Done (Harmony Haven #1)

Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-Two

EASTON

Laying in the yard, sprawled out in the freshly cut grass, I looked up at mom and dad’s old house. It took me all day to weed eat, mow, and trim the hedges, but I took pride in doing it myself.

In the beginning, Miles and I did the work together, using it as time we’d spend reminiscing and telling old stories. We got the work done in half the time, but as the years went on, and we got older, we found peace in being out there alone.

West still had someone do his part for him, unable to face the house even though it had been twenty years. I sometimes gave him shit for it, but deep down, I understood.

“You think I would be a good dad?” I asked my own dad, hoping there was some way he could hear me, some way he could answer me. “I never really thought about being a dad. But after meeting Jesse and Max, knowing I want to be with her for a long time, it's a natural thought. Right?” I motioned with my hand toward the sky, then put it back behind me to prop my neck up. “And by a long time, I mean forever. Which is crazy. I'm pretty sure I fell in love with her at first sight, which is not something I ever believed in. But dad, you saw her right? When I brought her over last week? She’s gorgeous, and smart. Every once in a while, I can make her laugh and smile, and it lights up my whole world. She has a lot on her shoulders. She’s been through a lot. So when I can break through all that, it makes me want to do it again and again.”

Under the tree, in the shade, the breeze picked up and I smiled, taking it as a sign that dad heard what I was saying.

“Trust me, Dad, I know how crazy I’ve been since I met her. It's been hard to think about anything else. You once told me, though, that Mom made you do things you never dreamt you would. Like ballroom dancing and putting the toilet seat down. You said the right woman will make you unapologetically crazy, and boy were you right.”

A few harder wind gusts started swirling and in the distance, I could hear the thunder of an incoming afternoon storm. It was still in the distance, but coming toward Harmony Haven and I got up, storing the lawn mower back in the old shed.

Before loading up in my truck, I pulled my phone out and looked at the time. Max would still be in school for a couple of hours so I could try to sneak over and see Jesse. The thought of having her take a shower with me was just enough to make my jeans feel tighter and my finger hover over the call button.

But before I could press it, an incoming call from Daniel popped up on my screen. He was on duty and had no reason to call me unless something had happened. So I answered quickly and didn’t even get to speak before his words had me cranking my truck up and peeling out of the long driveway.

“There was an accident at the preschool.” His breathing was labored and I could hear people yelling in the background.

“Jenny?” I floored it, fearing the worst for my goddaughter.

“No. She’s okay, but we got a call and sent EMTs. They transported Max to the medical center but according to the school, Jesse isn’t in town so he’s alone. Thought I’d call you.”

My foot was practically hitting the floorboard as I raced the distance back into town. “I’m headed straight there.”

“You need to call Jesse,” he urged. “They won’t let you see him. You’re not related.”

I hung up without any goodbyes and immediately dialed Jesse. Her phone had a busy signal, though, which was unheard of unless she was using the phone to call. I tried again, several times, but it never went through.

The rain started coming down hard, making it hard to see the road, but I still made it to the clinic within minutes. Betty was the nurse at the front desk, typing away as if she didn’t have a care in the world. She looked up, recognizing me and by the look on her face, she knew why I was there.

“Where’s Max Olsen?”

“You know I can’t let you go back there,” Betty sighed. “Especially since you aren’t even on duty. You’re here on personal business, Easton, and he’s not your business.”

“He’s alone!” I slammed my hand on the counter. “He knows me. Did you get a hold of Jesse?”

“We were just going to try her phone again. It's been busy, not connecting, but the school spoke with her and she’s on her way back from Atlanta.”

Atlanta? I didn’t know she went to Atlanta. Why didn’t she tell me?

“Also,” Betty huffed, “he’s not alone. Rory was with the EMTs and offered stayed with him. He’s in good hands.”

Rory?

No. No. No.

Not that I thought she would hurt him, but she had caused enough damage to my trust and goodwill. She didn’t need to be anywhere near my…Max.

“Fire truck,” I heard screaming from behind the swinging double doors that I wasn’t supposed to breach. “Fire truck.”

It was Max, but unlike his usual excited tone, he sounded scared—frantic. It no longer mattered what the rules were, I made the decision to get through those doors no matter the outcome.

Betty had been watching me, seeing the decision in my eyes before I even moved a muscle. “Don’t Easton.”

“He doesn’t talk a lot,” I seethed. “He’s gone through a big change, a new town, a new school, and his mom isn't here yet. He’s scared and he needs me. Try and stop me.”

I didn’t wait for her reply, I raced to the double doors and pushed them open with a hard force.

“Room seven,” Betty hollered.

A small smile lifted in the corner of my mouth. She wasn’t going to stop me, she just had to do her job. She had to say she tried.

When I got to the end of the hall, I could hear Max start crying again and I ran into his open door. The lights were dim and Rory was sitting next to him on the bed, patting his shoulder as if she were patting a puppy’s head.

“Get out,” I commanded, getting both their attention.

“Eas!” Max jumped up. I put my hands out to catch him and laid him gently back into bed.

“Easton!” Rory gasped. “What’re you doing here?”

“I’m going to stay here till Jesse gets here. You need to leave.”

“I wasn’t hurting him,” she snapped, returning the ire I had projected at her.

“There’s not a bone in my body that believes you’d hurt him, Rory. But you’ve done enough.”

When I sat on the bed, Max had pulled himself into my lap and curled into my arms. He held tightly onto my shirt and I cradled him as I took one last look at Rory. The last thing Jesse needed was to see Rory and her attitude when she got there.

Thankfully, Rory took my warning to heart and left, huffing as she stomped from the room like a child. I looked down at the little guy in my arms and kissed the top of his head gently.

“What happened?” I asked him quietly, hoping he felt like talking.

“I fell,” Max’s voice spoke up, surprising me. “The wind was blowing hard.”

I knew how Jesse felt now. Yeah, I had gotten words from Max, but not a whole sentence. Not in an articulate manner that showed how smart and aware he was.

My heart was racing, my arms were shaking. I leaned back in his bed and kept him close to me, feeling a mix of relief that he was okay and fear that it could have been worse.

“Where’s it hurt?”

“My head, right here.” He pointed to the side of his head that was against my chest and I realized it had a bandage with blood coming through the thin material.

“Okay,” I whispered. “Just lay back and rest. I got you my man. Momma will be here soon.”

I reached behind me, wanting to pull my phone out of my back pocket to call Jesse again. But it wasn’t there and I had to think back to where I had it last.

In my truck. I must have left it.

I should have gone to go find it, along with my keys that I didn’t have with me either. I could have run to the truck and made it back to Max quickly, but he somehow sensed what I was thinking and held onto me even tighter. His little fist was white, squeezing so hard that he started to shake.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I whispered, and took his tiny hand in mine. Just rest.”