Chapter 45
Easton
A few weeks could change a lot.
Lila claimed she wasn’t worried, but I could tell she was on edge.
We all were. I’d wake up some nights to find her sitting on the edge of the bed, the glow of her phone lighting her face as she scrolled through the camera feed outside her cottage.
She’d look over at me guiltily, but I understood.
The only thing I could do was hold her close before going outside to double-check.
Milton and Derek had seemed to have disappeared. Wade still kept the alert out, but there hadn’t been even a hint of a sighting. We all knew better than to hope that they were just gone, or had given up.
I’d learned not to say the words you’re safe now—she hated that. Sure, I’d protect Lila with my life, but there were only so many things I could do if we couldn’t find the fuckers. Even if I stayed close by (which she also disliked), I couldn’t be there all the time.
Instead, I built things. Cooked. Left coffee on the nightstand before I went to work. Trying to tell her with everything I did that I was here for her, and not going anywhere. That I loved her.
The snow had mostly melted from last week’s storm, and we had another round of rain. Now there was some of that dirty slush along the roads that seemed to stick around until spring.
The Holts didn’t really have “quiet family meals.” Sunday dinners were lively, with Sage stomping up and down the stairs to visit all the plants, Kipp camping out in the family room, Chloe fussing over everyone, and Wade pretending he didn’t enjoy every second of it.
When I pulled up, smoke curled from the chimney, and I could already smell pot roast and herbs through the cold air. Maggie’s kitchen window glowed gold, same as it always had since I was a kid.
Inside, warmth hit me full in the chest. I knew there’d be Maggie’s delicious roast beef with potatoes, and if we were lucky, some pillowy biscuits on the side.
Maggie turned from the stove, holding hot pads in her hands, and closed the oven.
She’d just gotten her walking boot, and she was over the moon.
“Well, look who actually shows up before dessert for once.”
“Trying to keep my reputation clean,” I said, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “I hope you aren’t doing too much.” I gave her my best warning look.
“Mm-hmm. Already lecturing me.” She gave me that look that always saw straight through me.
“No, I’m not doing too much. It’s just pot roast.” She rolled her eyes like she was a pre-teen.
“I even sat at the counter and prepped all the veggies in advance like I was supposed to. Now it’s just in the oven doing its thing.
In a little while, we can make some biscuits, and that’ll be that.
Tell me what’s new with you and your girl.
” She propped a hand on her hip and gave me a mock glare.
“Well, I’m glad you’re not pushing yourself too hard.
Come sit back down, and I’ll tell you everything.
” Maneuvering her toward the easy chair, I murmured words of admiration as she showed me how well her walking boot worked.
It was nice to see how much she’d improved with her healing.
Settling on the couch across from her, I relaxed a little.
“Lila’ll be here soon. She’s closing up early.
Said she’d be here by four. And she’s great. We’re great.”
“Good,” Maggie said, satisfied. “She’s good for you, East. You’re a better version of yourself.”
“Come on, was I that bad before?” I teased.
She snorted softly. “Surviving and thriving. There’s a difference.”
That hit harder than I expected. Maggie had seen me through more than most, through the years when I couldn’t seem to figure out who I was.
There were all those years when I was trying to figure out how I fit in with the Holt family, and how to be a sibling.
Even in the last years, while she was struggling with her own grief, she had been trying to counsel me on my own.
“She is good for me. I’m going to hang onto her. You and Levi taught me what love should look like.” Maggie gave a soft smile. “How are you doing?”
“I miss him every day. We were blessed to have him in our lives. Life sometimes isn’t fair. Certainly, I’ve had my moments where I’ve been angry about losing him, but I’m okay, darling. I have all of you to fill my life with. Maybe soon I’ll have some grandchildren.” She gave me a coy smile.
“You can’t rush perfection, Mags. Or guilt-trip me into them.” Still, I couldn’t help but imagine how adorable a little Lila might be or how much I’d love to have a family someday with her.
Maggie and I passed the time talking about the list of things that needed doing around the property.
There was a whole host of items that seemed to constantly need tending: a fence down near the far pasture, the back garden gate needed a new hinge, her greenhouse had a small leak, and so on.
Dutifully, I added things to my notes app so I wouldn’t forget.
I was glad there wasn’t any stock on the property anymore.
It would have been hard to keep up if we had a full-blown farm up here. We’d have had to hire help for sure.
While I’d been putting a rush on Lila’s cottage, I’d put off a few of my new projects, but I had the employees I’d hired, and then picked up another one that seemed to be a good fit.
Penn Harding had been in the hardware store the other day when I’d been loading up supplies, and we’d gotten to talking.
He was a transplant to the area and seemed more than knowledgeable.
I had him work a few handyman jobs for me the last few weeks.
Resetting a door, fixing a step, and a roof leak.
I’d gone back and rechecked the work, only to find it impeccable.
Apparently, he talked about as much as a dead rattler, but he was good.
Now I had him started on the kitchen remodel for the Willets with the other guys.
Jett had teased me that I had replaced him here in Oregon with another team, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
We were a long way from the Idaho operation.
I made a few business calls before I started setting the table, listening to the background noise at home—Kipp thumping in and kicking off his boots, Sage laughing from the living room as she told some story to Wade, the sound of dishes clattering.
Lo Lo was helping Maggie was some of her bills on the computer.
It was chaos, the good kind. The kind you don’t realize you miss until you have it again.
By the time the clock edged toward four, I found myself glancing out the window every few minutes. It was ridiculous. I’d already texted Lila about ten times today, and she had texted me before she left the shop. When her car finally pulled into the driveway, I finally relaxed.
Lila climbed out, bundled in her favorite green coat, her scarf trailing loose, and her curls catching the last of the light.
I had been learning just how hard she actually worked.
There was no doubt she adored her store, but she also put in a ton of hours.
Lila told me she was thinking of hiring more help, possibly someone who could handle the morning baking chores, because she was burning the candle at both ends with the increased traffic at the shop.
She also wanted to start some extra activities for kids.
That was another thing about Lila—she had so many ideas. My woman was smart.
I went out to meet her halfway across the yard. She smiled when she saw me, that small real one that still hit me in the gut.
“Hey, sugar,” I said, reaching for the box she was carrying. “You didn’t need to bring anything.”
“I brought dessert,” she said, cheeks pink from the cold. “Just a quick apple buckle. Mia made the filling, but I’m stealing the credit. I may have snuck leftovers from today in there too.”
“Smart woman.” I brushed a kiss against her forehead, letting her cold fingers slip into mine. “You ready for the chaos?”
“Is Sage here?” She dug her fingers into one of my back pockets, something I secretly loved.
“She’s been here for a while, racing around watering all the plants.”
“Then yes,” she said, laughing softly. “I’m ready.”
Inside, the house was loud in the best way. She belonged here with my family. Being a Holt was part of her destiny. I could picture us now—a forever family. The idea had caught root now, and I was going to make it happen.
Later, after dinner, after Maggie declared that anyone who didn’t help with dishes was “dead to her,” I stood in the doorway watching Lila at the sink as I scraped plates.
She was laughing at something Kipp had said, her sleeves rolled up, her curls coming loose.
There was a moment where she turned, caught me looking, and the smile softened.
Wade’s phone buzzed on the counter. He frowned at the screen, his expression shifting in an instant from easy to alert. He met my gaze across the room.
“East,” he said quietly. “We need to talk. Now.” He gestured me to the side, trying to be covert, but Kipp was already watching and drying his hands.
My stomach pitched, and my heart sped up. Please let this be our break. “What is it?”
He held up his phone, the message glowing in the light. “Milton Merrick’s debit card just pinged. Gas station off Route 22, ten miles north of King Creek. Transaction time-stamped fifteen minutes ago.”
Holy shitballs. Fifteen minutes. That wasn’t just close — that was right here. That was catchable.
Kipp had already stepped away from the counter, grabbing his jacket. “You think he’s alone?”