Page 99 of Outlaw Heartstrings
With my Saturday morning plans now obsolete, I’m really hit with the desire to do something fun and frivolous. It’s so unlike me.
Picking up my phone, I dial Easton’s number.
“Thank you…” I say as soon as I hear the call connect.
The device instantly buzzes in my hand. I grin as I accept the video call.
Easton is lying in his big bed, looking sleepy and sexy, surrounded by cozy-looking duvets and fluffy pillows.
“What are you thanking me for this early in the morning?” He grins at me.
“You know exactly what you did,” I say, not buying the innocent act for one second. Still, I flip the camera around and show him all of my bills with their positive balances. “I just want to say that I appreciate it.”
Easton sits up now, raking a hand through his mussed up hair and putting his strong, broad chest on display. His eyes go soft. “Well, thank you for not being mad.”
“I’m not mad,” I say, enjoying the way it feels to be stress-free for once. I feel my smile going wider as I stare into Easton’s groggy face. “Anyway, it’s time for you to get out of bed.”
His eyebrows slash down with suspicion and he stubbornly burrows beneath his bedding again. “Why?” he all but pouts.
“Because you’re coming over to take us to the fair, remember? And today, I’m spoiling the two of you. Both you and Jagger. My treat.”
Easton is grinning again, and this time, he’s throwing his blankets off his body. “Shit—now you’ve got me excited, Tiny Tiger. I’m jumping in the shower. I’ll be over in a few.” The screen goes black as the call disconnects.
With a grin, I dart into Jagger’s room and wake him up by bouncing on the bed. “Time to wake up, sleepy head!” I sing.
He rolls over, giggling into his pillow. “Mimi! What are you doing?”
Without the dark cloud of debt hanging over my head at the moment, I want to spoil Jagger. He’s such a good kid, and he deserves the whole world.
“Come on, little man. We’re going somewhere fun today!”
37
ALBA
Easton shows up at 11 o’clock on the dot, getting here just in time to have a late breakfast with us. Then we get in his car and head into town.
More than once, I catch Easton checking me out in my T-shirt and cut-off jeans. I check him out too, as we stroll all around the crowded fairgrounds, with Jagger walking between us. I hold Jagger’s hand like always, and my heart melts when I see the little boy reach for his dad’s hand, too.
We look like a family. A real, normal family.
The thought of Raya crosses my mind and a part of me wants to pull back, to retreat from this happiness that isn’t really mine to enjoy. But I refuse. I absolutely fucking refuse to feel guilty about enjoying Easton and Jagger today. I’m determined to just go with the flow and bask in it.
I can’t remember a day where I’ve smiled so much. My cheeks are actually sore, a few hours into our outing. It’s the strangest feeling. Is it sad that I haven’t experienced this kind of happiness in so long? Yeah, probably. But right now, I’m too happy to care.
So when Easton sends me sexy smiles, I grin back. And,it pleases me immensely that he doesn’t put up a fight when I pay for the wristbands for the carnival rides or when I treat us all to an unhealthy lunch of fried foods and freshly squeezed lemonade.And I like it a little too much when he discreetly taps my butt, whispering that I’m his ‘sexy sugar mama’.
It’s truly the best day I’ve had in years.
Most importantly, Jagger’s having a ball. Don’t get me wrong—I’ve taken him to the county fair before. But when it came to going on rides in the past, the poor kid always had to ration the handful of tickets I could afford. He’d always have to carefully choose two or three rides to enjoy, and we’d be lucky to share a snack at the end.
But today?Jagger rides them all, giggling the entire time. The tea cups. The mini alligator roller coaster. The big slide. The bumper cars. The ferris wheel. All of them on repeat.
And Easton does, too.
Oh boy, seeing that man squeeze his six-foot-plus frame into that tiny car has me crying. Especially when Jagger teases him about it.
Nothing can sour my mood today. Not even when we run into Christopher and his family. As usual, Emmeline tries to come over and say ‘hi’, but Christopher grabs her shoulders, turning her in the opposite direction. He hisses at his kids to keep up, making sure to shoot Jagger and me a particularly nasty look over his shoulder.
