Chapter 31 Easton #2
“I can run to the diner and grab us something to eat,” I say. “But let’s first check with Maggie whether she has a room for us.”
“You’re not running anywhere,” Easton mutters. “Not without me.”
I let out a chuckle. “I love how protective you are.”
Tyler pulls our luggage from the trunk while we walk to the front door. Entering the home that’s decorated with sunflowers and chickens, I call out, “Hello? Maggie? Anyone home?”
“Coming,” Maggie replies, and a few seconds later, she walks into the foyer. “Nova. It’s been a while since I last saw you in town. How are you, dear?”
“I’m good. Do you have a couple of rooms available?”
“Business has been as dead as a doornail. You can have your pick of the rooms,” she replies, then her eyes lock on Easton, and her mouth drops open. “It’s . . . it’s . . . it’s . . . Easton Rowe.”
Honestly, I don’t know how Easton does it. All the attention makes me super uncomfortable.
“Hi, Maggie,” Easton says when she just keeps staring. “How about those rooms?”
“Oh, of course!” She hurries to the small desk and grabs keys from the keyholder.
“Four rooms, please,” I add.
When we follow her up the stairs, Easton says, “I’d appreciate it if you don’t tell anyone I’m staying here. I’ll sign the wall in the foyer, which should be good for business.”
“Of course. My lips are sealed. It’s such an honor. Here are the keys. Have you all eaten? Should I make something for dinner?” She thinks for a moment, then her face falls. “Gosh, I don’t think I have enough ingredients to feed you all. I didn’t expect to be fully booked tonight.”
“It’s okay.” I pat her arm. “I’ll grab something from Reggie’s Diner.”
“Oh, good. Let me know if you need anything. You’re welcome to make yourselves a cup of tea or coffee. There’s also some lemonade in the fridge.”
“Thank you.”
Instead of leaving, she hesitates before saying, “I heard about Rachel. She was always such a sweet girl.”
The whole town must know of her passing.
When Maggie walks away, she keeps glancing over her shoulder until she heads back down the stairs.
“I have no idea how you deal with all the attention,” I mutter to Easton as I walk into the first room.
Tyler places our luggage near the double bed, then says, “Should I go to the diner to get food? That way, you can stay here.”
Easton glances around the room. “Yeah. Thanks, Tyler.”
“Just get us each a cheeseburger and fries. It’s the best thing they have on the menu,” I tell him.
When we’re alone, Easton shakes his head. “Wow, this is one hell of a blast from the past.”
“Yeah.” I let out a chuckle.
We look at the double bed with sunflowers on the covers and pillowcases, then glance at each other.
“Maybe we can sit outside for a bit,” Easton says. “I could do with some fresh air.”
“Okay.”
We leave the room and head back downstairs. Maggie’s sitting in the living room with the TV on, and I almost burst out laughing when I see she’s watching one of Easton’s movies.
I take hold of his arm and push him to keep walking out the front door while teasing him, “Don’t you dare offer to show her how to kiss.”
He lets out a bark of laughter. “I only did that so I could finally kiss you.”
We sit down by a small wrought iron table, and Easton shifts his chair so he’s partially hidden behind a pillar.
“It’s actually a nice night out,” I say as I glance up and down the street. All the houses are on the older side, but the gardens are filled with pretty flowers.
Even though I wasn’t happy in Verona, it’s a charming little town.
We’re quiet for a moment, then Easton shakes his head.
“What?” I ask.
He locks eyes with me, and just from the guilt on his face, I already know what he’s going to say. “I should’ve let you stay with us after I became Rachel’s guardian. That old bastard wouldn’t have put up a fight. I don’t think he would’ve even noticed you were gone.”
“It’s in the past,” I murmur.
He shakes his head again while taking hold of my hand. “God only knows how you survived in that house.”
“You and Rachel always gave me food,” I remind him.
He raises an eyebrow at me. “And after we left?”
“I got odd jobs wherever I could.”
“When did you move out?” he asks.
I glance at the other houses again. “A month after you left, I moved in with my first boyfriend.”
When I didn’t have any money to give him, he would beat the crap out of me. I ran from him, straight into Trent’s arms.
A man comes walking up the road, and when he flicks his cigarette into the road, my eyes widen.
Oh no! Talk about the devil.
I sit dead still, praying Trent doesn’t look our way.
“Nova?” Easton gives my hand a squeeze. “What’s wrong?”
Trent glances in our direction, and my heart sets off at a crazy pace when his features grow dark.
“The fuck? Where have you been, bitch?” He picks up speed, and turning up the path leading to the porch, he shouts, “You left me hanging high and dry. I got kicked out of the apartment because of you.”
When Easton rises to his feet and moves out from behind the pillar, Trent’s eyes snap to him, but then shock registers on his face, and he comes to a sudden halt.
I hear footsteps and notice Ryan and Noah coming out of the house. They keep a cautious eye on Trent, who seems to be rethinking things.
Not sure I can stand because my legs are a little numb, I remain seated as I say, “Leave, Trent.”
Easton instantly growls, “So you’re the bastard who likes to beat women?”
“Hey, now. I don’t know what she’s told you, but I never laid a finger on her,” Trent says, holding up his hands in front of him.
“Leave this to me, guys,” Easton tells the guards as he grips hold of the railing around the porch, jumping over it with ease. When he walks toward Trent, his tone is threatening as he asks, “Are you calling my girlfriend a liar?”
I dart to my feet and rush down the stairs, grabbing hold of Easton’s arm. “He’s not worth it.”
Easton pulls free from me and gently pushes me a few steps back, then he swings around, and his fist connects with Trent’s face.
My ex staggers backward before falling flat on his butt, blood gushing from his nose.
I gasp and dart forward, grabbing hold of Easton again. “Don’t. Please!”
This is so, so very bad. What if it’s leaked to the press? What if Trent opens an assault case against Easton?
God.
Easton
The fucker deserved it. I’ll face whatever backlash I have to, but there was no way I was letting the opportunity pass me by.
“Trent Crawford,” Maggie snaps from the front door. “Are you causing trouble again?”
“He hit me,” Trent shouts as he climbs to his feet. “You broke my fucking nose. I’m going to sue you.”
“All I saw was you causing trouble,” Maggie says. “I called the sheriff.”
Sylvia is going to lose her shit.
But it was worth it, and I’d do it again.
Not even a minute later, the patrol car stops in front of the house, and when Deputy Stone climbs out, I lean into Nova and say, “If I’m arrested, call Sylvia.”
“Oh God,” she whimpers.
“Crawford, I’m so goddamn tired of your shit,” the deputy grumbles. “What did the troublemaker do, Maggie?”
“He just came up to Nova and Mr. Rowe and started yelling obscenities.” Maggie comes closer, then she lies through her teeth as she adds, “I think he took drugs. He got himself beaten up somewhere, and now he’s messing blood all over my cobblestones. I’m never going to get the stains out.”
I think I love Maggie. Fuck, she’s saving my ass right now.
“A night in the cell will do you good,” Deputy Stone says while he puts handcuffs on Trent.
“I didn’t do shit,” Trent yells. “He hit me. You’re arresting the wrong man!”
We all stand and watch as Trent is shoved into the back of the patrol car, then Deputy Stone says, “Sorry for the disturbance, folks. You all have a good night.”
When he slides in behind the steering wheel and drives away, I turn to look at Maggie. “Thank you.”
She shrugs. “That boy deserved the punch you gave him. He’s never been anything but trouble.”
Nova looks a little shell-shocked as she says, “Thank you, Maggie. God, I was so worried.”
“Let’s go inside and have some lemonade.”
When we head into the house, I stop in the foyer and say, “Do you have a permanent marker, Maggie?”
“Yes.” She hurries to the desk and digs in a drawer. “Somewhere in here. Where’s that dang marker?” She packs everything out of the drawer before finally finding it. “Here it is.”
I take the marker from her and check that it hasn’t dried out before I walk in behind the desk and write on the wall.
Loved staying at Sugar River Inn. Easton Rowe.
I scribble my signature and add today’s date before asking, “Do you want to take a photo, then you can add it to the wall?”
“Oh yes! That would be great.”
She pulls out her phone, and letting go of my rule not to touch women, I place my arm around her shoulders and smile. She snaps a few photos, and I even press a kiss on her cheek before moving away from her.
“I’m framing them all,” she says, tears shimmering in her eyes. “Gosh, who would’ve thought I’d get to meet you today? I’ll never forget it.”
I’ll have Sylvia tell the press I stayed here so Maggie can get some publicity for her business.
Tyler comes walking into the foyer with bags in his arms. “Food’s here.”
“Come. You can sit in the dining room. I’ll bring the lemonade,” Maggie says, her face lit up with happiness.
It’s times like this, when I get to make someone genuinely happy, that I love what I do.
I wait for Nova to sit down before I take a seat beside her. Tyler unpacks all the burgers and fries, and soon, we’re all stuffing our faces.
Turns out that coming to Verona had a silver lining. I got to knock Trent on his ass. I would’ve loved to beat the shit out of him, but at least I got one very satisfying punch.
I place my hand on Nova’s leg and give her thigh a squeeze. “You okay?”
She nods but then scowls at me. “Never do something like that again. I was worried out of my mind.”
“Everything sorted itself out,” I say before popping a greasy fry into my mouth.
“Lucky for you,” she mutters, then she places her hand on top of mine, and a smile tugs at her mouth. “I don’t condone violence, but it felt good watching you punch him.”
When we’re done eating, we head up to our room, and while Nova closes the door, I fall back onto the bed and let out a sigh. “I’m tired.”
“Let’s get changed, then you can lie on your stomach, and I’ll give you a massage until you fall asleep.”
My head pops up. “Now that sounds like heaven.”
She slaps my boot. “Come on. Boots off the bed and get changed into your sweatpants.”