“Caro? You coming?”
“If you don’t mind, I have some things to finish up. I think I’ll stay here.”
Junie smiled and herded her charges out the door. She glanced over her shoulder just before she shut the door. “Enjoy your moments of silence.”
“I will.”
Easton point of view
On Saturday morning, I worked out and attended the optional skate. By noon I was knocking, unannounced, on Caro’s door. I was sure I’d piss her off again for not texting, but I was on a mission.
I had a game tonight, so my time was limited. Just this morning, the building manager had dropped off the keys to Caro’s condo. The place was finally move-in ready. I’d taken the liberty of rounding up some teammates with trucks to move her in tomorrow.
The door flew open, and my baby girl stood on the other side. My grin was wider than the Columbia upon seeing my daughter. Her hair was a wild mess of curls, and there was a smudge of what looked like strawberry jam on her left cheek. She was so fucking adorable. I fell even more in love with her.
“Mr. E!” Hailey shrieked and held her arms out to me. I picked her up and spun her around without thinking. I caught Caro’s scowl in my peripheral vision. Realizing my behavior might be over the top for a man who barely knew the twins, I set her down quickly. Hailey didn’t seem to notice or care. Heath, as usual, stood silently watching, almost expectant. I hesitated, briefly considering whether or not I should pick him up and spin him around. He was so much more reserved than his sister, I decided against any huge displays of affection at this point in time.
“Hey, buddy.” I winked at him and was rewarded with a lopsided grin. I was making progress.
“Mr. E! Mr. E!” Hailey tugged on my arm to get my attention.
“Call me Easton, honey.”
I turned to Caro. Her annoyance was palpable, like a living, breathing thing permeating the room with her displeasure. She glared at me over the kids’ heads.
“Easton, what a surprise.”
I heard her message loud and clear. I hadn’t called first—again. Well, fuck that. I wasn’t playing games with her. Been there, tired of that. I’d damn well drop in and see my kids if I chose to, even as I admitted my behavior might be a little childish and disrespectful of her privacy. I wasn’t winning any points with her, and perhaps that was my goal. If she hated me, she’d keep her distance.
I strolled into the living room as if I owned it, one hand on each of the twins’ backs as I guided them to the middle of the room. I shot Caro a cocky grin as I passed. The woman was going to kill me or have insanely wild sex with me. I wasn’t sure which one, though I’d put my money on death by slow torture.
“Hey, Junie, how ya doing?”
“I’m doing great.” Junie grinned at me and rose from the battered couch to hug me.
Caro fumed next to us, but we both ignored her and carried on like the old friends we were—somewhat.
“I have some great news for you guys,” I said, addressing my children.
“Oh, what is it?” Hailey jumped up and down. “Do you get me a pony, Mr. E. Did you? Did you? I’ve been a good girl, and I deserve a pony. I really do. A gray one with dapples and a long mane and tail. One that can run and jump and take me places. Please, oh, please, say you got me a pony? I love ponies. I love, love, love ponies.”
I smiled down at her. “Not that kind of news. Besides, Christmas is coming. You’ll have to wait to see what your present is.” I avoided Caro’s gaze, knowing she was seething inside and assuming I was leading her daughter on. I wasn’t. In fact, a small seed grew as I considered how I’d go about getting my daughter a pony.
“So, what is it?” Junie asked, stopping Hailey before she erupted into another lava flow of words.
I held up a set of house keys and jangled them in front of their eyes. “You guys wanna see your new home?”
“We have a new place to live? Can Rusty go with us? Do we have to change schools? Do we—”
I was ready for Hailey this time and held a finger to my lips. “Slow down, sweetheart. One question at a time. My brain doesn’t work as fast as yours, so we have to limit it to one question at a time. Let me see if I can remember them all.”
Hailey stood on tiptoes and watched me with sparkling eyes. I rubbed my chin, as if deep in thought.
“You want to bring your pet turtle with you?”
Hailey giggled. “No, silly. Our cat, Rusty.”
“You can do that.” I grinned, and she lit up like the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. “And you won’t have to change schools. It’s only a few miles from here.”
“Is it near my hockey rink?” Heath asked, surprising all of us with his question.
“It’s not far. It’s big and has a lot of room to play. There’s a park nearby.”
“When can we see it? When? When?” Hailey was jumping up and down with the kind of excitement only Hailey could show.
“Right now. I have the SUV parked outside. We’ll all fit in it.”
“Easton, can I have a word with you?”
Oh, God, not again. Caro’s tone was short and clipped. Oh, yeah, I was in deep shit and wading deeper with every step.
“Sure, then we can see the apartment.”
Caro stalked down the hall, and I followed in what was beginning to be a familiar routine for us and not a pleasant one either.
She turned on me like a wounded beast the second the door clicked shut. “What part of calling first do you not understand?”
“Obviously, all of it.” I smirked at my clever response, despite knowing it’d send her into orbit.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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