Chapter 41
Chapter Forty-One
KEELEY
After going to bed with a smile on my face, I woke up with a goddamn conscience and a small amount of guilt. As much as I loved the phone sex with Sal last night, I’m pretty sure I was once again deflecting from having to talk about my feelings.
Sal may have said he wanted to be face-to-face to talk about us, but there was a chance that general chitchat would lead to deeper conversations about feelings, and while I know I’m developing feelings for Sal, something keeps stopping me from admitting to it.
All that aside, I do not regret where I took things instead. I almost lost my mind. The way he took over, I could feel him there, as though it were his fingers inside me.
And when he lost control. My God.
I could tell he was restraining himself and refusing to play along. Which only made it that much hotter when he did.
His sounds alone almost sent me over the edge.
A soft pang settles around my middle and I sigh. Dammit. I fucking miss him. He’s been gone less than twenty-four hours and I want him back.
My day drags as though time is standing still, and by the time dinner comes around, I’m feeling even more guilty and nervous, now that I have to face Paige. What do I even tell her if she asks me what’s going on?
Since Second Chapter is a short walk from Paige and Easton’s and my mom’s apartment building, I stop by her place before I go, needing to confirm she’s still okay, despite her telling me several times that she is.
I would have stopped by earlier, only I was in “avoid Addie” mode, and like a chicken, I waited until I knew she’d gone home.
I’m a few minutes late by the time I make it to the restaurant and I’m shocked to find Paige already waiting for me.
“You’re never on time,” I tease her as I sit down, my nose practically inside my bag as I look for the invitation Mom gave me to pass along.
“And you’re never late.” She laughs.
“I know, sorry. Mom wanted me to give you this.” My fingers curl around the end of the envelope and I pull it out, cringing at the crinkled state it’s in. “Sorry.”
“Ahh, the invitation to Addie’s Thanksgiving party.”
“You knew about it?”
“I did. We ran into her in the lobby this morning.”
Then why the freaking written invitation? “Most people just call their family members, but Addie’s a different breed. It’s August, for God’s sake.”
“She’s getting organized.”
“I’m organized. Addie’s making sure no one has a chance to find an excuse not to attend.”
“Easton already said no.”
“At least his excuse is legitimate. I’m not sure ‘I’ve got a meeting’ is going to cut it for me. I wish I could play professional football.”
“You haven’t checked the date, have you?”
“It’s Thanksgiving, right?” I haven’t even opened my invitation; I was pissed that she didn’t mention it to me the many times we talked, instead of making Mom do her dirty work.
“She’s hosting the party on the Monday before. Easton has no excuse.”
“What?” I bark out a laugh, picturing Easton’s face when he found out. “God, she’s sneaky. I love her.”
“Lucky you do because Easton’s not a fan right now.”
“I’ll bet. But lucky for her, he’s more pissed off at me.”
“Yeah. About that…” She trails off and I frown, preparing to defend myself again.
“I can’t?—”
“He’s here,” Paige cuts me off.
“He’s what?” I spin around in time to catch the moment Easton spots me across the room, and a little part of me takes pleasure in his discomfort. I know I made a scene at his wedding, but he was a jerk. He should feel like shit.
“He didn’t know I’d be here, did he?”
“God, no. He never would have come.”
“What does he think he’s here for?”
“Date night.”
I choke, as something between a snort and a laugh gets caught in my throat. “You two have date nights?”
“That’s what you’re thinking about right now?”
“Absolutely. I just can’t picture it.” I smile as Paige huffs under her breath. I guess that explains why she said she’d meet me here instead of her apartment.
Paige glances over my shoulder before she sighs. “God, he’s hopeless. Wait here.” She jumps up and walks in Easton’s direction, leaving me alone, wondering where am I going to go?
It’s a good five minutes before Easton slumps in the chair next to me, and I bite back a smile at his childish behavior.
“So I fucked your boss. Please tell me how that affects you?” I launch straight into it, and Easton’s on his feet so fast that I almost feel bad.
“Sit down,” Paige scolds him, pointing to the seat before she adds, “Please.”
“I don’t have to listen to this. She?—”
“Stop. The two of you are sorting your shit out now. Like adults.” Her glare shifts my way, and I visibly cringe as I mouth an apology.
“Paige,” Easton pleads with her and she grabs his hand, visibly calming him when she smiles. I shift uncomfortably in my seat, feeling like a voyeur in their moment.
“Please.”
Easton nods before Paige turns my way.
“I haven’t done anything wrong.” She raises her eyebrows and I concede, blowing out a breath. “Fine. I can be an adult.”
“Good. Thank you. Do you want to talk alone or?—”
“Stay.” Easton squeezes her hand. “Please.”
“Alrighty.”
Easton finally sits down, and silence follows until I can’t take it any longer. “I’m sorry I lied.”
“That’s what you think this is about?”
“It isn’t?”
“No. Fuck, no. I’m the last person that can ever call you out for sneaking around.”
“Then what?”
“I’m pissed off because you shut me down when I tried to talk to you about it.”
“What?” His response pulls me up short. He’s upset?
I thought he was pissed. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since most of Easton’s emotions present themselves the same way.
Grumpy. It’s his default. Only, I can’t for the life of me figure out when he’s talking about.
“Easton, you walked away at the wedding. Did you think I was going to chase after you?”
“Not then. At the hospital.”
“The hospital?” I replay our conversation from yesterday and curse under my breath. “Goddammit, East. You have to be clearer about things. I thought you were talking about Mom.”
“Mom?”
“Yes.”
“But I said we should talk about what…” Easton trails off as he huffs softly. “Okay. Yep, I can see why you would think that when we were standing right outside of her room.”
Paige sinks her hands into her hair and shakes slightly, undoubtedly with laughter.
“So you don’t care?” I smile in relief until Easton’s eyes widen in surprise.
“Of course I care, Keeley. He’s twenty years older than you.”
“Not to mention your father-in-law and boss.” I throw it all out there. May as well since we’re here.
Easton balks. “What? You think that’s my issue?”
“Isn’t it?”
“No. I can’t exactly argue with you about off-limits relationships. Like you said, he’s my father-in-law and boss. And the boss part came first.”
“Right. So it’s the age difference that bothers you?”
“It doesn’t bother me, Keeley. You have it all wrong. Have you thought about how a relationship with Sal would work?”
“No.” I roll my eyes to go with my sarcastic tone. Easton doesn’t notice, since he’s already prepped ready to argue.
“Exactly.” He throws his hands into his response as though feeling triumphant for being right. “He’s had kids, and he’s been married. Does he even want those things again?”
“Wait. That’s not… What?” He’s worried about my future?
“I don’t want you to get into something that might break your heart, Keeley. Or affect your career. What happens down the line when you realize you want different things and it forces you apart? Are you going to be able to work together? Will you have to leave? Will he?”
Jesus. “We haven’t talked about that yet because things between us are?—”
“Casual?”
“Yes.” At least, they were.
My eyes flash to Paige and she glances away awkwardly, clearly wishing she hadn’t stayed.
“It’s not casual, Keeley. At least not to Sal,” Easton says, drawing my attention, my brows furrowed in confusion.
“What do you mean?”
“He didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
Easton blows out a breath. “I asked him the same questions.”
“You what?” Paige’s eyes widen as though she wasn’t privy to that piece of information, while my chest fills with rage.
“What the fuck, Easton? My future has nothing to do with you. We are nowhere near the stage of talking about that stuff. We haven’t even had sex, for God’s sake.”
“Fuck, Keels. I don’t need to hear that.”
Paige cringes and I turn her way to apologize. “Sorry, you didn’t need to hear that either.”
“Definitely not, but I’m working hard to separate it all in my mind. There’s my dad, who’s your boss. Then there’s Sal, your…whatever he is.”
“Thanks.” I smile sympathetically. “I appreciate that.”
“I wish I could say the same,” Easton grumbles. “Only I can’t. And I think you’ll find that Sal agrees with me.”
“What? He didn’t seem that worried when he came to see me on his way to New York.”
Paige and Easton exchange a concerned expression. “That’s good.” She forces a smile.
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing—”
“Paige?”
“Okay. The Mikklesons’ court case begins next week, and Mom mentioned that she thinks she’s being followed because of it.”
Jesus. A sharp pang hits me in the stomach.
“And your dad went to protect her?” Did he lie?
“God, no.” Paige shakes her head, answering my unspoken question. “He’s gone to make sure nothing happens to his business. He’s already had a few strange occurrences.”
“What? He never mentioned that.” I frown, confused, until I remember the building fire he rushed back to New York for.
“The fire?”
“Yep. God, I hope nothing else happened.”
My chest tightens for Sal as I recall what he said before he left. “I have a little problem to take care of but I won’t be long.”
“Jesus. Poor Sal.”
Easton blows out a breath, drawing attention, and my anger at Sal’s situation makes me turn on him. “So while all this is going on, you thought it would be a smart idea to add more stress to his plate by telling him I want marriage and kids?”