I held my hand up to stop him from speaking. My eyes burned, and I stared up to the bright lights hanging from the ceiling to stop the tears. I refused to show him my tears. I cried enough for him, and he wasn’t going to get any more from me. “Stop, just…stop,” I said simply. “What you did was wrong. I will never understand why you did it, and the reason doesn’t matter. What matters is you decided to choose the reason over me. Years that rumor went on, years of people seeing that I wasn’t pregnant, so I obviously had an abortion, right? And not once did you say anything. Here’s the thing, Easton,” I sighed, biting back the urge to yell, but I had to remember we were in a public place. “I’m tired of being mad at you.” I finally brought my eyes to his, and I saw the hope flare back at me in that cerulean irises. No.
There’s no hope here.
The chance of hope with us died a long time ago.
“I’m so tired of it, Easton. I loved you. I loved you so much.” I laid my hand on my heart, refusing to tell him that I still loved him. “And you threw that love away. Years of friendship trashed. And I’ve learned, love isn’t that ugly, you know? Love isn’t mean. Love doesn’t strike you down repeatedly. And that’s what you did for years, and I’ve found my way to my feet. I won’t let you do that to me again.”
“Luna, please, I love—”
“Don’t say it. Don’t. We know nothing about each other anymore. Love was something of the past, and for the future, there is not love here. Goodbye, Easton.” I turned around and let out a shaky breath. A tear fell, and I quickly wiped it away. The memories of us catapulted through my mind, and it made the decision to turn my back on him that much harder, but it had to be done.
“No, Luna! Just wait—” His hand reached out and wrapped his fingers around my wrist, tugging me to a stop, and the touch was electric. The one thing I didn’t want to happen, happened. His fingers were rough, calloused, and teased the inner skin of my wrist, right where the vein pulsed, and my breath hitched. He was warm too. So damn warm that I imagined him wrapping his massive body around mine, bringing my back to his broad chest.
Damn. Damn. Damn!
“No, Easton. Let go of me.” I glanced at my dad, who was staring at me with concern, his black brows bushy and messy as they pinched together. I shook my head, telling him I could handle this, and Ethan looked at me like…
Like he shouldn’t.
“Easton, let go.” I tugged my arm free and started walking away, but not before Easton had the final word.
“I didn’t let go then, and I’m not letting go now!” he shouted down the aisle, and his boisterous voice echoed throughout the entire stores, causing a few heads to turn.
“We are leaving,” I told my dad as I rushed past him and Ethan.
Ethan reached out and took my wrist just like his brother did, but it didn’t have the same effect. My skin didn’t warm; my body didn’t react like it did with Easton and the sad fact, I knew it wouldn’t. Not with Ethan, not with anyone. “We are leaving,” he said. “You two were here first. I have to take Easton to work.” He rubbed his thumb over the same spot Easton did, over my pulse, but it didn’t jump excitedly, it didn’t give me a rush. “I’ll text you,” he whispered. His eyes drift from me and land on his brother, narrowing in accusation. “We are leaving, Easton.”
“I’m not going to let go, Luna,” Easton shouted again, and Ethan let go at the same time.
“Dad, let’s walk around.” I looped my arm through his and swiftly walked down the aisle toward where the cashiers were.
“I’m serious, Luna,” Easton called out again, and my face reddened when people stared at me.
“You okay?” my dad asked.
“I’m fine. I’m glad it’s over. It was bound to happen after so many years of being left unresolved.”
“I’m not giving up on us!” Easton raised his voice again, and this time his voice was closer than it was before.
Rage made me grit my teeth, and I spun on my heel to glare at him. “There isn’t an us, Easton. There was never an us, and there will never be an us! Let it go. Live with it. Deal with it,” I yelled in return, and he still didn’t look like he was giving up. I shook my head and decided to give up and started walking… somewhere in Lowe’s, that wasn’t near Easton. Dad was keeping up with me, and I remembered that I needed to slow down. I didn’t want to make him feel worse.
“I won’t give up!”
“Then you are a fool, Easton Moore!” I shouted at him, and a few women snickered and gave me silent claps. Great. This was going to be all around town by dinner time. Another rumor. I wondered what this one would be?
“Shut up, Easton. Let’s go. She doesn’t want to talk to you. Go, let’s go!” Ethan shouted at his brother, and I knew by the sound of his voice that he was pushing him out the door.
I knew when Easton was no longer in the building. I felt the buzzing in my body stop. He had this weird, unnatural effect on me that I’d never understand. I knew one thing; I could breathe easier.
My Dad double-checked to make sure we were alone again, and he pushed me in the hardware aisle and cupped my face. “Are you okay?” His green eyes reflected my own. He looked tired, the bags under his eyes dark with purple and blue hues, but he wasn’t concentrating on himself. He never did. His focus was only ever on me.
“I’m okay, Dad. I feel better, actually. I’m glad it’s over. I knew it would happen,” I repeated, and I still fought tears because how dare Easton corner me in Lowe’s. How dare he tell me that he loved me, and how dare he tell me he wouldn’t ever let go.
He already let go. I finally just cut the rope.
“I have a feeling that boy isn’t going to give up. He sounded pretty adamant.”
“I don’t care. He’s done taking up my time.”