“This should be good.”
“Why the non-alcoholic wine? I don’t get it.”
Easton rubbed the back of his head. “I did a stint in rehab recently. My drinking had gotten out of control. I’m an alcoholic, recovering.” The first sign of recovery was admitting you had a problem. “I’ve not touched a drop since I got out a few months ago.”
“Congratulations. I had no idea.”
“I won’t ever drink again. Not in front of our son. I promise you.”
“I know. I remember the guy you once were and you never drank. At least, not at camp.”
“I’ve changed a lot over the years.”
“I saw the exposé on the news about your father, about the Four Kings family. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
“He’s the one that killed the girl you told me about, right?” she asked.
Another of Easton’s many mistakes when it came to this woman. “Yes.”
“I’m really sorry.”
“What happened to Carla was a long time ago.”
“You haven’t moved on though,” she said. “You must have really loved her.”
He didn’t say anything. In his head, he was screaming he didn’t love Carla. To his shame, he never had. She’d been a distraction. Real love came after, but the guilt with Carla would always be there.
“Do you love Liam?” he asked.
“Yes.”
She didn’t even hesitate. The smile on her face confirmed her feelings as well. It was pointless that he even tried to dwell on the relationship.
“He seems like a good guy.”
“He’s amazing. If you take the chance to get to know him, he’s everything.”
“How old is he?” he asked.
“He’s thirty-nine years old, Easton. Why?”
“Don’t you think he’s a little old for you?”
“Ten years older is not that old. He’s good for me, and he’s wonderful with Junior. See, we’re even calling Easton Junior because of him.”
She was in love with Liam, and he had no chance, not with her.
“Thank you for coming by, Easton. It means a lot to me.”
“I’d like to get to know him more, and you, and Liam.” He didn’t want tonight to end. It was the most fun he’d had in a very long time, and it was all because of her.
“You can see Junior anytime, Liam as well. He’s a great friend. You can’t get to know me. I’m not part of the equation. I better go.”
“I didn’t mean it like that.” He totally did, but lying was something he had yet to give up. “You’re the mother of my child. I want us to be friends.” He wanted a lot more, but he’d settle for just friends. If her relationship was solid with Liam, there was no reason to fight it. But if, for whatever reason it wasn’t, he may have a chance at winning her back.
“We can always be friends. Good night, Easton. Have a safe journey home.”
She turned her back and walked back into the house. He watched her go, turning to the left to see Liam watching them.
He held his hand up, feeling jealous of this man. Liam did the same, closing the window as Scarlett entered.
He’d fucked up with Scarlett all those years ago, and there was no taking it back. His son would know him though, but anything else he wanted with Scarlett would have to wait.
Chapter Seven
Over eleven years ago
“That’s it, you’ve got it. Trust me. I’m not going to let you go,” Easton said.
“I can’t believe you were able to find a pool in a camp. How did you do it?”
“I’m good at finding things I want. If you’re at camp, you’re going to need to learn how to swim. All the kids look to you, and if they were drowning, you couldn’t even save them.”
“That’s not nice.” She dropped her legs beneath the water and stood up. “There’s you. You can save someone.”
Easton thought about Taylor pulling Carla’s lifeless body out of the water. He couldn’t save anyone.
“There’s only so much one person can do.”
“And you’re willing to let all of that lie with me?”
“Yes.”
“I’m a woman.”
“I’m not a sexist kind of guy. I believe in equality for all,” he said. “Besides, you know I’d help you. I will cheer for you. I’ll get a costume and learn all kinds of dance moves.”
She chuckled.
“Focus. I don’t know how long we’ve got before someone comes looking for us.”
“Do you think you can teach me everything we need to know in two and a half weeks?”
The camp didn’t last longer than that. He already had the guys texting him, asking him how it was going. Romeo wanted to know if he was having sex with anyone. He hadn’t told any of them about Scarlett. She was his little secret.
The annoying girl that wouldn’t leave him alone and made sure he participated. They didn’t need to know about her.
Once he left, she would be nothing more than a memory. For over an hour, he got her to paddle across the pool, just the width, not the length. He gained her confidence until at the final minute, he let her go, and instructed her to swim the width of the pool. The moment she did it, she stood up, and threw her arms over him.