Page 12 of Missing Pieces
Chapter Seven
Easton is already sitting in his truck as I get to the front of the house. What is with everyone here having trucks?
I climb up into it. Literally. You need a step stool to get into the thing. I slam the door behind me and fasten my seat belt. He doesn’t say anything to me, so I mumble a thanks for taking me home.
The drive from Ivy’s rental was only fifteen minutes. I glance down at my watch to find we’ve only been in the car for five minutes. It feels like half an hour. This is one of the most awkward car rides I’ve ever been in. Even more so than in high school on an awkward first date when your date had braces and you didn’t want to tell him he had lettuce stuck in his teeth and he wasn’t sure if he should hold your hand or not. I would take that over this. I look down at my watch again. Great. It’s been six minutes.
“You’ve got somewhere to be?” Easton asks.
“Uh, no.”
“Then why do you keep lookin’ at your watch like you got somewhere to be?”
This man is infuriating. I’m sure he was just leading up to flirting with me, but two can play that game. “I was waiting to see how long it was gonna take you to pull over and show me what you can use the back of this truck for.”
The truck swerves to the right and I grasp the dashboard for stability. Easton mutters something about roadkill in the street. I hide my smile under my hair glad I could throw him off his game.
He takes a left toward the main part of town. I am surprised that after only four days here I know what direction we are headed. He must not know I moved into Ivy’s rental and thought I was still at the hotel. Which in turn brought up another problem, I had no idea of the address for the rental.
“Shit,” I mutter.
“What?” Easton looks over at me in question.
“I, uh, figured you were taking me to the hotel.”
“Yeah, I am. Wait,” he pauses. “Did you really want me to pull this truck over?”
“God no.” I turn and look at him and see that smirk on his face again. I slap his arm not realizing I was completely falling into his flirting.
“Sooo you wanna come to my place?” He winks at me. Actually winks at me!
“You have to be fucking kidding me! That is not what I want to do at all. Like ever. You do know I am getting a divorce and I am a mess and everything around me is falling apart so why would I add one more mistake to my repertoire?” I realize after I said it that it was a little harsh.
“Ouch. I’m sorry to hear you think I might be a mistake but you are wrong darlin’,” he says, leaning over and bringing his mouth very close to my ear, as in too close. I slide over as close to the door as possible. He puts his hand on my leg and says, “The only mistake would be you sayin’ no.”
And just as quickly as it happened, he was back in front of the steering wheel driving the truck. I can’t believe he just ignored the rest of what I said to him.
“So, what’s the problem with going to the hotel?” he asks as he pulls over. I look outside and notice we are right in front of it.
“Oh, it’s just,” I stutter. “I’m not staying there anymore. Ivy is letting me stay at her old place and I don’t know the address.”
Easton looks over at me and smiles. “Well, aren’t you in luck? I know where that is.”
* * *
As we reach the hill that leads up the road to the rental, Easton starts talking again. “You know if you are gonna stay here you might want to think about just buying a new car.”
“I already told you I can’t afford to do that.”
“Yeah well, this hill gets awfully muddy when it rains. And that Honda Civic ain’t gonna be able to make it up this hill.”
“I’ll take my chances,” I huff.
“Alright.” He throws his hands up in defeat. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
As we pull into the driveway of the house, I go to open the door and Easton grabs my hand. I feel that stupid spark again and all I want to do is shove that spark down his throat. “Don’t I get a kiss goodnight?”
I stare at him in disbelief. “You know, for me giving you a ride home and all? Of course, I would love to take you for a very different kind of ride.” He grins.
I yank my hand away from him and jump out of the truck, slamming the door behind me. I hear him roll down the window and shout, “I’m only kidding sweet cheeks. But if you ever need a cup of sugar, all you have to do is ask.”
“Sugar, really? Can you stop with the innuendos?” I snap.
“Or a cup of milk or flour. I live in that house right down the street.” He points into the distance to the house I noticed earlier about a half mile away. He rolls up the window and peels out of the driveway. I am seriously going to kill Ivy for her meddling.