Page 73 of Easton

He nods, then clears his throat, just as Lori steps up. “Sorry to interrupt. We’re leaving, and I just wanted to say you make a lovely couple.”

“I think so.” I wink at her playfully, before adding, “Thank you.” After sending a kind smile our way, she slips away. “I always liked Lori. Smart lady.”

East laughs, one he doesn’t try to hide or bite back, and in this moment, everything feels fucking perfect. We continue our meal, the conversation flowing easily now, the dogs enjoying their treat.

When we’re done, I say, “Let’s walk around a bit.”

“You never seen downtown Birchbark, or what?” he teases.

“Brat.” When I reach for his hand, East doesn’t pull back, our fingers locking together in the middle, while we each hold one of the dogs. “I can’t believe how warm it is today.”

“Perfect day.” East looks at me, eyes all intense, showing me things he struggles to say, and I know he doesn’t mean the weather.

We enjoy the sunshine, taking a stroll down Main Street. We make a turn down one of the quieter side streets, still with shops and businesses along the way.

When East pulls to an abrupt stop, I look at him, and it’s like every part of him is shut down, like all that emotion in his eyes is turned off, jaw set like he’s walling himself off.

Glancing ahead, I see why. Gregory Swift is standing there, and an instant wildfire burns everything inside me. East’s hand tightens on mine, and a hate unlike anything I’ve ever felt surges within me.

Gregory notices our hands, and disgust turns his face harder. “What the hell…are you doing…with him?” His words are slow, measured in a way they weren’t before his stroke, and it takes everything in me not to pull my arm back and hit him, to feel the satisfaction of wiping the ugly look off his face.

“I don’t think that’s any of your business. Excuse us.” I try to pull East with me, but it’s like his feet are rooted to the earth. “East…sweetheart. Let’s go.”

“He’ll ruin your life…your career…just like he ruins everything he touches.”

My blood runs cold. My vision blurs. This man is pure evil. “What did you just say about him?” I take a step forward, my hand coming free of East’s. “You don’t know him. You don’t deserve to know him.” I’m even closer to him, but I don’t remember taking the steps. My hands fist, muscles tight, the rein I have on my control slipping. This man has hurt East in too many ways to count. Let him believe he was worthless, never cared enough to get him help. Blamed him for the death of his mom and wished it had been him rather than his sister. I’ve never in my life wanted to hit someone as badly as I do him.

“He’s not…worth it.”

“He’s worth everything, and don’t you ever fucking talk to him like that again!”

“Or what?” Gregory stands tall. The door beside us opens, a woman coming out of the pharmacy.

“Gregory, why did you come out here?” His nurse, maybe, looks back and forth between us. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing. He’s the one who’s not worth it,” I spit out as the woman leads Gregory away, and when I turn back to East, he’s standing there like he’s completely disconnected from the world. I’d let go of Pretty Girl and hadn’t even realized it, but she’s with East now, both she and Casanova jumping onto his legs and trying to get his attention.

I push back toward him, cup his face, brush my fingers over his cheeks, my thumb against his lip. “East…sweetheart. Talk to me. Don’t fucking listen to him. Don’t believe a fucking word he says. I’m here. I love you.”

My words seem to snap him out of his trance. “I told you he hates me,” is all he says, those words biting right into my chest.

“He doesn’t fucking matter. He’s wrong. Come on. Let’s go home.”

I grab Pretty Girl’s leash, then take his hand again. East doesn’t hold on tight like he had just moments before.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Easton

El? Ella?Icall out to my sister, the other half of my soul, but she doesn’t reply. She’s not been talking to me lately, but I need her. Doesn’t she know I need her? She’s always been there for me before, but now she’s silent.

Archer drives my truck home, and I don’t speak the whole time, not out loud at least. I keep hearing what Gregory said, keep calling out to Ella but she doesn’t come.

It feels like I’ve been emptied out, like there’s nothing inside me anymore. Why does he do that to me? Why can’t I stop it? Today had been…it had been more than I expected. I hadn’t even wanted to go out, but we did, and it was perfect until Gregory had to remind me of all the shit I can’t get past.

“He’ll ruin your life…your career…just like he ruins everything he touches.”

I don’t want to ruin Archer. I don’t want to ruin anything. I want…I want to get better. I want to be better. How do I do that?

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