Done (Harmony Haven #1)

Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

EASTON

She giggled as she ran into the bathroom, then I heard the shower start. It took everything in me not to join her and fuck her again. But time was ticking, and I couldn’t wait to see the look on Max’s face when he finally got to see his fire truck bed.

While I went to work, carrying the heavy box up the stairs and gathering some tools, I could hear Jesse on her call in the dining room. She was so damn smart and somehow made the act of buying candles sound like she was discussing a peace treaty.

To her, candles weren’t just candles; they were the colors, the smells, and the notion that each one could bring happiness to someone else just by lighting the wick. I was so proud of her and everything she had accomplished on her own, not just in her business, but as a mother as well.

Max was a good kid and so incredibly smart. Although he was a bit shy, he was respectful and polite for a kid that hadn’t even been on earth for four years. It was amazing and being in his life was just as special as being in Jesse’s.

Everything was happening so fast. My feelings for Jesse, and Max, had skyrocketed quicker than I could blink. It was scary, but it felt so damn good that I couldn’t deny it.

Jesse was right to take her time. She had a lot more to lose, a lot more to consider. But I meant what I had said. No matter how long it took, I would wait and I would be her friend, her lover, and anything in between. All I asked was that she never pushed me away.

“She went to get Max,” I explained to Ms. Ellison. “I stayed behind to add the final touches to his new fire truck bed.”

“I see,” she smiled, lifting her brows in wonder. “And I noticed the other night that your truck never even left.”

“Ms. Ellison,” I gasped playfully. “Don’t tell me you’re spying on the neighbors and fishing for gossip.”

She placed her hands on her hips and scoffed, shaking her head before looking back at me. “I sure the hell am, and I have the candle to make it official. Besides, who do you think is reporting back to Edgar and Elenor?”

Edgar and Elenor? For fucks sake.

It figured that Grams and Gramps had her on the payroll. She was probably in charge of keeping them apprised on all things Easton and Jesse since I hadn’t been as open as I was the last time I was at Sunday dinner. But why would I be? Gramps had me freaked the fuck out. All his mind games were too much for me to handle while also coming to terms with the fact that I was falling for the new girl in town.

“Well what did they have to say about spending the night?”

“Just asked me to bring over these,” she sighed, handing me a bag that she had set down on the porch after I answered the door.

Looking in the plastic grocery bag, I nearly choked as I realized she had brought over a box of condoms.

“Ms. Ellison!” I laughed loudly. “You were my high school English teacher, and now you’re bringing me condoms?”

“I liked it better when I was working for you,” she sighed again. “Any more notebooks you need me to send?”

“Not right now,” I laughed. “But I may need to remind you, Gramps, and Grams that I’m not a kid. I know how to buy my own… things .”

It didn’t seem like the right time to tell her I wasn’t exactly a virgin. She and my grandparents were way past due if they were going to provide protection for my brothers and me to have sex.

“Well,” Ms. Ellison started backing off the porch and waving me away. “Just have fun, you crazy kids. I haven’t had the chance to chat with Jesse, and now I’m headed to Atlanta to see my kids for a few days, so I wanted to say goodbye. Tell her I’ll be home Thursday.”

“I sure will,” I smiled and waved, watching as she slowly made her way out of the gate and across the street back to her house.

When I shut the door, I leaned against it and laughed so hard I had tears coming down my face. Poor Ms. Ellison. I’m sure she was torn between wanting to know everything and not wanting to deliver condoms. But what did she mean by having a candle to prove it?

By the time I got myself together, I heard Jesse pull into the driveway, and I opened the door to welcome Max. We may not have wanted him to see me spend the night, but Jesse was okay with me being around and showing him his new bed. She had even planned on me staying for dinner, and we decided on a movie we could watch with Max before bedtime.

“Eas!” Max screamed with excitement, running toward me with his arms up. It was the first time he had called me anything other than ‘fire truck’ and I almost choked on the emotion it made me feel.

Jesse was also taken aback, staring with her hand on her chest as she walked up the sidewalk behind Max.

“Hey, my man!” I scooped him into my arms and he hugged me, making my heart completely stop. “Did you have fun at school?”

He nodded and leaned back, pushing my cheeks together and making me do funny faces as he laughed. When I set him down, Jesse got his attention and squatted down in front of him.

“Easton helped mommy do something special for you.”

“For me?” he asked so sweetly.

“For you,” she poked his nose. “You know how Mommy got you a new bed but we only had some of it put together?”

Max nodded and pointed to the now empty box I had placed back against the wall in the living room.

“That’s right,” I knelt down as well. “But it was so heavy that Mommy needed some help and I took it to your room for you.”

“I wanna see!” He jumped and then started up the stairs.

“Wait,” I laughed, scooping him into my arms again and holding him high over my head. “Wait for us so we can show you.”

I set him back on his feet and he put his hand out, waiting for Jesse to take it. When she did he turned and gave me his other hand. I took it the same way Jesse had and we smiled as he led us up the stairs the best he could.

“Com’ere,” he insisted. “Com’ere.”

“We’re coming,” Jesse laughed.

We let him open his door and turn the light on. When he faced back toward his bed, he stopped walking and gasped. For some reason, I expected him to be excited, but he was nearly in tears as his lip jutted out.

“What’s wrong?” Jesse cried, falling to her knees in front of him. “It's a fire truck, you love fire trucks.”

Max didn’t say anything, just nodded his little head and ran toward the bed. He jumped on the mattress and then turned around, his smile shining through his tears.

It was at that moment that I realized he loved it, so much that he was emotional, and being a guy of few words made it hard for him to express his feelings. Jesse stayed where she was, watching him look closer at the wood I had installed around the frame he already had.

There was a door that opened and he could climb under the bed, looking like he was in a firetruck and ready for a call. I showed him how it worked and he clapped, then showed Jesse like she had no idea it worked that way.

“You know what?” I whispered to him. “You have the best mommy in the world to get you this amazing bed. You know that?”

He nodded and ran to Jesse, hugging her neck tightly. A small tear fell from her eye as she embraced her son and soaked in his rare emotional act. I took my thumb to her cheek and caught the tear, making her open her eyes and look up at me.

“Thank you,” she mouthed.

It wasn’t for catching her tears, it was for helping her with the bed, for making Max’s day. I nodded, letting her know I understood, but I didn’t want to say anything that would cause Max to break away from her hug.

But eventually he did, and he turned around to face me, hugging my leg. I settled my hand on his head, patting him and soaking in his gratitude.

Jesse was right. We could say and feel whatever we wanted when we were alone and in bed, but things changed when Max was involved. He was the wildcard in our future. He was all that mattered. And even though I knew how much I cared for him, I had to be sure that I could be the kind of person that a boy like Max deserved in his life.