Page 71 of Outlaw Heartstrings
The boy nods. “Right.”
Easton’s eyes turn back to me, subtly glancing down my body. “Go get into something comfy, and then we can eat.” He winks at me.
And there go my ovaries, getting all confused again.
I wander off, feeling a little lost, having the next twenty minutes to myself. I don’t have to rush around and figure out what to cook. I don’t have to slump over the stove, whipping up something last minute. There’s no homework to help with tonight.
I just get to…be.
I decide to hop into a quick shower and wash the day away completely. I even take a minute to shave my legs. When I come out, I feel like I’ve successfully hit reset on my evening.
But then I notice my phone sitting on the dresser. With a few more moments to myself, I make the mistake of checking my social media notifications. My sister’s grinning face is the first thing I see when I open the app. Wavy blonde hair floating around her narrow shoulders. Blue eyes glimmering beneath long eyelashes. A million pink roses on a European rooftop serving as the backdrop.
And a diamond the size of a phone book now sitting on her ring finger.
We’re engaged!the caption beneath the high definition picture reads.
“We? Who’s we?!” I all but shriek in my quiet bedroom.
My eyes bounce from Raya’s beaming face to that of her new fiancé. The guy with the too-white teeth and the slicked-back hair is giving slimy, rich oil tycoon vibes. I can practically smell his overwhelming cologne through the phone. He’s precisely my sister’s type. Filthy rich and knocking on death’s door, I mean.
Raya continues to Y.O.L.O her way through her luxurious life.
And here I am, drowning daily in difficult decisions. Feeling all weird about having a quiet dinner with her son and his (presumed) father tonight.
No. No more of that shit.
I refuse to feel guilty anymore. I’m going to enjoy this night. I’m going to enjoy every single moment with Easton and Jagger from here on out.
I return to the kitchen not much later, stunned to find that the table is already set. Three glasses. Three forks. And three plates, full of steaming hot veggies and chicken.Easton, Jagger, and I sit down to eat.
“Wow. This is amazing.” I exhale in awe.
Jagger’s eyes are gleaming. He’s so proud.“Take a bite, Mimi. Take a bite.”
When I do, I moan with delight. “Wow. You guys did so good. This is delicious.”
Easton’s attention follows the path of my tongue as I lap up the sauce dribbling down my chin. His eyes stay on me as I take another mouthwatering bite. This time, I shift my stare away from his and hold back my moan.
Reaching over, I squeeze my nephew’s hand. “Thank you. Both of you.”
“Dad says that it’s important for a man to know how to cook. So he can take care of the lady in his life.” Jaggerbeams at me. “I love taking care of you, Mimi. And now I can even cook for you, too.”
I melt into a pile of goo. “I could get used to that, Buddy.”
I never realized that it was possible to love Jagger more than I already do, but it seems that Easton’s fatherly influence is turning my nephew into the perfect little gentleman.
I make eye contact with Easton across the table and I can’t help the grin that erupts across my face. “Thank you,” I say quietly. “Seriously, thank you.”
Okay, fine. Raya can keep the extravagant diamond and the expensive yacht and the creepy fiancé with his truckload of money.
I’ll take this simple moment in my tiny kitchen, with two incredible dinner companions who make my heart sing.
I’ll choose Jagger and Easton. Any night of the week.
27
EASTON
