I'm Afraid I Won't Be Able to Leave

Chapter 212: Chapter 212: It Feels Like I’m Calling Myself

Asher Keating spoke as he took Leah Sinclair’s hand. Turning sideways, he gestured and said, ”President Peyton, Miss Peyton, please.”

Liam Peyton and Phoebe Peyton exchanged a glance. Liam smiled and said, ”Let’s go in.”

Asher Keating had booked a private room. After the four of them sat down and finished ordering, the server asked, ”Are there any dietary restrictions?”

”No cilantro.”

”No cilantro.”

Leah Sinclair and Phoebe Peyton spoke at the same time. They exchanged a look, and Phoebe smiled faintly. ”Second Miss Grant doesn’t eat cilantro either?”

”Er, Asher doesn’t eat it.”

Leah Sinclair actually ate cilantro. It was just that Asher Keating didn’t, so whenever they ate together, she always remembered.

The corners of Asher Keating’s mouth curved up. He looked at Leah Sinclair and asked, ”I just texted you. Why didn’t you reply?”

”Huh?”

Leah Sinclair took her phone out of her bag and saw that it was dead. ”I forgot to charge it last night. I went with Wynn to that building they bought, so I didn’t get a chance to charge it.”

Asher Keating raised an eyebrow slightly, so Leah Sinclair explained that she was going to be handling the renovation project for the Peyton Group building. She had originally planned to tell him when she got back that evening.

After Leah Sinclair finished speaking, Phoebe Peyton said with a hint of regret, ”I was actually hoping to give this project to Asher’s team. I didn’t expect my brother to settle it so quickly.”

Liam Peyton took a sip of tea. ”It just so happened that Shawn brought it up. We’ve been working with the Grant Group for a long time, and Leah has a background in this field.”

Leah felt a little mortified. ”Wynn, I... I really don’t have enough practical experience. If Asher’s team handled it, they’d certainly do a better job. Maybe...”

”What are you afraid of?” Asher Keating squeezed her hand reassuringly. ”You did great work at Aevon. If you don’t understand something, you can ask me. You can also ask Sheila Hughes; she’s worked on renovation projects before.”

”...”

’I didn’t really accomplish anything at Aevon—I just bailed partway through,’ Leah wanted to say. ’But it’s true I can ask Sheila. I know she has experience with this kind of thing.’

”Exactly, Leah. Don’t worry. Experience comes from practice,” Liam Peyton said with a gentle smile.

”I’ve been presumptuous. Please don’t take it to heart, Second Miss Grant. I haven’t been in the country for many years and haven’t been involved in family matters, so I’m really out of the loop. I’ll toast you with tea instead of wine as an apology.” Phoebe Peyton smiled and raised her cup to Leah Sinclair apologetically.

Leah Sinclair quickly raised her cup. ”Miss Peyton, please don’t say that. I... I’ll get a proposal out as soon as possible. You and Wynn can take a look then, and just let me know if there’s anything you’re not satisfied with.”

”Then we’ll be counting on you. And there’s no need to be so formal. You already call my brother Wynn. Shawn, Mason, and the others all call me Phoebe, and you can, too.”

”Okay, then, Phoebe. You can just call me Leah.”

”I think I’ll call you Leah Grant. Calling you Leah feels a bit like I’m calling myself.”

Phoebe Peyton’s beautiful peach-blossom eyes curved, radiating a charm that captivated with every glance.

Leah felt dazed by her smile. ’Good heavens,’ she thought. ’I’m actually captivated by a woman’s smile. If Phoebe Peyton lived in ancient times, she’d definitely be the kind of beauty who could make a king skip his morning court.’

Liam Peyton started asking about the overseas warehouses, and the conversation shifted. Leah Sinclair stepped out to rent a shared power bank. After her phone turned on, she saw the message Asher Keating had sent her. He had asked if she was up and if she wanted to have lunch together.

In addition, in her three-person group chat with Sheila Hughes and Zion Sawyer, Zion had sent a gossip-worthy photo. ”Saw a total bombshell at the company today. President Keating opened the car door for her himself. Leah, who is she?”

Zion Sawyer must have snapped the photo at just the right moment. It showed Asher Keating opening a car door for Phoebe Peyton. They were far away, so their expressions were unclear.

Sheila Hughes was curious too, so Leah replied, ”The young lady of the Peyton family. She’s here to discuss a partnership with Asher.”

She then asked the two of them about the renovation project. In the last three years, both Sheila Hughes and Zion Sawyer had worked on similar jobs, so they had experience.

When she returned to the room, she didn’t know what Phoebe Peyton had said, but Asher Keating was laughing freely—a rare sight. He was usually so emotionally reserved; Leah had seldom seen him laugh like that and found she couldn’t look away.

But when Asher Keating saw her enter, he gave a slightly embarrassed cough, and his broad laugh slowly subsided into a faint smile.

Leah: ”...???”

Seeing her confusion, Phoebe Peyton explained with a smile, ”We were just talking about Asher’s student days. There was this one time a foreigner provoked him into a car race.”

Leah nodded slightly. She hadn’t known Asher could race cars. She had gone with Mason Grant before to watch him and his friends race, and she’d even tried it herself. It was definitely a thrill.

”Oh, right, Asher, do you still race?” Phoebe Peyton asked suddenly, her curiosity piqued.

”I did occasionally a few years back,” Asher Keating answered nonchalantly, placing a piece of food on Leah’s plate.

”Then we should go for a race sometime! My brother is really good too.”

Liam Peyton laughed, a little embarrassed. ”My skills are just average. I can’t compare to Mason and Shawn.”

”Don’t be so modest, big brother. Cecilia told me you’ve beaten Mason several times,” Phoebe Peyton said, looking at Liam with a playfully chiding smile.

”Wynn is that good?”

Leah looked at him in surprise. She had seen Mason’s skills firsthand. She knew Liam could race, but to have beaten Mason multiple times? That was seriously impressive.

”Asher, this weekend’s coming up. Why don’t we invite Shawn and go?” Phoebe suggested, turning to Asher.

”Sure. I’ll bring a couple of friends. President Peyton, you should join us then.”

”Alright.”

The thought of watching this group race over the weekend filled Leah with anticipation. ’If I get the chance,’ she thought, ’I should drive a few laps, too.’ It had been a long time, and she was surprised to find she missed the thrill.

”Leah, after lunch, we’re heading to President Keating’s office to discuss the details of the partnership. Are you coming?” Liam Peyton asked, looking up at her.

Leah turned her head and asked Asher Keating, ”Should I go?”

Asher Keating looked at her, amused. ”Go if you want to. Why would you not be allowed at my office?”

Leah thought that was a good idea. ’Sheila just said she’s pretty free today,’ she mused. ’Maybe I can use the afternoon to really pick her brain about the renovation and get some good advice.’

Once they had mostly finished eating, the group headed out. Leah was still wondering whose car she should ride in when Asher took her hand, said ”See you at the office” to Liam and Phoebe, and started leading her away.

Leah quickly said her goodbyes and followed him in the other direction.

Sean Yates wasn’t there; today’s driver was someone Leah didn’t recognize. She wasn’t particularly curious, but the driver certainly was. ’One person gets out, a different person gets in? What is this, a magic show?’

But Asher Keating had just walked over holding Leah’s hand, and the driver recognized her as the Second Miss Grant who had visited the office before. He quickly greeted her, and Leah smiled and greeted him back. But after the pleasantries, she started to feel worried again.

”What’s on your mind?” Asher Keating asked when he noticed she hadn’t said a word.

”I’m a little daunted,” she said. ”I feel like I’ve fallen so far behind.”