Chapter 7 Nova
Nova
Oh my God. My feet are aching something fierce.
Lainey shopped until I was ready to drop. After stopping to get milkshakes at The Sweet Spot, Izak drove us to Santa Monica Beach.
My gaze is glued to the waves rolling in as I push open the door to get out of the SUV.
Oh God. The smells. The sounds. The sights. It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.
I stand and stare at the ocean for a few seconds before Lainey says, “Take off your shoes so we can leave them in the SUV.”
The moment I slip off my flats, I can’t help but groan as I wiggle my toes.
That feels sooooo good.
“My shoes were killing me,” I chuckle while we walk toward the stretch of sand. When we step onto the beach and I feel the soft sand beneath my feet, a wide smile spreads over my face. “Gosh, it’s so beautiful.”
“I like coming here,” Lainey says.
“I’ve never seen the ocean before,” I admit. “Well, apart from in magazines and on TV.”
She points at a spot. “Let’s sit over there.”
I can’t tear my eyes away from the waves as I plop down beside Lainey. For a minute or two, we drink our creamy milkshakes while enjoying the view, then Lainey asks, “Can I tell you a secret?”
I turn my full attention to her. “Of course.”
A shy smile ghosts around her lips. “There’s this boy. Tyrel. He gave me a chocolate. I was happy until I heard that he gave one to both Casey and Abigail as well.”
“That sucks,” I mutter.
She gives me a questioning look. “I know I should ignore Tyrel because he’s a player. But . . .” I patiently wait for her to finish. “But I really like him. I feel stupid.”
Lifting my right hand, I brush my palm over her hair. “Oh, sweetie. You’re not stupid. It’s okay to like him, but don’t let him walk all over you. You deserve the moon and the stars and everything in between.”
If only I’d taken my own advice in the past.
Her eyebrows draw together. “Why are boys like that?”
“Not all boys,” I reply. I glance at the ocean before admitting, “There are men like your uncle who are amazing. One day, you’ll meet a nice boy who only wants to give you chocolates and no one else.”
She lets out a sigh. “I hope so.” She thinks for a moment, then says, “He has a twin brother, Shiloh, who’s always polite. But he’s always awkward around me.”
My smile widens. “Maybe he’s awkward because he likes you.”
Her eyes widen. “You think so?”
“I’m awkward around men I like,” I admit. “The more I like a guy, the more I turn into a bumbling idiot.”
Lainey lets out a bark of laughter. “You’re not a bumbling idiot.” She looks me up and down. “You’re pretty.”
I pull her close for a sideways hug. “Aww, thanks, my sweet girl.”
When I suck on the straw of my milkshake, she asks, “So what do you think? Best milkshake ever, right?”
I nod. “I love it.”
We stare at the ocean again, and my thoughts turn to when I fell in love with Easton.
I think I was fourteen. Rachel and I were having a sleepover at her house, and Easton came out of the bathroom only wearing a pair of shorts.
His hair was damp, and there were a couple of stray drops on his chest and abs.
I felt hot all over and didn’t know where to look. I ended up walking into the doorjamb when I tried to dart into Rachel’s bedroom.
Yeah, that day, I was a bumbling idiot.
“Nova?” Lainey asks, her tone soft. “Why did Mom cry this morning?”
Crap.
Trying to avoid answering, I ask, “What makes you think she cried?”
“Her face was all blotchy.”
I suck in a deep breath of air, and feeling rotten for lying, I answer, “She was just happy to see Easton.”
Lainey thinks for a moment, then says, “She’s never cried before when he’s come home from filming.”
My mind races to think of a better lie, then I say, “Maybe she’s happy because I’m here as well. It’s the first time we’re all together.”
Thankfully, my excuse seems to put Lainey at ease. “That’s true.” She grins at me. “Let’s go home, so we can show them what we bought.”
“That sounds like a good idea.” I climb to my feet and brush the sand from my dress while we walk toward the SUV.
We stop to toss the empty cups into the trash, and I glance over my shoulder at the ocean, hoping I’ll get to see it again soon.
After we get back into the vehicle, she says, “We can go home, Izak.”
During the short drive, Lainey grins. “Mom’s going to love the dress I got for the bake sale.”
“You looked good in it,” I say. “I wish I had your sense of style. When I was your age, I only wore shorts and T-shirts.”
She looks me up and down. “I like the dress you’re wearing today. It’s pretty.”
Her compliment boosts my fragile self-esteem, making me smile. “Aww, thank you.”
When the SUV pulls up to the front of the mansion, I’m once again struck by how big and luxurious the place is.
“Let’s get all your bags,” I murmur.
“Don’t worry about it. Tyler and Izak will bring everything inside,” Lainey says while shoving her door open.
Earlier, when we were shopping, I was surprised when the driver and bodyguard doubled as pack mules for Lainey. They didn’t complain once though.
Gosh, life is very different here.
Again, I’m hit with the fact that I’m at Easton’s place, and I get to see him after so many years. Even though a dark shadow hangs over me because of the crap I’ve been through and Rachel’s illness, my heart beats faster for the man I’ve loved most of my life.
We climb out of the vehicle, and I join Lainey as we walk into the mansion. “Mom, we’re home!” she shouts.
“Out here,” Rachel replies from the direction of the veranda.
When we step through the open sliding doors, I see Rachel sitting on a lounge chair. Easton’s standing in front of a grill, busy flipping a juicy steak. There are worried lines on his face, but he still looks unbelievably good looking.
My attraction to the man knows no end, and I pray to all that’s holy I’ll be able to hide it from everyone.
“Did you have fun?” Rachel asks, glancing between Lainey and me.
“So much fun!” Lainey replies while I nod.
I sit down beside Rachel, and unable to stop myself, I take her hand and hold it tightly. As her fingers curl around mine, my gaze darts over her features, and I notice how tired and pale she looks.
My heart clenches painfully in my chest, and the urge to grab onto her and not let go almost overpowers me.
Once again, I’m overcome with an intense sense of hopelessness and fear, and I try to breathe through the heavy emotions while Lainey says, “I got new dresses! They’re pretty like Nova’s. And I got sneakers and shoes, and the cutest handbag, and an adorable hat.”
“Why a hat?” Rachel asks with a soft chuckle.
Lainey shrugs. “I’m thinking of making it my new style.”
Rachel lets out a bark of laughter. “God help us. I’m still trying to recover from your scarf obsession. You haven’t worn most of them.”
“But they look pretty as decorations,” Lainey argues as she moves to stand beside Easton. “Nova and I already ate, but the food smells yummy.”
Easton brushes his hand over her hair in a fatherly manner. “You can have yours later.”
I wonder if he’ll ever get married and have children of his own. I think he’d make an amazing father.
I once read that he was dating a model, but it didn’t last long, and there’s been no other news of him being in a relationship.
The aroma of the steaks pulls me out of my thoughts, and even though I’m stuffed from everything Lainey and I ate today, I ask, “Can I make a salad? Or maybe a potato bake?”
“Don’t worry,” Rachel replies. “Frances already prepared green beans and mashed potatoes.”
I give her a questioning look. “Frances?”
“Oh, she’s our housekeeper. You’ll love her,” she informs me. “You’ll also see Josh and Randy around the property. They’re the groundskeepers. And you’ll probably meet the other guards, Noah, Ryan, and Eddie, at some point.”
Holy crap, that’s a lot of names to remember.
Rachel must read my mind because she says, “I’ll keep reminding you of their names until you remember them.”
I let out a relieved chuckle. “Thanks.”
“All the bags are in the living room,” Izak suddenly says from where he’s standing by the open sliding doors.
“Thank you,” Easton replies. “You can take the rest of the weekend off.”
“Just call if your plans change and you need me.” Izak offers us a polite smile before heading back inside the house.
Lainey comes to grab Rachel’s other hand and tugs at her. “Come, Mommy. I want to show you everything.”
Rachel climbs to her feet before asking, “Are you going to give me a fashion show?”
“Yes!” Lainey darts into the house, her excitement easing the constant tension hanging in the air.
From where I’m sitting, I’m able to glance into the living room while staying out on the veranda with Easton so he’s not alone.
Lainey babbles about everything we did while emptying one bag after another.
“Thank you for today, Nova,” Easton says.
My gaze darts to him, and noticing he’s staring at me, my heart skips a beat.
My voice is a little hoarse when I reply, “It’s my pleasure.
I had a great time with Lainey.” I look into the house again, and seeing Lainey is preoccupied with showing Rachel all her purchases, I quickly take the chance to ask, “Did you hear anything back from that doctor in Australia?”
Easton flips a steak while nodding, then his eyes meet mine again. “We’ve sent him all the information about Rachel’s illness and put him in contact with the doctor here in LA. He’s looking at everything and will get back to us.”
My teeth tug at my bottom lip. “Do you think he’ll be able to help her?”
Easton lets out a heavy sigh. “I hope so.”
I glance at Rachel again and watch as she laughs with Lainey, who’s modeling the purple hat while making silly faces.
An intense wave of sorrow and worry knocks the air from my lungs and makes my throat strain as tears sting my eyes. I lift my hand to cover my mouth while I fight with all my might not to break down.
I take in every inch of Rachel’s beautiful face and see the fear etched into her features. She looks so pale and tired.
I can’t lose you, Rach.
As if she can hear my thoughts, her gaze flicks to me, and for a few seconds, we stare at each other before Lainey catches her attention again.
When a tear threatens to fall, I get up and walk past the swimming pool before heading in a random direction away from the veranda.
“Nova?” I hear Easton call, but I pretend not to hear him.
Not taking in any of the pretty flower beds around me, I suck in deep breaths of air, but I’m unable to calm down. It feels as if heartache and desperation threaten to rip my chest wide open.
I rush to the side of the mansion, and once I’m sure no one can see me, a sob bursts from me. I wrap an arm around my middle, my body bending forward from the devastation ripping through me.
You need to calm down.
Gasping through the pain, I desperately try to regain control over my emotions while wiping the tears from my face.
You have to be stronger.
Suddenly, a hand touches my back, and as my head snaps up, Easton moves to stand in front of me.
Crap, I didn’t want anyone to see me cry.
His gray eyes are filled with the same sadness that’s suffocating me.
“I’m sorry,” I say, my voice strained. “I’ll do better.”
A frown forms on his face while he tilts his head. “Come here,” he murmurs, his tone soft and filled with understanding as he pulls me into a hug, surprising the hell out of me.
Instead of feeling frazzled and overwhelmed that Easton is actually holding me, it has a totally different effect on me.
The instant his arms wrap around me, I’m unable to stop myself from breaking down. It’s as if the comfort he’s offering me makes the tears come faster.
I curl my arms against my chest and keep a hand over my mouth while my tears soak into his expensive T-shirt. Every time I take a choppy breath, I get a lungful of his woodsy cologne.
If I weren’t so broken and Rachel weren’t ill, this could’ve been one of the best moments of my life. But it’s not. Because I might lose my best friend, and I don’t think I’ll ever be whole again.
After a minute or so, my emotions turn from an inconsolable mess to an empty feeling that weighs a ton. My tears stop, and the sobs fade away.
Easton pulls back while tilting his head to catch my eyes. “Better?”
I only manage to look at him for a couple of seconds before I have to avert my gaze because it’s just too intense. “Yes.” I quickly clear my throat. “Thank you.” Then I see the wet spot on his T-shirt and add, “I’m sorry for ruining your shirt.”
“Don’t worry about it.” He takes a step backward while shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Nothing about this is going to be easy.”
I look up at him as I nod. Noticing he’s staring at the grass, I don’t look away immediately, and I see the worry and heartache etched into his features.
“What can I do to make things better?” The words leave me automatically.
He turns his head toward me, and when we lock eyes, my heartbeat speeds up.
“You’re already doing plenty, Nova. Just be there for Rachel and Lainey.”
My voice is a soft whisper as I dare to ask, “And you?”
The corner of his mouth lifts slightly. “Don’t worry about me.”
I’ll always worry about you.
He gestures with a nod of his head toward the veranda. “Let’s head back.”
Not wanting Rachel to notice that I cried, I ask, “How does my face look? Can you tell I’ve been crying?”
Easton stares at me for a moment too long before he replies, “A little red here and there. Hang back for a few minutes.”
I nod while I watch him walk away and disappear around the corner.
As much as I needed that cry, I really have to do better.