A Chance Encounter

“I’ll be right back!” I tell them, as I walk down the hall toward my dressing room. Before I meet with fans backstage, I always shower and throw on fresh clothes, so I don’t sweat all over them and stink up the place.

I step through the door, wrenching my shirt over my head, when a tiny voice yells, “Easton!” I would recognize that voice anywhere. I put my shirt back down and come face-to-face with two of my favorite girls: Sophia and Kendall.

Sophia is dressed in a pair of holy jeans and one of my shirts that reads LOST across the front. Her hair is up in a tight ponytail and she’s wearing a bit of makeup. She looks fucking beautiful. The only picture I’ve seen of her this last week is the one she sent me, and it didn’t do her justice at all. My eyes rake down her body, landing on her belly, and I can’t help but grin. I saw a bit of her stomach in the picture, but as she stands in front of me, in a tight shirt that accentuates her front, she actually looks pregnant, and hell if that doesn’t make her that much sexier. To know she’s carrying my baby is such a turn-on.

“Easton, you did so well!” Kendall squeals, knocking me out of my thoughts.

“Thanks, K.” I step closer and Kendall throws her tiny arms around my legs for a hug.

“Eww,” she whines. “You’re gross.” She backs up and scrunches up her nose. “You smell like the boys in my class.”

Sophia snorts out a laugh.

“What are you laughing at?” I taunt, stepping over to her. Her eyes go wide. “I think you need a hug.” She backs up, but I’m quicker, and before she can run, I pull her into my arms, making it a point to rub my sweat-filled hair across her neck.

“Easton!” She shrieks through her laughter. “That’s freaking gross!”

I let her go and chuckle at the two girls both scowling at me. Thank God we’re having a boy. We’re going to need to even the gender playing field.

“What are you doing here?”

“Santa brought Kendall tickets,” Sophia says with a smirk.

Oh, shit. That’s right. With everything going on, I completely forgot.

“We flew on a plane!” Kendall says. “It was so cool.”

“Should you be flying in your condition?” I ask, looking at Sophia.

“The doctor said it was fine. I spoke to Nicole and she helped set it up so we could surprise you.” Sophia beams and my chest tightens. Shortly after I left after her hospital scare, she changed her tune. I told myself I was going to give her some real space, so she wouldn’t be stressed out, and was shocked when the first day I didn’t text her, she texted me. She pretty much told me straight out she’s changed her mind and wants to be with me, but when I asked her what made her change her mind, she couldn’t tell me. And that sent up a red flag. I told myself after Ashleigh I wouldn’t do secrets ever again. If Sophia wants to be with me, then she’s going to have to talk to me.

I’ve kept her at arm’s length the best I could, but I have to admit she’s been persistent—texting me every day, joking around, and opening up to me. And now she’s here…

“Easton, you need to get out there,” Greg, my tour manager says, popping his head inside. “I’ve scheduled a car to pick you guys up, so you can take them back to your place once you’re done.”

“Oh, no, we’re staying at a hotel,” Sophia says.

“What? Why? I live here.”

Sophia flushes and averts her gaze away from me. “I didn’t want to intrude. You didn’t know we were coming and—”

“Intrude?” I scoff. “This is the best damn surprise I’ve had in a long time.”

“You said a bad word,” Kendall says. “Mommy, what’s his chore?”

Greg barks out a laugh. “While you think of his chore, I really do need Easton out here.”

“I’ll be back in a little bit. There’s food and drinks in here…” I step over to Sophia and lean in so only she can hear. “You’re not staying in a hotel. We need to talk about your text.”

“My text?” she squeaks.

“Yeah, the one where you admitted how hungry you are for me…You didn’t think I forgot about that text, did you?”

Without waiting for her to respond, I walk back outside with Greg. Guess the fans will be getting the sweaty, smelly version of me tonight…

I spend the next hour signing things and taking a million pictures. It’s our third night in LA, but the show was completely sold out, including the VIP backstage passes that allow fans to come back and meet me. The entire time I’m meeting fans, half my mind is back in the dressing room with Sophia and Kendall. I’m shocked as shit that they showed up here, but also fucking elated. I wonder how long they’re here for, and if they’ll be here long enough for me to show them around. Will she want to be shown around? She said she’s changed her mind about wanting space, but does that mean she’s okay with being seen with me now? There’s no way I’ll get away with going anywhere in this city without being recognized. We’re definitely going to need to talk tonight.