Page 111 of A Lesson for Laurel

She wasn’t so sure she liked being compared to the ex though.

“Want to get some air?” Nicole said. “They’ve got a balcony upstairs.”

“I’d love it,” she said, standing up. “Dinner was great and I’m still stuffed. It’s making me hot mixed in with the three glasses of wine I’ve had. I don’t normally drink that much. Easton seems to be having a great time. I don’t know I expected this of him.”

“Liam loves talking and socializing. Easton and I not so much, but these gatherings were or are fun. I’m so glad you could come and everyone could meet you. As you can tell, Rachelle wasn’t very popular.”

“I’m noticing that. No one has said much other than she wasn’t for him.”

“She wouldn’t leave his side at these things. And in front of him, she’d be kissing up to people and talking Easton up like she was trying to sell him for a promotion.”

“Ick,” she said.

“Exactly,” Nicole said when they got to the rooftop. There were people around but not so many that they couldn’t move off to the side for privacy.

“I don’t think Easton would want anyone to be selling him. He’d want to do those things on his own.”

“That was exactly how he felt. It made a lot of people uncomfortable, but they liked Easton. They’d tell me and I couldn’t bring myself to say anything to Easton about it.”

“And you and Rachelle were friends,” she said.

“We were. I think they hoped I’d say something. I tried to, but she didn’t get the hint. I’m not one to force the issue. I didn’t want to get in the middle of their relationship.”

“He got there on his own,” she said. “He was a partner when they were still together, right?”

“Yes,” Nicole said. “But they split shortly after. He worked a lot. He still does.”

“And it’s not an issue with me,” she said. “I do too. We are both good with it.”

“I’m glad,” Nicole said. “When Rachelle saw him a few weeks ago and went to talk to him, I think she was trying to play games in his head again.”

“Easton and Rachelle talked recently?” she asked. She didn’t know this and didn’t know why Easton hadn’t said a word.

“Oops. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“But you did and I’d like to know what happened.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll apologize. It slipped.”

“And you can’t take it back. If you don’t tell me, I’ll ask Easton.”

“Which I’m sure you’re going to do and I’ll have to apologize to him. It’s nothing,” Nicole said.

“If it’s nothing then you can share it.”

Nicole seemed to hesitate. “She saw him at the grocery store. She came over to him; he didn’t see her. She made some smart comment about him waiting until he ran out of something like he always did.”

“Why do that?” she asked. “Or say that? It’s being petty.”

“It is,” Nicole said. “That is how she is. He went to walk away and she asked how he was doing.”

“Which would have annoyed him,” she said. She was getting pissed that he’d kept this from her though.

“It did. He called her out on it. Asked why she would care. Then her new fiancé came over and they were introduced. Connor’s face fell. Rachelle said Connor was jealous of Easton and now would be even more seeing him.”

“Then maybe she should have looked the other way and minded her own business in the store.”

“Which is what Easton said. She made another comment that had Easton asking if she did what she had to try to make him jealous and she complained he was never jealous of anything.”

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