The Heart of Us (Love in Isolation 4)

“How long do you think it'll take for you to meet me there?”

“Might take a few hours or more. I'll go to the store and stock up on food and clothes for us. We're gonna need everything. Luckily, the beach house has a lot of amenities already, so we don't have to worry about basic shit. My brother and sister-in-law just remodeled it and packed it full.”

“Wow, sounds nice.”

He releases a soft chuckle. “Just wait.”

Chapter Three

EASTON

As soon as Tatum is in a car, I hand her George’s cage and remind her to text me as soon as she gets there. I meet the officer back at his car, and he asks me to follow him to the station to give a full report.

Before I get behind the wheel, I look back at the building I've called home for the past four years. I’ve put in countless hours of sweat and work there. I know I can rebuild and get the shop open again, but that doesn't make it any easier to see it destroyed.

The flames are out, but smoke continues to billow out into the street. The crowd that watched from the sidewalks has cleared out. Soon, the sun rises over the horizon, providing a full view of the destruction.

Once I drive to the station, I meet with Officer Bradbery and fill him in on the events. I tell him every detail regarding Justin Nichols but don’t mention Tatum. I'm not confirming shit just in case they're buddy-buddy since Justin claimed to have connections here.

“We’ll have to submit this to a detective so he can get surveillance from the surrounding shops and check for any suspicious activity before the fire. If he finds any evidence of arson, it'll be sent to the district attorney because it’d be a criminal case at that point. But just be aware, stuff like this can drag on for a while. Until then, if you remember anything else, email it over. We'll stay in contact.”

I thank him, and we shake hands. He seems genuine, but I don’t know who I should and shouldn’t trust, especially when it comes to Tatum’s safety

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and when I look at the screen, I see a message from Tatum saying she and George made it. I blow out a relieved breath and text her back.

Easton: Good. Make yourself at home. I'm just leaving the station. Give me some food ideas and your clothes and shoe size.

While I wait for her response, I check my other messages and missed calls. It's no shock that news about the fire has already spread through the gossip mill faster than the fire itself.

Tatum: Umm...size large for shirts and leggings. Size 10/12 for shorts or jeans. Size 8 shoes.

Easton: So besides hot dogs, anything else you want me to avoid?

Tatum: No, I'm not that picky. I'll eat whatever.

I smile, knowing she's probably rolling her eyes about the hot dog comment. But the truth is, there's no timeline for how long we'll stay, so I want to stock up on food and anything else she needs. I don't like the idea of her being out in the open for Justin to find her again, and if he suspects I was lying, he may be looking for me too. The less often we leave the house, the better.

Easton: Okay, I'll do my best. I'll text you when I'm heading there.

Tatum: Sounds good. I decided to try out the bathtub. Whoever designed this bathroom has amazing taste. It's already stocked full of bubble baths, salts, and oils.

I smile wide. I knew she'd love it. I've only seen pictures, but knowing Piper, she went all out. Speaking of my sister-in-law, I'm gonna have to call my older brother and her soon. They live in New York City and had planned to visit the beach house in a couple of weeks for their anniversary. Now I get to break it to them that it might not be available.

Easton: Good, relax and enjoy yourself. Be there soon.

I drive to the nearest Walmart and fill up a cart of meats, drinks, snacks, and everything else I could think of. Since the bathroom seems to have everything already, I only grab a few toiletry items for myself plus some hamster bedding and food for George. Then I realize on top of clothes, she probably needs underwear and bras too.

Easton: What size undergarments do you need?

I hold my breath, anticipating her response. She'll either call me a perv or tell me not to worry about it.

Tatum: Size 7 underwear. 36D bra.

And now I’m imagining her perfect round ass and perky breasts.

As soon as I look around the bra section, I’m immediately overwhelmed. Why the fuck are there so many options? Underwire. Push-up. T-shirt bra. Bralette. Sports. Strapless.

And don't get me started on the colors and lace or no lace. With padding or without.