Saving Easton by Kaci Rose
Chapter 32
Easton
How stupid was I to think things could work out between Paisley and me? She's kind, sweet, and pushes me, when I need it. But all those years ago, Leeland made it clear she was off limits. Why would that be different now that we’re adults?
His words still ring in my ear.
Paisley deserves more.
She does deserve so much more than this. More than me being confined to this room. She deserves to go out into the world and do anything she wants, and she shouldn't be tied down to someone who can't be right at her side.
Paisley deserves more.
By staying away, I can give her more.
I hear the knock on my door, but I don't turn from the window. Allie barely lifts her head, so it's someone we know. If it's important, they’ll talk, and if not, they can leave me alone.
"Hey," Noah says and hesitantly sits on the couch.
He sits and doesn't move, flipping through his phone, and after a good twenty minutes, I just sigh.
"You aren't leaving, are you?"
"Nope. I don't know what happened, but you need a friend, so I'm here."
I have a feeling he's lying, because I'm sure Lexi has already talked to Paisley. If Lexi talked to Paisley, she told Noah, but I don't call him on it.
"I was having a great day with Paisley. Fooled myself into thinking things could work between us. It's different now, because we’re adults, right?" I sigh.
"Of course, it's different, Easton.”
"Then in barges Leeland, going on and on about us together and tells me she deserves more than me. The worst part is he's right."
"Bullshit.”
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. You’re using this as a reason to push her away to put the walls back up, and you know it."
"No, he was right. She deserves so much more than being cooped up in this room with me day in and day out."
"What about what you deserve, Easton? After everything you’ve been through, don't you deserve to be happy?"
"I’m happy. I'm happy I'm alive, and that's all I can ask for," I say.
We both sit in quiet again.
"How did Leeland find out about you and Paisley?"
"The girlfriend or ex-girlfriend told him."
"The one who was here causing problems?"
"Yes."
"Just proved we need you all the more," he says.
"Listen, I don't want any visitors. You're fine, but no one else, not even Paisley. Not right now," I say.
Noah eyes me before he nods. "Okay. Just promise me you aren't going to stop your appointments."
"I promise.”
That night, as I'm tossing and turning, all I can see is Paisley's face falling, when I asked to go home. She tried too hard to reach out to me, and I had just shut down.
Every time I drift off, all I hear are her last words.
Don't go backwards just because my brother is an asshole.
I jerk wide awake and think, easier said than done.
Then, I fall back asleep, only to hear it again and jerk back awake. This process repeats all night, and I give up the fight at the first sign of daylight.
I sit in the chair by the window and watch people come and go. Kaitlyn checks in on me and reminds me of my appointment later this afternoon, but I don't realize how late it is until Noah knocks.
"Hey, so Paisley was just here. She wasn't too happy you didn't want to see her, and that Lexi and I stopped her, but she left you this. I’ll leave it on the table here, if you want it." Noah says, dropping off a Tupperware container and an envelope.
Nothing else is said, as Noah leaves, but I turn to look out of the window again. This time Paisley is there with Molly and looking right at me from the front lawn. She looks sad and tired, but still as beautiful as ever. My heart races, as I watch what she does.
She takes off both Molly's vest and leash, and then turns to throw a ball for her. Oakside has plenty of room for Molly to run. It’s easily five times the size of Paisley's backyard, and Molly loves it. After throwing the ball a few more times, she finally puts the leash back on, before turning to look at me one more time, and then heading to her car.
Once she’s out of sight, I get up and walk to the table Noah left the container on. I open it and find the spaghetti and meatballs we were supposed to have for dinner last night, and even garlic bread wrapped in foil.
My stomach growls, and I grab a fork and dig in, while I stare down the envelope with the Oakside logo on it, and my name scrawled across the front in Paisley's handwriting.
Do I want to read it? Of course, I do, but I probably shouldn't. I should close that chapter of my life and figure out my next steps. But I do need closure, and I'm sure Paisley does, too. What if the letter will give us both that? Then, I should read it.
But Paisley could be mad. She could be yelling at me throughout that letter. In which case, I don't want to read it. But she didn't look mad when she was in the front yard with Molly. She looked sad, tired, and stressed. All because of me. So, I owe it to her to read the letter.
I finish the food, and it is as delicious as I remember it. The letter sits on the table taunting me.
"Allie girl, you need to go potty?" I ask, and she jumps right up.
I take her outside, well to the courtyard near my room. She does her business, and then we play for a bit before she stands at the door and stares at me. She's done and ready to go back to our room. We head in, and the letter is still on the table.
Glancing at the clock, I have about twenty minutes to my appointment, but decide to head over early and talk a walk through the lobby.
My appointment with Dr. Tate goes well. I fill him in on the last few days, and it's mostly me talking and him writing in his notebook. I walk back to my room slowly, stopping by the courtyard again to let Allie out, before going to my room.
The letter is still there. Now that I have no other excuses, I guess it's time to read it.