God, I’m so nervous. How do I act this morning?
I should wait to see what he does and follow his lead. Right?
What if Easton is angry?
Suck it up and just power through it.
As I’m brushing my teeth, my thoughts keep jumping from one thing to the next until they settle on the kiss. In the stark reality of daylight, I have to wonder whether Easton didn’t act out of grief. It’s only been a week since Rachel passed away.
Maybe he just needed comfort, and things escalated. This morning, he might’ve realized I did the right thing when I said we could never get romantically involved.
I let out another sigh as I rinse my mouth. After patting my face dry, I hang the towel on the rail before reluctantly leaving my room.
Whatever happens, you’ll deal with it. Lainey comes first.
When I reach the top of the stairs, I hear Lainey say, “Can I have another piece of bacon, please?”
“Sure,” Easton replies.
I slowly head down, the aroma of bacon and eggs hanging in the air. When the kitchen comes into view, I see Lainey and Porsha sitting at the island, and Easton’s back is turned to me.
My hands grip the sides of my dress tightly, and my stomach feels like it’s stuck on spin cycle.
Lainey glances over her shoulder, and a sad smile tugs at her lips. “You’re up. We’re having breakfast.”
I take a few steps closer. “Morning.”
“Morning.” Easton glances at me before he places more bacon on Lainey’s plate. “Do you want more, Porsha?”
“No, thank you.”
God, I desperately need caffeine.
I make a beeline for the coffee machine, and as I grab a mug from the cupboard, Easton murmurs, “Sit with the girls. I’ll bring your coffee when it’s ready.”
I glance at him as he moves closer, but before he can reach me, I walk to the island and sit down across from the girls.
I clear my throat and place a hand on the anxious knot where my stomach is supposed to be. Forcing a smile to my face, I ask, “Did you both sleep well?”
Lainey nods. “Yes, but Porsha woke up at the crack of dawn.”
“Only because your hair was in my mouth,” Porsha complains.
Lainey giggles before taking a bite of her bacon.
Easton places a steaming mug of coffee down in front of me, and I dare a quick look at his face. “Thank you.”
“Want some breakfast?” he asks.
Unable to stomach food right now, I shake my head. “Just coffee.”
When he walks away from me, I take a couple of sips while trying not to analyze every single move he makes.
Looking at the girls, there’s a punch to my heart because it reminds me of when Rachel and I were younger.
After their parents died, I spent an entire week at their house. I heated the food the neighbors brought over and made sure they ate.I also kept the place clean and did everything I could to make things easier for them.
“Until what time can Porsha stay?” Lainey asks.
