"That's cute," she added. Then she put her hand in her purse and pulled out what looked to be a business card. She placed it on the table and then whispered, "Just in case."
"Holy crow, woman," Sophia said loudly. "He's got a girlfriend in his lap. Get yourself some dignity and a little respect for our kind." Sophia took the card and held it out for the woman to take back.
The woman eyed the card and then Sophia's face. She glared at Sophia before taking the card and then sending one last flirtatious glance in Easton's direction, then finally backing away for good.
Even though she went back to her table, it was in full view of ours, and I knew that meant I wouldn't have to move away immediately. And although my mind was setting off every alarm system it had—I had to get out of Easton's arms or I'd only fall further in love with the guy—my heart was perfectly content. It might’ve even purred.
"Well, that was—” Holly began.
"Terrifying?" Sophia finished.
We all laughed at her assessment of the situation because it was pretty spot on.
Rider, Hunter, and the guys began to tease Easton as Holly and Olivia relayed how proud they were of Sophia for sticking up for women everywhere when I met Whit's eyes. They were wide and full of compassion for me. In that moment, I knew she understood exactly what I was feeling.
It was ridiculous for me to think that gorgeous Whit with her big, blue eyes and perfectly curvy figure could have ever experienced unrequited love, but Whit was the best empathizer there ever was. Maybe it was because of her rough childhood, but she somehow always knew exactly the kind of pain someone else was feeling. Right now she could feel the war going on inside of me and that my mind had lost this battle. Even though, in the end, my heart was sure to lose, too.
She gave me a small smile that I had to return.
"You okay?" she mouthed, and I nodded against Easton's chest.
She gave me one last timid smile before turning to Sophia and adding, "I think Easton should hire you as a bodyguard."
Our friends laughed, and even I laughed along, loving this fake moment where I could pretend this was where I belonged.
The group then turned their attention to Hunter and his last insane encounter with a fan who had followed him up to his hotel room.
"Thank you," Easton whispered against my hair.
I looked up to meet his gaze. I had to tell him. What if he felt the same way I did and we were staying apart for no reason? I knew he loved me as a friend. Was true love, the kind I felt for him, really a leap from there? It was more like a hop, skip, and maybe a jump. Who couldn't travel that far?
"You're welcome," I said. I opened my mouth to just say it. To tell Easton I loved him and I always would.
"Combo?" our waiter asked, his voice startling me enough that I clamped my mouth shut.
"Yeah, man. Right here," Easton said as he pointed to my now empty seat.
And just like that, the moment was gone. All of a sudden it felt silly to be in Easton's lap, and I made my way back to my spot at the table.
As I lifted my taco to take my first bite, my mind breathed a sigh of relief even as my heart ached.
Chapter Five
"Rosco!" Easton and I greeted later that evening as I opened my apartment door to let in Whit and her dog. Her apartment was getting fumigated early the next morning, and she was going to stay with Sophia. But since Sophia's new place had a strict no pet rule, Rosco got to come hang with us. Which, I had to say, Easton and I didn't mind in the least. We both loved the big, sweet golden lab mutt.
"Are you sure you guys are okay to do this?" Whit asked as she bent down to give Rosco a hug. We knew Rosco was everything to Whit. Since her mother had passed while we were in college, Rosco was practically the only family Whit had left. Well, and all of us, of course.
"I'm leaving tomorrow," Easton said as he turned to where I stood in our small blue kitchen, "So it's really up to her."
I grinned. "It gets lonely around here without Easton," I said honestly. Then I quickly added before Easton could read more into it, "And Rosco is actually a step up from my current roommate."
"Hey!" Easton protested as Whit laughed.
"As long as you're sure," Whit said, and I nodded as I accepted a heavy bag from Whit that I assumed carried all of Rosco's necessities.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay here as well?" I asked as I looked from Rosco to Whit. I knew they'd miss one another.
Whit looked down at her dog. She seemed like she was going to take me up on my offer but then shook her head. "I already asked Sophia. I know she feels bad that Rosco can't stay at her place since she had no idea about the no pet rule until she saw a sign in her new complex last week. I think I'll add to her guilt if I decide not to stay with her," Whit said.
I nodded, even though I doubted Sophia would mind. But I knew relationships were the most important thing in Whit's life. She'd do anything to protect them.
"I've got to go, Ros. But your Aunt Josie and Uncle Easton will take good care of you," Whit promised as she rubbed Rosco's back.
"But maybe I'll come by to see him sometime?" Whit looked up at me as she asked. I knew she felt foolish because her fumigation would only keep her out of her house for a little over a week. She'd be back with Rosco so soon. But Whit's relationship with Rosco was special.
"Of course," I said as I bent down to join Whit and Rosco.
"Thanks, Josie," Whit said as she stood and took a step away from her dog.
"He likes to sleep with his stuffed dog, and he's a little weird about eating breakfast." Whit reiterated the points she'd already told me twice about Rosco.
"You know what?" she said as she took another step back and toward our brown front door. "You've got this."
"I do," I said with a grin.
"But I'll probably just text you. You know, just in case," she added, and I swallowed back my laugh.
"Sounds great," I said as Whit walked backwards down the hall of my apartment building before I shut the door behind her.
"What do you think? Can we survive without your mama?" I asked Rosco who was staring at the now shut door.
I swore he nodded before turning around and taking in my apartment for the first time. I didn't have a ton of space, but I had a decent-sized laundry room that I knew Rosco would love. I led him to said room, and Rosco seemed to approve as Easton bent to give Rosco a hug.
"Maybe we should get a dog," Easton said.
I tried not to linger on the way he said we. Didn't couples get dogs? It wasn't really a best friend thing, was it? Ever since he'd announced he was retiring, Easton had been acting differently. I had to wonder if this could be it. The moment I hadn't even been able to dream of.
"Maybe we should. But let's see if we survive Rosco first," I said, trying to tamper down my hope as I went back to the front door for Rosco's bag, placing it in the laundry room with him. I began to unpack his toys into the makeshift bed I'd created for him out of blankets next to the washing machine. Then I set up his food and water bowl.
"Does it feel like home?" I asked Rosco. He turned in a circle before settling into the blankets and then looked up at me. I swore this dog was smarter than I was.