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And I had even convinced myself that it was all true. Because why wouldn’t we do it again? On the outside, it seemed as though Easton and I were a done deal. We both played the parts so well.

But once I was alone again, the doubts crept back in. My mind started looking for the signs I may have missed, the ones that would tell me I needed to put my guard back up. I’d remember Clay coming to my house, the way Rory spoke to me at the station, and the way I had vowed to both myself and Max that my only focus would be on him.

Mom-guilt ate away at me and I would flip and flop around in bed. Especially the following few nights after the barbequebecause Easton wasn’t there, and there were no distractions to help me forget that I was my own worst enemy.

Chapter Thirty

EASTON

I stoodwith my arms crossed, leaning against the brick wall of the fire station outside the last bay. I wanted to be as far away from everyone else as possible while I talked to Rory. But I didn’t want to be completely alone, so I stayed where I could see the cars passing on the street.

When Rory walked up, I deliberately avoided her gaze for a minute, with my lips pressed into a thin line, making sure she knew our chat wasn’t going to be friendly. I half expected her to turn around and try leaving, but she stayed put, huffing loudly while she waited on me to finally say something.

“Thanks for coming,” I gritted out.

"Easton,” she spoke softly, “you know I will come when you need me.”

“This isn’t a friendly request,” I spat out, pushing from the wall. “Something is up with you and I need it to stop involving me.”

“Excuse me?” She put a hand to her chest, taken aback. How could she think for a second I wasn’t pissed? I hadn’t spoken toher in weeks. The last time had, it was to tell her to get the fuck out of my room.

“Captain Reed told me to tread lightly. He doesn’t want there to be drama among the crew. But I can’t keep letting you think it's okay to push yourself on me.”

“I never?—”

“You were in my room,” I seethed. “You were in my bed. Honestly, you’re lucky I didn't fire you.”

“You wouldn’t do that to me,” she purred, batting her eyelashes.

“Stop! Rory you have to?—”

It was her turn to cut me off, breaking into a fit of laughter, holding her stomach like she had just heard the funniest joke ever.

“I’m sorry,” she tried saying, her breath hard to catch. “Oh man. You are so touchy. It's freaking hilarious.”

She was doing it again, making me feel like I was crazy… or trying to convince me that she was crazy. Either way, she needed a crown and a sash as the winner of Miss Gaslight USA.

“I got a little drunk and ended up in your room,” she shrugged. “I knew I had to work the next morning and decided to get arideto the station to sleep it off. When you came in, I guess I was still drunk. No big deal.”

That wasn’t it. There was more. She was trying to save herself with the lie, but I knew she had been acting strange since the day I met Jesse. Something was going on in that head of hers, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to open that can of worms.

“Just stay away, Rory. Jesse means the world to me, and all those little games you play just aren't gonna fly.”

“Easton, geez,” she whined. “I’m seeing someone. Someone I knew from my time in Atlanta. He’s been coming into town to see me and he is all I care about. Maybe it's making me a little looney, but I don’t want to lose him again.”

Thank God.

“Good,” I sighed and started to walk away. I had been standing there long enough. We had to get back to work and I wanted to fill Captain Reed in on our little chat.

“That’s all you needed?” She yelled as I walked away.

“Yep.” I didn’t bother looking back or saying goodbye. One little nicety and she would think I asked her to marry me. Boyfriend or not, she had been poking around and lying about me long enough to never trust her.

I had gotten to Jesse’s house right after my shift ended. It was still pretty early, and with her car gone, I assumed she had left to take Max to school.

I could wait.

Since I hadn’t worked out in a few days, I started doing pushups, on the sidewalk in the front yard. I had just gotten to forty-three when her car pulled in, and I knew I had to get to fifty before my undiagnosed OCD would let me stop.

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