Saving Easton (Oakside Military Heroes Book 2)(50)

"Maybe, this was the push he needed.”

"Maybe, but I doubt it," I say. “Did he tell you what Barbie did?"

"Only a little bit."

I fill him in on Barbie visiting Oakside, using my name, and what she did to Easton, and what I did to her.

"If I can ever stand to be in the same room with him, can we make it a rule no more of his hook ups at dinner, and only someone he’s interested in marrying?"

"The rule would apply to you, too."

"That would be why I have yet to bring anyone home to dinner, Dad."

"Text me, when you get home. You know your mom will worry."

On the way home, I stop at my favorite burger joint, because I no longer feel like cooking the spaghetti I had planned. I get a burger for myself and a plain burger for Molly and Reba and head home.

The dogs eat their food right up, but I have a harder time getting it down. I decide to text Lexi and see how Easton is.



Me: How is he?

Lexi: Still not talking. Did he eat dinner?

Me: No, and no lunch either.



I look over to the food still on the counter, where we left it. Flashes of Easton wrapping his arms around me and me pulling him to the bedroom, fill my head.



Lexi: Okay, we’ll try to get him to eat.

Me: I’ll swing by tomorrow for my normal visit.

Lexi: See you tomorrow. Need a girl’s night?

Me: Not yet, but soon.

Lexi: Just let me know when.



I get up and toss the food on the counter, since it's no longer good and clean away any trace of Easton being here.

Then, I go to my bedroom and strip my bed, doing the same thing. I wash my sheets and spray my bed down with a fabric refresher and put on new sheets.

Then, I take a shower, erasing the last of the memory of him from me. I can't afford to be down. I have Reba to train, and I need to make my weekly visit to Oakside with Molly tomorrow.

As I lay there trying to fall asleep, my phone keeps going off. Texts from Leeland.



Leeland: Can we talk about this?

Leeland: This all got blown up.

Leeland: You really going to avoid me at family dinner?

Me: You don't know what family is. Goodnight.



Then, I turn off my phone and try to get some sleep, even though I know I’ll get very little of it.





Chapter 32





Chapter 32


Easton





How stupid was I to think things could work out between Paisley and me? She's kind, sweet, and pushes me, when I need it. But all those years ago, Leeland made it clear she was off limits. Why would that be different now that we’re adults?

His words still ring in my ear.

Paisley deserves more.

She does deserve so much more than this. More than me being confined to this room. She deserves to go out into the world and do anything she wants, and she shouldn't be tied down to someone who can't be right at her side.

Paisley deserves more.

By staying away, I can give her more.

I hear the knock on my door, but I don't turn from the window. Allie barely lifts her head, so it's someone we know. If it's important, they’ll talk, and if not, they can leave me alone.

"Hey," Noah says and hesitantly sits on the couch.

He sits and doesn't move, flipping through his phone, and after a good twenty minutes, I just sigh.

"You aren't leaving, are you?"

"Nope. I don't know what happened, but you need a friend, so I'm here."

I have a feeling he's lying, because I'm sure Lexi has already talked to Paisley. If Lexi talked to Paisley, she told Noah, but I don't call him on it.

"I was having a great day with Paisley. Fooled myself into thinking things could work between us. It's different now, because we’re adults, right?" I sigh.

"Of course, it's different, Easton.”

"Then in barges Leeland, going on and on about us together and tells me she deserves more than me. The worst part is he's right."

"Bullshit.”

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You’re using this as a reason to push her away to put the walls back up, and you know it."

"No, he was right. She deserves so much more than being cooped up in this room with me day in and day out."

"What about what you deserve, Easton? After everything you’ve been through, don't you deserve to be happy?"

"I’m happy. I'm happy I'm alive, and that's all I can ask for," I say.

We both sit in quiet again.

"How did Leeland find out about you and Paisley?"

"The girlfriend or ex-girlfriend told him."

"The one who was here causing problems?"

"Yes."

"Just proved we need you all the more," he says.

"Listen, I don't want any visitors. You're fine, but no one else, not even Paisley. Not right now," I say.

Noah eyes me before he nods. "Okay. Just promise me you aren't going to stop your appointments."

"I promise.”

That night, as I'm tossing and turning, all I can see is Paisley's face falling, when I asked to go home. She tried too hard to reach out to me, and I had just shut down.