Done (Harmony Haven #1)

Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

EASTON

I stood with my arms crossed, leaning against the brick wall of the fire station outside the last bay. I wanted to be as far away from everyone else as possible while I talked to Rory. But I didn’t want to be completely alone, so I stayed where I could see the cars passing on the street.

When Rory walked up, I deliberately avoided her gaze for a minute, with my lips pressed into a thin line, making sure she knew our chat wasn’t going to be friendly. I half expected her to turn around and try leaving, but she stayed put, huffing loudly while she waited on me to finally say something.

“Thanks for coming,” I gritted out.

"Easton,” she spoke softly, “you know I will come when you need me.”

“This isn’t a friendly request,” I spat out, pushing from the wall. “Something is up with you and I need it to stop involving me.”

“Excuse me?” She put a hand to her chest, taken aback. How could she think for a second I wasn’t pissed? I hadn’t spoken to her in weeks. The last time had, it was to tell her to get the fuck out of my room.

“Captain Reed told me to tread lightly. He doesn’t want there to be drama among the crew. But I can’t keep letting you think it's okay to push yourself on me.”

“I never?—”

“You were in my room,” I seethed. “You were in my bed. Honestly, you’re lucky I didn't fire you.”

“You wouldn’t do that to me,” she purred, batting her eyelashes.

“Stop! Rory you have to?—”

It was her turn to cut me off, breaking into a fit of laughter, holding her stomach like she had just heard the funniest joke ever.

“I’m sorry,” she tried saying, her breath hard to catch. “Oh man. You are so touchy. It's freaking hilarious.”

She was doing it again, making me feel like I was crazy… or trying to convince me that she was crazy. Either way, she needed a crown and a sash as the winner of Miss Gaslight USA.

“I got a little drunk and ended up in your room,” she shrugged. “I knew I had to work the next morning and decided to get a ride to the station to sleep it off. When you came in, I guess I was still drunk. No big deal.”

That wasn’t it. There was more. She was trying to save herself with the lie, but I knew she had been acting strange since the day I met Jesse. Something was going on in that head of hers, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to open that can of worms.

“Just stay away, Rory. Jesse means the world to me, and all those little games you play just aren't gonna fly.”

“Easton, geez,” she whined. “I’m seeing someone. Someone I knew from my time in Atlanta. He’s been coming into town to see me and he is all I care about. Maybe it's making me a little looney, but I don’t want to lose him again.”

Thank God.

“Good,” I sighed and started to walk away. I had been standing there long enough. We had to get back to work and I wanted to fill Captain Reed in on our little chat.

“That’s all you needed?” She yelled as I walked away.

“Yep.” I didn’t bother looking back or saying goodbye. One little nicety and she would think I asked her to marry me. Boyfriend or not, she had been poking around and lying about me long enough to never trust her.

I had gotten to Jesse’s house right after my shift ended. It was still pretty early, and with her car gone, I assumed she had left to take Max to school.

I could wait.

Since I hadn’t worked out in a few days, I started doing pushups, on the sidewalk in the front yard. I had just gotten to forty-three when her car pulled in, and I knew I had to get to fifty before my undiagnosed OCD would let me stop.

“What are you doing?” She laughed, shutting the car door.

“Four hundred ninety eight, four hundred ninety nine, five-hundred,” I groaned, then pushed to my feet. “Just getting a light workout in while I waited for you.”

“Five hundred pushups?”

“Eh,” I shrugged, “Didn’t think you’d want to wait while I got to one-thousand.”

Giggling, she walked up to unlock the door and I wrapped my arms around her waist from behind. I kissed her neck, loving the way she shuddered under my touch.

“I should quit my job so I can kiss you every day,” I smiled.

“I can’t pay your bills,” she laughed. “Keep your job.”

“Fine,” I pouted, then followed her into the house.

I made my way straight to her kitchen, pouring myself a cup of coffee before settling on the couch. She went to her computer, getting it started up before she sat down next to me.

For a few hours, she showed me her new label ideas, the colors her manufacturer had started offering, and her ideas for scent samples. It was fascinating watching her work and it felt good that we had fallen into a place where she was comfortable enough to share it with me.

“You ever miss making the candles by hand?”

“Always!”

“You should,” I suggested. “Even if it's just a few that you keep for yourself, or give to friends.”

“When I get the time and space, count on it,” she nudged me. “You can make some too.”

“Oh you can count on that.”

It got quiet for a while as she continued to type away and I just watched in awe. My mind started to think about how easy things were between us, and how much closer we got every single day.

But then, in true Jesse fashion, she reminded me I didn’t need to think too deeply.

“You know we can’t do this forever, right?”

“You know I’m not listening to you, right?”

She laughed and playfully swatted at me. I knew she was still trying to convince herself that we were a bad idea, but she’d have to dig a whole lot deeper if she thought I’d just give up and leave. I refused to make it easy on her. Until I was sure she was serious, I’d keep showing up and showing her how much she and Max meant to me.