Between Him and Us Read online

  “I never knew Mrs. Wilkes even had any family. It’s kind of strange. Do you have any family in the area?”

  “I do—a blended one of sorts. But they don’t live around here.”

  “What about you? Do you have family in the area?”

  The bartender came back with our nachos and two appetizer plates and disappeared just as quickly.

  “I do. I’m the youngest of five. I have three brothers and one sister. What about you, any siblings?”

  “That’s a complicated answer. You got time for another beer? You’re going to need it.”

  “I have time. Your story sounds interesting.”

  “You’re just saying that to keep me talking so you won’t have to.”

  She shook her head. “I like hearing your voice.” I caught that faraway look in her eyes seconds before she realized what she was doing. “Sorry. I meant to say—” She turned to the side. “Shit,” she mumbled, and I bit back my laugh. So, she liked my voice. That was definitely a mark in my favor. She looked so uncomfortable that I took pity on her and answered.

  “I have four siblings as well, all half, though, three sisters and one brother. I’m the oldest.”

  “Lilly!” a deep voice called from across the room.

  We both turned at the same time, and Lilly’s face lit up and she stood from the barstool. A guy about half a head taller than I was picked her up, hugged her tight, and twirled her around.

  “Shit, Lils. I wasn’t sure if that was you or not. When did you get back? You never called,” the guy asked, and I waited patiently, drinking my beer.

  When he finally let her go, he eyed me, and I had to remind myself to play it cool. I just met this woman. I didn’t need to scare her off getting territorial. I swiveled my stool, crossed my arms on the bar, and tried to watch a fight on one of the screens that I had no interest in.

  “Who are you here with?” she asked him.

  “AJ and a couple of guys from work,” he replied.

  “Sounds like fun. How are Addie and the twins? I haven’t seen or talked to her in a while.”

  I didn’t know who Addie was, but since Lilly was asking the guy about her, I decided to assume . . . hope that she was the guy’s wife.

  “She’s good, they’re doing good. You should come by and hang out.”

  “I’d like that.”

  I looked back in time to see the most genuine smile I’d ever seen on her lips, and it felt like I was punched in the gut. But I shoved the damn emotion away and plastered a calm expression on my face. Lilly set her hand on my arm, pulling me out of my head, bringing me into their conversation.

  “Easton, I’d like for you to meet one of my best friends, RJ Watson.”

  He offered his hand.

  “Easton Tyler, nice to meet you, man.” Lilly’s sharp intake of breath had my eyes darting to her. Something I had just said had made her go ghostly pale, and I could have sworn her eyes looked a bit glassy. “Is something wrong?” I asked, and RJ squeezed my hand uncomfortably hard.

  What the fuck? Is this some kind of pissing match?

  Lilly took a step back, and he let go of my hand so he could grab her by her shoulders. I watched, confused as hell as he bent so he could look her right in the eyes, saying, “Lils, hey, it’s okay. It’ll be okay.” Her gaze clouded over, and I was starting to freak the fuck out.

  “Is something wrong? Did I say something wrong?”

  “Nah, man, you’re cool, don’t worry about it.” He brushed me off, but that answer was garbage. I may not know her at all, but that didn’t mean I didn’t give a shit if something I said bothered her. She looked like she was about to cry.

  On a normal day, I was a pretty easygoing, patient kind of guy. Not much rattled me, but I didn’t feel like that tonight, not with Lilly. This was totally different.

  “Lilly, I’m sorry if I said something . . .” I apologized, carefully reaching for her hand.

  “It’s nothing,” she whispered and then cleared her throat. “Really. You didn’t do or say anything wrong.” She turned to RJ, inhaling a deep breath. “I’m fine, RJ. How about you tell Addie to give me a call, and we’ll get together sometime. We really need to catch up.”

  “We’d like that.” He pulled her in for another hug and made sure I wasn’t privy to the words he whispered in her ear. They parted, and before he was out of earshot, he tossed out, “Nice meeting you.”

  I nodded, and he shoved both his hands into his pockets and was gone.

  I almost expected her to leave. I really did. So, when she slid back onto the stool, I was both shocked and pleased. Slowly, I took my own seat again, watching as she drank half her beer in a few deep swallows. In a matter of minutes, something had changed.

  “So, did you have a good vacation?”

  “Excuse me?” Her eyes narrowed, which confused me. Is she irritated with me?

  “Your friend said you just got back . . . I just assumed you were on vacation.” I shrugged, brushing off the uneasiness the turn our conversation caused. Our night had gone from fun and flirty to awkward in a matter of minutes. I pushed out a silent breath and offered, “Did you want to head out?” I didn’t want to continue on with this night if she didn’t want to be there.

  “Sure.” She stood and grabbed her purse. I threw a bunch of twenties onto the bar and followed her out.

  Our steps fell into sync as we walked in awkward silence for the second time tonight. The entire time, I debated if I should invite her up to my place for another drink so we could continue with our conversation without any interruptions. But by the time we made it back to the shop, Lilly had already made up her mind and was heading straight for her car.

  “Lilly?”

  Her steps slowed and then stopped before she turned. “Yeah?”

  I spoke low as I closed the distance between us. “What did that guy in there mean to you?” I couldn’t repeat his name, but what I hated more was the fact that I was fucking jealous, which was a first.

  “Easton.” She sighed. “Not that I feel the need to explain, but RJ and I are really good friends. He’s married to my best friend, and they’re the parents to the cutest set of twin boys.”

  That was a relief. I ran my hand over my mouth before apologizing, “I’m sorry. I’m not sure what came over me. Are you sure you don’t want to come up?”

  “I’m sure, but thank you, and thank you for the beer. I really should get going.”

  I nodded and took a step back. The last thing I needed was to come off as a creep and for her to feel trapped.

  “Do you think we could hang out again sometime?”

  “Let me think about it.” She smiled softly. “I know where to find you.” She pulled her car door open and slid into the driver’s seat.

  Without a second glance, she was out of sight.

  “Is this you sending someone to me, pushing me to move on?” I mumbled and wondered if, in some strange way, Tyler was trying to play matchmaker from above.

  The alarm that came from hearing Easton introduce himself to RJ tonight should not have elicited the reaction from me that it did. His last name had caused my mind and my heart to collide. First the eyes and then the name. Was this some kind of sign or merely a coincidence? If they shared the same birthday or middle name, I was running for the hills.

  I didn’t go home. I couldn’t. So, I drove to Lakeland instead. It would always be the one place that felt like home.

  I parked my car across the street from my old house and looked from the outside in. The living room light was on, and I paused to examine who lived in the house Ty and I had once called home.

  Someone in a pickup truck pulled into the driveway, and when the man got out, my eyes burned. A soldier dressed in fatigues opened the back door and pulled out a rucksack and a bottle of some sort. A sharp pain hit my chest, and in an instant, the tears fell.

  This should be my life. That man should be Tyler coming home to me.

  Without much thought, I grabbed my ph
one and dialed Tyler’s number. He’d been gone for well over a year, and until this day, I couldn’t bring myself to cancel his number or remove his name from any of our bills. Keeping his phone active was the only way to still hear his actual voice.

  “Can’t talk right now, leave me a message. I’ll get back to you when I’m done flyin’ the friendly skies.”

  I didn’t leave a message—I never did.

  I dialed the number again, needing to hear him one more time, as I watched the man walk up the path. The front door opened, and a woman came running out. The soldier dropped his rucksack at his feet, and she leaped into his arms. I closed my eyes and turned away. There was no way I could watch them, knowing he would most likely carry her into their home just as Tyler had done all those times.

  I hadn’t heard him come in, not until he had pressed his hips into my backside and rasped, “I need my girl. I missed you, baby.” He had reached around me and set the bottle of wine on the counter and his other arm around my waist.

  “Pump your brakes there, soldier. I didn’t even get my kiss yet,” I didn’t mean one word of it. Tyler was home, and I missed the hell out of him. He had been gone for far too long.

  “Well, give me those lips then.”

  Slowly, I had turned in his arms and had pressed my palms to his chest. I couldn’t wait for him to carry me to our bedroom and make love to me. Lock ourselves away and make up for the long bout of separation . . .

  “Don’t do this, Lilly. Don’t go there. You need to stop torturing yourself,” I mumbled and brushed away the tears. “I wish it was that easy to do.”

  Why is it always easier to give advice than to take your own?

  The light in the living room turned off, and I knew that was my cue to leave. There was nothing sitting on this street would do or prove, so I made the drive back in a complete blur.

  It was after two in the morning when I got out of my car and dragged my feet to the house. I didn’t want to be alone, and I thought of how easy it had been to talk to Easton tonight. Maybe I needed to get over myself. There was nothing wrong with making a friend, right? I could use a friend. Yes, those eyes intimidated me at times, but they also gave me a sense of calm.

  With that thought, I kept my head down, not wanting to look at the letters and pamphlet that still sat on my coffee table, and headed to bed.

  The next day I found myself pulling into a parking spot half a block away from Mrs. Wilkes flower shop.

  “What the hell, Lilly? He’s just a guy who wants to be friends,” I argued with myself as I cut the engine. “But what if he doesn’t want to see me after I basically shot him down last night?”

  Walking seemed like a good choice so I grabbed my purse and got out of the car. The hundred feet or so to get there would buy me a few minutes to think of what I would say if I saw him.

  What do I want to say?

  I should have thought this through instead of just showing up. What if he was busy?

  Too late to turn back now, I pushed the door in and made sure not to let it smack me on the ass like the first time.

  The place was still a mess, only slightly neater. A few customers milled about, but there was no sign of Easton or Mrs. Wilkes.

  I walked up to the counter and searched through the little bucket, hoping to find a sour apple lollipop. Just as I pulled one from the bottom of the container, a low deep voice, next to my ear, said, “What are you doing?”

  Startled, my arm whacked the bucket of lollipops, causing it to tumble off the counter and send candy scattering in all directions. When I spun to tell Easton that he scared the ever-loving fuck out of me, I was met with a wide and bright smile plastered across his innocent face. His eyes danced with playful mischief.

  “Easton!” I smacked at his chest. “What in the world are you trying to do, kill a girl?” I scrunched my face and hoped like hell my racing heart would slow down.

  “Did you find the flavor you were looking for?” He eyed the lollipop in my hand with that damn sexy smirk.

  Sour apple.

  “Actually, I did.” I held it up as proof.

  “Good.” He bent to pick up the fallen candy that lay on the concrete floor, and I rushed to follow.

  “I can do that.”

  When I looked up, we were inches apart. His warm breath brushed across my cheek, and I fought the urge to close my eyes and lean into him.

  Friends. I am here to apologize and make a friend.

  “So, what brings you by? I’m sure it isn’t just the lollipops.” He replaced the bucket to its rightful place.

  “Ha, ha.” I pressed the side of my hip against the counter and got lost in his eyes for another second, my reasons for making the trip almost forgotten. “I want to apologize for the way I acted last night. I’m hoping you’ll let me make it up to you by buying you lunch.”

  He took a step closer. “You don’t need to apologize. I just wish I knew why you reacted the way you did. Was it something I did? Something I said? It wasn’t my intention to upset you.” His finger barely touched my skin as he skimmed it along the side of my arm, causing goose bumps to erupt over my entire body.

  “It wasn’t you. Yes, it was something you said, but I should have never reacted the way I did, so I hope you can forgive me.”

  “I forgive you,” he answered without even giving it any thought.

  Then he went on to assess my face, searching for whatever it was he thought I wasn’t saying. In all fairness, we did just meet, and I wasn’t sure if I should be spilling everything there was about me, not just yet.

  “Thank you,” I whispered.

  “Did you have somewhere in mind?”

  “Hmm, let’s see, the deli or pub around the corner are good, or if you want, we could go back to the sports bar. Their food is pretty decent.”

  “I’m up for whatever you’re hungry for.”

  “But what do you want?”

  “I’m not sure they have what I want.”

  I rolled my eyes. I knew how to read between the lines and was quickly learning that was something I needed to be on top of when around Easton.

  “You aren’t going to make this easy for me, are you?”

  He shook his head and pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, trying not to laugh. “Nope.”

  “Thanks,” I retorted and this time he laughed.

  “All right then. Are you able to leave now, or should I come back?”

  “I can leave now, but I only have about an hour. Still need to find that part for the refrigeration cooler. I have a shitty hunch the second cooler is going to give out on us any day now.”

  “Okay. Did you need to let your aunt know you’re leaving?”

  “I should.”

  “You go ahead and I’ll wait for you outside.”

  “All right.”

  I made my way outside, but not before I got a good look at his fine physique walking away.

  It was warm and sticky out and this was one of the things I would never get used to. The bell to the flower shop dinged, and Easton stepped onto the sidewalk.

  “Lead the way.”

  He sidled up next to me, and the second I caught wind of his masculine scent, I was at a loss for words.

  “So.” He turned to look at me.

  “Yes.”

  “Thanks for stopping by today. After last night, I wasn’t sure if I’d get to see you again.”

  “You’re welcome, and I really am sorry about my freak out last night.”

  He nodded. “Do you want to tell me what I said to make you react the way you did?” I could hear the caution in his voice. I didn’t want to explain—not yet. It wasn’t that I was trying to hide the fact that I was a widow. I was more concerned about how I was going to keep my composure talking about Tyler.

  “Why don’t we save that for another conversation?” I asked, hoping he wouldn’t push.

  “Whenever you’re ready.”

  “Thank you.”

  We rounded the corner to m
y favorite pub, and like last night, Easton held the door open, letting me enter before him. “Thank you.”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  We waited at the hostess stand, and his hand touched the small of my back. Not wanting to make a big deal about it, I acted as if it was completely natural, even if it was anything but. Tyler was the only man who ever touched me in a romantic way, and Easton’s hand on me should have made me uncomfortable. It didn’t. Warmth easily flowed through me, and if I weren’t fighting an internal battle with my reaction, I would have melted against him.

  “For how many?” the hostess asked.

  “Two please, and if you have a booth, that would be great,” Easton replied.

  “Sure, right this way.”

  We followed the young woman to a dim corner. It was a short ways away from the rest of the patrons, and I held back the cringe working its way up. As I got a good look at how secluded we were from the rest of the establishment, I took a deep breath and slid onto my seat.

  This feels a bit intimate for two friends just having lunch.

  Easton leaned forward and softly asked, “Is this table okay?”

  “It’s fine,” I replied and took the menu from the hostess. “Thank you.”

  She handed one to Easton and informed us that our server would be with us shortly.

  “So what’s good? I don’t think I have ever eaten here.” He was scanning his menu as he asked, and when he glanced up, butterflies fluttered in my belly, and my heart skipped a beat. “Are you all right? You have that flush look on your face again.” His lips pulled up in a knowing smirk.

  “Peachy.” I put my attention back on my menu. “I always get the French Dip sandwich, but they have a good pot pie, so my brother tells me . . .” I scrunched my nose, and Easton laughed.

  “I’m beginning to wonder if there is anything that you like.”

  “There are plenty of things I like. I just have an extreme dislike for coffee and pot pie.”

  “I’ll have to remember that. Though, I think you might be an alien. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like coffee.”

  “There are a lot of people that don’t like coffee,” I defended myself and half of America.