Lydia

"This heat is to much," Lydia swiped at her brow as she slid out from under the hood of the classic Chevrolet.

Her co worker nodded in agreement as he continued replacing the cambelt. The mechanics garage at the back of her grandfathers show room had decent air conditioning but the summer sun shone directly through the windows that lined the top of the tall shed windows.

She slipped her overalls down at the top, revealing her tank top as she tied the arms around her waist. Grease and oil was smudged on her face and hands but she'd agreed to go and sit with her mother for lunch in the show room so Spencer would have to deal with the filth.

It had been three years since she graduated high school and went to College in Denver. As she'd promised herself, she focused on bettering herself and finding a passion for something that she could build a career in. It just so happened that by opening her eyes and allowing herself to focus on more than just male companionship, she realised that a love of cars and mechanics had been in front of her the entire time.

She was talented with motors and engine rebuilds and with her time in College she learned so much more. Which lead to working under her father's head mechanic at the show room. She'd joined the family business in her own form and she loved every minute of it.

"Did you wash your hands?" Spencer questioned when Lydia opened the little swing door of the circular reception desk. She continued typing as Lydia sat down and rolled her eyes.

"Yes mother."

The little photo of Vidia which sat on the desk made her smile with fondness. Her little pup had passed in senior year and Lydia missed her all the time. She still hadn't adopted a new furry friend. It turned out that moving on after the loss of her pet was harder than moving on from her past relationship. Which she was well over.

Riley moved to Seattle with his Mother and Father after graduation and she hadn't given him a lot of thought since. Allison of course was still around. While she didn't want to slap her across the face anymore, she didn't repair the friendship. She came to see that her former friend was toxic for more reasons than just the betrayal.

Her friendship with Sadie was still strong. Her best friend was still in college studying law- which to this day baffled Lydia- but she was damn good at it.

Carter was the one person that she didn't keep caught up on. She'd made a strong effort to put a large distance between them and during senior year, they had essentially become strangers to each other. But the electricity that she felt whenever he was in the room, or whenever she caught his gaze across the cafeteria or whenever she brushed past him in the school hall, never dulled. She just had to pretend that it didn't exist. As hard as it was.

He left Archwood for college and she kept his social media's blocked. No matter how much she itched to check up on him. She felt as though she'd be tempted to reach out and she wanted their future to be left to fate. If they were meant to cross paths again, then that's what would happen. If not, Lydia was doing just fine on her own.

"This is madness," Spencer leaned back in her desk chair and sighed, turning in the seat to stare at Lydia with a pout.

"What's madness?" Lydia questioned, biting into her sandwich.

"Well first of all, your fingers are black and it's getting on your sandwich," her mother cringed. "The second, is that your brother starts high school at the end of August."

"Reckon Nathan can convince him to join the football team?"

"Not a chance," Spencer laughed. "I think he's a little disappointed that we never birthed a football prodigy but he still loves Liam just how he is."

"You could always have another baby?" Lydia grinned when her mother's expression contorted in horror.

"My body barely survived giving birth to those twins and then your brother a year later," she shook her head with a disgusted expression. "No, I'm forty-0ne now. It's not happening."

"How come you didn't have more kids?"

"We just knew that we wanted to keep our family small," she smiles.

"Boo!"

Lydia and Spencer jumped with fright as Nicolás' voice boomed through the little intercom on the desk. His loud laughter soon followed as he no doubt watched the girls on his little CCTV screen.

"Every damn time old man!" Spencer shouted back through the speaker.

"Learn to switch it off then," he cackled as the woman exchanged exasperated glances. "Lydia there's a package for the work shop in here. Grab it before you go back to work."

When the lunch break ended and Lydia had, had a brief conversation with her grandpa in his office, she carried the box of parts back through the show room. She read the label on the front and tried to guess which job the parts belonged to when a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.

"I'm not a fan of convertibles but this is a beautiful car."

"Carter?!" She set the box down and marvelled at the man standing a few feet from her.

She stared at the familiar face which hadn't changed a lot in the time since school. He now had a short stubble covering his jaw and chin but it gave him a rugged look that she had to admit was sexy. His hair still sat in its usual messy style and those almost black eyes hadn't lost their power at all.

"It suits you," he nodded, his gaze slowly travelling her frame from head to toe, admiring her overalls which were still tied off at the waist, her tank top riding up a little to expose her midriff.

"Um thanks," she smiled. "Wow, what are you doing here?"

"I moved to Castle Pines about two weeks ago," he slid his hands into the pockets of his slacks. Lydia admired the dress shirt that hugged his bicpes. The sleeves were rolled up to the elbow, and his crisp blue tie was secured around his neck. "I'm just looking to expand my collection."

His gaze swept over the car beside them for a brief moment before it fell back to her. Lydia was still transfixed on how professional he looked. It was a good look on him.

"What do you do now?" She questioned.

Carter pulled his hand out of his pocket and held up a name tag with his photo on the laminate card. It was for the hospital in Castle Pines.

"Intern at the moment. I'm a progressive student," he grinned. "I think that your example to focus on school inspired me to do the same."

She plucked the card out of his hand and stared. She was impressed that's for sure. And flattered that he gave her credit for his success, just as he had at the race all that time ago. "I never knew you were smart."

"You didn't?" He chuckled. "I always knew that you were."

She handed the card back with a light blush, his fingers grazing hers with the exchange. She had a feeling that he'd always known a bit more about her than she had about him.

"I guess there were a few things that I didn't know," she admitted with a small frown.

"We should change that," he told her, confidence radiating from him as he held himself tall and grinned. "Want to have dinner with me this weekend?"

She had always decided to let fate do its thing and with him right in front of her, after all of this time, asking her on a date, she knew that she'd done the right thing by waiting until she loved herself before anyone else.

"I would love to."

The two of them exchanged numbers and he left with the promise of a night out together that wouldn't result in a six week stint in a cast.

She picked up the box and checked her phone which buzzed with a text message as she got back to the work shop. She'd almost expected it to be Carter, but it wasn't.

Boooooiii me too!!