A Chance Encounter

“Will Kendall be safe at school?” I can see her starting to freak out, so I take her hand in mine and pull her close to me. It’s almost 8:00 a.m. and Kendall is due to wake up soon. We’re going to spend the day here and then head back to my place tonight.

“She’ll be safe, but you’ll have a bodyguard going everywhere with you. We can start with him just accompanying you when you’re out and remaining in the vehicle, but if the paparazzi get bad, he’ll have to stay with you at all times. I can’t chance anyone bombarding you, especially with you pregnant. I have to make sure you’re safe.”

She nods in understanding. “I hope they leave us alone, but I get it. I’ve seen TMZ and how crazy they can be.”

I sigh, thankful she isn’t giving me a hard time.

“Mommy, Easton.” Kendall appears, dressed in her pajamas, her blond hair a mess, and her tiny fists rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “Can we go snowboarding?”

Both of us laugh. The girl is obsessed with the snow.

“After breakfast,” I tell her.

“I’m not hungry.”

Sophia lifts a brow and pulls the mom card. “No food, no snowboarding.”

“Okay,” Kendall groans. “I guess I’m a little hungry.”

After we get dressed, we head to the restaurant for breakfast. We’re not even sat before a young woman approaches me.

“Easton, can I have your autograph, please?” She looks to be in her early teens, and has a restaurant napkin and pen in her hand.

I knew this was coming, especially since my whereabouts were posted, but I’m hoping it won’t get so bad I can’t spend the day with Kendall on the slopes. If the fans get too bad, since I didn’t bring any bodyguards with me—giving them the weekend off before we head to Utah and Washington for the two shows I had to reschedule—we’ll have to leave early and I know that’ll break Kendall’s little snowboard loving heart.

“Sure,” I tell her with a smile. “What’s your name?”

“Sammy. I loved your last album. My favorite song is ‘Lost.’”

“Mine too,” Kendall agrees, as if this girl is just here to discuss music.

The girl looks at her and smiles before turning her attention back to me. “I saw your post this morning. Does this mean your next album will be called Found?”

I chuckle. “I’m not sure yet, but once I know, I’ll let everyone know.” I shoot her a playful wink and sign the napkin before giving it back to her.

“Thank you so much. Could we, umm, take a picture?” She pulls her phone out and looks around.

“I can take it for you,” Sophia offers, holding her hand out. After she takes the picture and the girl leaves, we’re seated in a private area—at my request—so we won’t be approached while we eat.

During breakfast, we talk to Kendall about how things will be a little different when they go home. She’s little, so she doesn’t really get it, and she doesn’t see me as someone famous, so she doesn’t seem fazed, more concerned with how much she has to eat before we can hit the slopes.

The day is spent like the previous one: snowboarding and tubing and drinking hot chocolate. Luckily, Nicole, even though I told her not to, sent a temp bodyguard to hang out just in case, and he actually came in handy a few times when we were approached. Despite being stopped on several occasions, we have a good time, and at five o’clock, when it’s time to go home, Kendall whines she doesn’t want to leave.

It’s the first fit I’ve ever seen her throw, and Sophia handles it with patience. We get back and Kendall is passed out, so I carry her to bed and spend the rest of the night buried in Sophia, trying to cram a week’s worth of time into a few hours.

Five a.m. rolls around too quickly, and our car arrives to take us to the airport. Since I’m flying on a private plane, where I enter is different than where Sophia and Kendall have to go. I’m worried about us separating, but Sophia tells me it will be fine. Nobody will recognize them without me.

Thankfully, that temp bodyguard—Dustin—is with us, and since Joel is back with me, I have Dustin go with my girls. I’m just climbing the steps to board, when Nicole meets me at the door, with a face that tells me something happened. We walk inside and Jordan is already sitting in one of the seats. We bump fists and I sit.

“They were spotted before they made it to security, but Dustin handled it,” Nicole says. “I have a bodyguard meeting them at Arrivals to escort them, since they’ll know they’re heading home. He’s been hired temporarily to see how it goes. If Sophia and Kendall like him, then we’ll add him to the team full-time.”