the company."

She smiled and looked down at her hands folded in her lap as she tried to think of more to say to make their time together last a little longer. Just then, he leaned over, gave her a peck on the cheek, then quickly sat back up and looked out the driver's side window, like nothing had happened.

She was about to say something when the front door opened and J.D. stood in the doorway. She groaned. "I can't believe they'd stoop to sending out my little brother. I should go. Goodnight."

He didn't want her to get out of the truck because he wanted more time with her, too, but he didn't put up a fight because the night had gone well - he hadn't even spilled his Coke on her at the diner like he'd feared he would. He wasn't quite sure how she'd taken his pathetic kiss and he assumed the longer they were together the more likely something would go wrong.