Robert and Kelly Ann yawned, and when I glanced at my phone, I was surprised how late it was.
“We should be going. We both have work tomorrow,” Easton said, helping me up.
Kelly Ann and Robert walked us to our car, Kelly Ann still talking about getting to meet the JackholeS.
Easton stopped and frowned. “What happened to Gnomen?”
The three of us froze. Once again, Robert rescued us. “You know we hated that damn thing. We put him in the backyard to scare the children on the beach.”
“What? You love Gnomen,” Easton protested. He looked at me. “I bought my parents a gnome, Gnomen, when I went to England. It was my first overseas purchase. Ingrates,” Easton finished, hugging his parents.
I hugged Robert who patted me on the shoulder, and then I was wrapped in Kelly Ann’s arms. “I told you everything would be fine. I’ll see you at the launch party in a week. And call me if you need anything.”
I hugged her tighter before getting into the car. Easton smiled the whole way home.
“You seem smug,” I told him as we drove.
“I am. My parents love you. I love you. All is right in the world.”
I glanced out of the window, hoping that it continued to stay that way.
Chapter 26
“I’m going to shower,” I told Easton when we walked into my house.
“I’m going to grab my suitcase from my place.” He kissed me. Easton was going out of town. He had a meeting in Japan he couldn’t push back, and he had to leave tomorrow so he would be back in time for Aurora’s launch party.
“I love you so fucking much.”
“I love you more. Hurry back, sir.”
He kissed me again, harder. “Fuck, I’ll be right back.”
I swatted his ass before going to the bathroom to shower. Alone in the shower, I sagged against the tile. The cold was a shock against my back while the heated water soothed my chilled skin.
Guilt swamped me thinking about Easton and his parents. Kelly Ann seemed so sure that there was nothing wrong with not telling him what happened.
Technically, nothing did happen.
I shuddered again thinking of Kelly Ann’s reasoning about kids wanting no knowledge of their parents’ sex life. Guilt still clung to the edges of my soul, but I could only hope after time it would fade.
I heard the door shut while I was slathering lotion on my legs. I was using the vanilla strawberry lotion Easton loved.
“I’m in here, darling,” I drawled in my best impression of a Hollywood starlet.
Easton walked in, his expression blank, his hands behind his back.
“Darling, did you bring me more flowers?”
Something’s wrong. Rachel, brace yourself.
Without a word, Easton pulled something from behind his back. No, not something … Gnomen. The fucking broken gnome that was still in my trunk.
I sucked in a breath, both of us staring at the cracked gnome. My soul cracking right along with him.
“Since Cole was over at Jules, I had him drive me home so I could bring your car back since I’m going out of town and didn’t want to leave you stranded. Imagine my surprise when I see my old friend Gnomen in the trunk of your car when I was putting my suitcase in it.”
“Easton.”