4. Pretty Waiter

LARA's POV

"Poor Leo," Alyssa moan as she scrolls through her phone. "Everyone is saying such mean things about him."

I still have not told Alyssa about my little run-in with her celebrity crush.

"What are they saying?" I ask, feeling a little guilty.

"They're saying he has severe anger issues. The articles?? it's atrocious!" She puffs out a baffled huff. "But... I don't get why he would punch Roman Sinclair in the face for no reason! They are best friends!"

Best friends? What I saw last night looks more like sworn enemies that want the other to die.

A frown mars my forehead. "Are you sure they're best friends? Leonardo seems.. nice. But Roman is an asshole."

Alyssa shakes her head. "No, they're are both sweethearts. But now everyone is calling Leo a fire-breathing dragon."

Great. Now I feel guilty.

"Leonardo had a good reason for punching Roman. Roman was being a Grade A Jerk. He called me a waitjob loser and mocked Leonardo."

Alyssa gasps, hands flying to cover her ajar mouth. "You met Leonardo AND Roman? You're one lucky girl."

"Did you miss the part where Roman called me a waitjob loser?"

"So that's why Leo Knight hit him..." she trails off before grasping my wrist excitedly. "Hey! You should post a video on I*******m explaining everything that happened and how Leo defended you from Roman!"

"Nobody's gonna believe me. They'll just say I'm making stuff up for clout."

A terse pause.

"Still," she says. "We have to do something since we know the truth!"

I stand up and grab my car keys. "Leonardo Knight is an influential actor. I'm sure he can handle himself."

"But I feel so bad for him. He must be so sad right now."

I shrug. No matter how hard I try, I can never feel bad for rich people. "Let him wipe his tears with his dollar bills."

I tie the lace of my sneakers.

"Lara, where are you going?" Alyssa asks.

"To work," I reply quietly. "Unfortunately, my bills have refused to pay themselves."

I hop into my car and start driving. A new Uber ride request pops up, and I tap Accept. Another stranger, another destination.

As I almost reach the pickup place, I see a hooded man in sunglasses and a nose mask jogging towards me. Two men are running after him with their phones and screaming, "Wait! Wait!"

"Is that a thief?" I ask myself, looking through the car windscreen.

The hooded man stops at my car. "Open up!" he muffles out through the mask.

Open up for a thief and get thrown in jail? I think not!

I keep driving, slower as my eyes search for the stranger I'm to drive to Sunset Boulevard. Where's he? Is he late?

Masked guy in a hood keeps following me. "Aren't you my Uber?" he asks, his voice smothered.

Ah, shit. I am.

Why are my passengers always the weirdest people? He taps my window. "Open up!"

I unlock the car, just as the two men chasing him catch up. Now, I notice that they're not accusing him of stealing, but taking pictures and videos.

He hops into the front seat. "Drive!" he says, knocking the dashboard.

"Seatbelt, please," I request.

He wears it across his chest as turn on the ignition and move.

After we lose the two picture-taking men, the passenger turns to me. "You look really familiar."

"Yeah, I have one those casual faces," I reply politely, eyes squarely on the road, not wanting to start a conversation.

"No, you don't. You have a very unique face."

"Um... thank you?"

"And you're the kind waiter I met yesterday."

I turn to look at him. His strong physique and broad shoulders seem familiar, but I still can't see his face.

"Would you mind taking off the glasses and mask? If you're not a fugitive or anything.."

I hear a laugh. "I'm not."

He removes the glasses, then the mask, and I gasp.

"How do I keep running into you?!" I exclaim, half-horrified, half-teasing.

"You tell me," he replies, flashing that million dollar smile.

"Unless you're following me?" I raise an eyebrow.

"I don't even know your name," he points out. Fair.

"It's Lara. Lara Bello."

He grins. "Nice to meet you, Lara. I'm Leonardo Knight."

I roll my eyes. "Don't worry. Everyone knows who you are."

"They do? Silly me. I didn't realize that."

Sarcasm. My smile brightens. I appreciate a celebrity with a good sense of humor.

"So where exactly in Sunset Boulevard am I driving you to?" I ask. His ride request doesn't have a specific location and I need one.

"A bar. It's called the Burning Cigar."

I straighten up fast. "What?! The Burning Cigar?"

He frowns. "Is there a problem? Is the bar no good? Ah, fuck. I really needed to drink away my sadness." He close his eyes, groaning.

"No, no! This is perfect. I gasped because that's where I work as a bartender. And my shift starts in 10 minutes. So I can just start when I drop you."

He stares at me as if I've just grown three heads like King Ghidorah from Godzilla.

"Wh-what? You don't like that plan?" I ask hesitantly.

"You have one, two, three jobs?" he questions, counting them on his fingers.

"Sure do. I'm one of the many immigrants who came to America with just a dream and no money. Now I have three jobs to survive. Bartender, Uber Driver, Waiter. Any questions?"

"How do you do it? Do you get tired?" His rare grey eyes twinkle with gentle curiosity.

I simply shrug, trying not to get lost in his beautiful eyes or voice.

Shut up, and let me drive, please.

We pull up at the bar and get out of the car.

"You're late again, Lara! Third strike! Don't make me fire you!" My boss, Silas, scolds right as I walk in.

Fire me. You pay me pennies anyway, I think, but say nothing.

"I'm sorry, boss. My Uber passenger arrived late," I say, side-eying Leonardo.

He walks in and the boss shrieks.

"You! Rage Cage Leo! Hollywood Hothead. What the fuck are you doing in my bar?"