Page 70 of Missing Pieces

I nod and thank them for coming up. We have a light and easy conversation and I try to avoid all talk about Easton. Thirty minutes later he comes out with a nice lunch spread of chicken sandwiches and salad. I think his cooking helped him grow on my mom because she wouldn’t stop complimenting him after the first bite of her sandwich. Easton talked all about my design business, if you could call it that, and how I was working hard to make money to fix my car. I couldn’t help but wonder why I was still focused on fixing my car. I had a lot going for me here. I glance at Easton and smile as I think about how much we mean to each other. He must know what I’m thinking because he mouths “love you” to me as he takes the dishes into the kitchen with my dad.

I get up and follow them in with the rest of the plates but stop short when I hear them talking. “Well I might not have heard a lot about you, but I can understand why. Harper has had a lot on her plate and she tends to shut down toward us because she is afraid to ask for help.”

Easton snorts. “Yeah, Frank I have found that out.”

“Now don’t get me wrong, I am a bit upset she didn’t tell us much about you. But she probably thought I would be upset she was dating someone so soon after the divorce. And I have to say I would be, but I see her looking at you and I think you might be just what she needed to get over Drew.”

Great Dad, you just made it sound like East is my rebound. “That kind of came out wrong. I think you are what she needed to begin with. Her ex was no good for her from the start.”

Wow, thanks, Dad.

“But you make her smile. And she seems happy here. Don’t give up on her.”

“I don’t plan to Frank. Your daughter means a lot to me. I think we both kind of saved each other.”

My heart warms at Easton’s statement and that internal thread between us tugs my heart closer to him. I let out a small cough right before I enter the kitchen so they’re aware of my presence. Easton smiles at me, the rare one, the one that shows how much I mean to him and it pierces me right through the heart because he’s giving me everything and even though I love him I feel like I still can’t give him my whole heart.

* * *

My parents didn’t stay long because they wanted to get home before dark. I jumped on to the couch and leaned into the pile of pillows as I let out a long sigh.

“Well, that went well.”

I open one of my eyes to look at Easton who is standing at the edge of the couch. I nod my head in agreement and close my eyes again.

“Tired?”

I nod again.

“Too bad. I thought we had some unfinished business.” He pauses, waiting for a response from me. “Well, if you want to take a nap. I’ll just head home then. I can work on that hard project myself.”

I spring up from the couch with a sense of renewed energy and pull him back on top of me. “Not so fast. I think I might be able to help you with that.”

He chuckles into my neck as we start a repeat of the night before.