Saving Easton (Oakside Military Heroes Book 2)(53)

Taking a deep breath, I say, "I love you, Mom, and I'm sorry you and Dad are stuck in the middle of this.”

"It's what parents do. We’re referees between our kids and keep the peace. In the hope they’ll be friends, once we’re gone."

I make plans to have dinner with them on Wednesday, but I don't share anything that happened today, because I just don't have the energy.





Chapter 34





It's been a month, since I have last seen or talked to Paisley. A whole month, where I felt like a huge piece of me was missing. Noah has checked on me daily, and every now and then fills me in on what she’s doing, and I cling to that information like it's the only thing grounding me to this Earth.

It had to be this way though, because her brother was right. Paisley did deserve more, and I was determined to be the one to give her more. But if I had her here with me every day, it was easier to just stay in this place. To only work at the slow pace, I was.

I needed to push harder, faster, longer, and I did. Now, it's time to get Paisley back. First, I need to make peace with Leeland, and then Paisley. Lee and I haven't talked, since that day at Paisley's house, and I know him and Paisley still aren't talking thanks to Noah, so I'm not sure how this meeting is going to go.

Right now, I’m sitting in his apartment parking lot in my car that I just bought yesterday. Noah and Lexi have been amazing, helping me and keeping it quiet. I don't want Paisley to know what’s going on, until I have all my ducks in a row, as my mom would say.

After finding Leeland's apartment on the second floor, I knock on his door. Thankfully, I hear some shuffling inside, so I know he's home, even if it takes him a while to open the door.

"Man, you look like hell," I say, when he opens the door with stains on his shirt, his hair a mess, and a five o’clock shadow at nine a.m.

His eyes go wide, as he looks me over. I decided for this visit I wasn't covering my scars, so I'm in jeans and a short sleeve shirt that shows off the tattoos, as well as the scars. A side of me Leeland hasn't seen yet. I also kept the beard, because Paisley loves it.

"What..." He clears his throat. "What are you doing here?"

"I'd like to talk.”

He opens the door and steps back, so I can enter the apartment. It looks exactly how I'd have expected a frat house to look. Empty beer bottles, discarded pizza boxes, and clothes everywhere. Allie looks up at me, as if to say she wants to leave.

"Haven't been able to leave your frat boy days behind, huh?"

He shrugs, "Barbie used to do the cleaning."

"That was over a month ago.”

"Well, sit down."

I eye the couch and decide to remain standing, and Allie agrees, even she won't sit on the floor. There are cleaner couches at the dump.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking about what you said that day at Paisley's. You were right about one thing and wrong about another."

"Oh, yeah?" He eyes me, sitting back on the couch.

"You were right that she deserved better. The last month I pushed and completed my treatment at Oakside, and I’m now standing on my own two feet with a job and place of my own. I’m better, and it's all thanks to her."

"Good for you. Now, we need to give you a proper housewarming party."

"I’ll pass. See, you were wrong about something, too. I didn't have to go to you, and I didn't owe you anything. We were friends once, but one lunch, doesn't make us friends again. All this," I wave my hand around his apartment. "The partying is more important to you, but that's not me, or the lifestyle I want. I'm here to tell you I’m fixing things with Paisley, and if by the grace of God she takes me back, I'm not ever leaving her side. I'm not asking for your permission, because it doesn't matter if you agree. It won't change my course of action."

"Then, why are you here?"

"Because you’re Paisley's brother, and you were my best friend at one point. So, my advice to you is to get your shit together, because this road you’re on, isn't a good one. There’s so much more to life than this. Fix things with Paisley, with your parents, and make things right. You don't know what it's like to wish you would die to just end the torture. Then, be on this side of it and grateful for every day and every minute you have. I'd give anything to go back and have a college experience, knowing what I know now. I didn't get to, but you did, and you’re wasting it. Don't let my dark year be in vain."

With that, I turn around and walk out without another word, in hopes that maybe I got through to him.

I'm already tired from today, but I have one more even more important stop. Paisley's parents. They know I'm coming, and her mom insisted on making me brunch, so I'm looking forward to the visit just as much as I'm dreading it.

I pull up at the familiar two-story home. I spent so much time here growing up, and often I’d be here more than at my own house. All my memories of Paisley that I clung to happened here. The talks with her dad on the front porch, the time on the back porch playing with Leeland, and pretending not to watch Paisley.

Allie whines, because she wants to get out, so I stop the trip down memory lane and get her out and head up to the front door. They had to have been watching for me out of the window because they open the door to greet me, before I even take two steps on the porch.