Easton

“I just want to be alone,” Easton said.

“Okay.” She sat down beside him.

From the moment Easton had joined them, she’d known he was different. His clothes screamed designer and expense, and his attitude told them he was used to getting what he wanted. No one wanted to be around him for fear of pissing him off. She didn’t give a fuck if he was happy about it or not. It wasn’t her place to tell him what he should or shouldn’t be.

“This is a nice place,” she said.

“I wanted to be alone. Are you stupid or something?”

“Wow, look at someone who woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Forgive me for wanting to include you.” She didn’t get up though. She merely sat beside him. Every now and again, he’d turn to look her way and he’d looked pissed off.

She simply smiled at him, offering her best comfort face. It didn’t seem to work. He looked more pissed off with her than before.

She had to work on that.

“Look, I’m not here to join in with everything. I don’t want to be friends. I’m here to forget about something, and the only way I can do that is to be left alone.”

“No, you see, that’s where you’re wrong. To forget about something, you need to be surrounded by people. When you’re with someone they can help you to make new memories. Being alone helps you to dwell on the pain and suffering of everything that is happening around you.”

He turned to look at her, and she offered him her best smile. “You’re offering to help me forget.”

“Why not? I like to help people.”

Easton moved in close, and she couldn’t help but notice how sexy he was. For an eighteen-year-old, he certainly seemed way more mature than she thought was possible.

When he stroked a finger down her arm, she knew he thought this meant something else. She smiled and took his hand. “I don’t mean that, Easton. Sex is not going to make whatever it is going on in your head easier. It’ll only make it harder.”

“I know what can be harder.”

This guy clearly had a lot more pain inside himself than he’d like others to believe.

****

Scarlett Knight walked into her large kitchen. Easton, her son, had already rushed in, probably to find Liam and tell him all about his day. She had agreed to take him to the vegan restaurant for his birthday because he’d been begging. She’d put a generous donation into one of their many charities in order to make it so they would accept their very first birthday party.

Opening the fridge, she pulled out a bottled water, unscrewing the cap and taking a long drink.

She was so thirsty. Her mouth was dry.

She’d gotten her body under control, but only just.

What the fuck was Easton doing there? She knew who he was and where he worked. She’d followed the story when it was exposed about his father’s past dealings. The entire company’s parents as well. He was still with his friends, the ones he’d talked about all the time at camp. She wondered which one was Axton and if he still had an issue with that friend and his bossy ways.

She wasn’t going to do this.

Her time was better spent not thinking about seeing Easton today or that her son was close to his real father.

“Knock, knock,” Liam said, entering the kitchen.

Her husband.

The man she had married.

This man, five years ago, had helped her when no one else would. It had all come with a price, and it had been a price she’d been more than willing to pay to help her son.

“Hey,” she said, offering him a smile. “You want one?”

“Nah, I’ll take a coffee.” Liam stood at the island, tapping his fingers on the counter. His own wedding ring seemed blaringly obvious on his finger.

Had Easton seen her ring? Did he even care? She honestly didn’t know what to think of what was happening.

“So, Easton came and told me today that he saw another Easton.”

She sighed. “And?”

“And I find that incredibly odd. Don’t you? Easton would meet another Easton. It’s not a very common name.”

“It’s a name.”

“Yeah, and I also know the meaning behind it. You didn’t come to look for me when you came home. Why don’t you tell me what is going on?” Liam asked.

“Why do you have to be so …. right all the time?”

“It’s a natural gift.” Liam jumped up onto the counter as she started the coffee maker.

“Where is Easton?”

“In his room, playing with all the awesome gifts. I wish I could have been there, you know that.”

“Of course I do.” She leaned against the counter. “It was his father. Easton, the guy he saw. It was him.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah.” She took a sip of her water, not really knowing what to say about that.