Page 33 of Done

Bullshit.

“I’m serious, Rory.” My words were calm under a boulder of anger that wanted to explode inside of me.

“No, Easton, I’m the one that’s serious.”

She started to walk away, out of the bay and toward her car, but then stopped and turned back around. With no words, she started laughing, throwing her head back like I had just dropped the biggest punchline ever. Was I going insane?

“Sorry,” she waved at me. “I get it, just ignore me. It’s been a wild few days and I’m so tired.”

My jaw dropped, I was frozen in confusion and honest-to-God concern for her. What was going through that head of hers?

Things appeared fuzzy after losing the binder, but I wasn’t so delusional that I would have forgotten a whole conversation with Rory. Was it possible I had too much to drink and just didn’t remember? I had two witnesses and my own memory that said, no.

The only other thing I could think of was that she must have been playing a sick game.

Chapter Eighteen

JESSE

Spineless?

Easton’s last word to me had run through my mind the whole weekend. It had taken everything I had to not call him and ask what he meant. The last thing I ever thought I’d be accused of was making someonespineless.

But the fact that I did, and he was done, was probably the reason I hadn’t heard from him since he walked away from me in that parking lot. Not that I should have cared, but I did.

After I dropped Max off at school Monday, I drove past the station and saw his truck parked off to the side of the open bays. If my calculations were correct, he had to work on Sunday and was still there that morning, doing whatever he did.

As I sat at the stop light, I saw Rory standing on the edge of the bay. She was dressed in sweats that hung low on her hip and her top was cropped, showing off her exceptional figure. It inadvertently made me rub the scar across my stomach from where I delivered Max via cesarean.

Not that I’d trade it for anything. That scar had given me the best thing in my life. But I was only human, and it was hard not to compare myself, and my flaws, to someone that clearly didn’t like me.

Just as she slid her sunglasses over her eyes, she turned abruptly and spoke to someone inside the dark area of the bays. She laughed, making her look even more put together and happy. I bet every man in Harmony Haven would kill to be with her. Other than the fact she was a bitch, she seemed like she had it all.

A honk knocked me out of my gawking, and I looked ahead, realizing the light had turned green while I stuck my nose where it didn’t belong. With the noise, Rory looked toward the cars as well and I had no doubt she caught me looking. My stomach dropped with embarrassment and I drove off quickly, hoping I never had to see her again.

“Jesse!” Ms. Ellison whistled when I pulled into my driveway. She was coming down her steps, waving a box over her head, making me walk toward her to meet her half way.

“Morning,” I smiled. “Coming for coffee?”

“I wish I could,” she sighed, pushing the box into my hands. “I just needed to make sure you got this before I left for a doctor visit.”

“Everything okay?”

“Lord yes, healthy as a horse. But you know us old folks. We have to check in twice a year and let the docs know we’re alive.”

“Well I don’t think that's a terrible idea,” I laughed.

“Oh, they just want my money,” she grumbled. “That box was sent to me Saturday with strict instructions to get it to you Monday morning. I’ve been staring at it all weekend.”

It looked just like the box Easton had sent to me before with the same ribbon made into a bow.

“Don’t you kids send text messages or emails anymore?”

“Not Easton,” I shook my head with a small smile. “He seems to prefer making you his personal Pony Express.”

“Well I don’t mind,” she sighed. “But Igotworried I’d mess it up this time. The last thing I want to do is be responsible for you two not working out.”

“Us two–? We aren’t–”

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