Page 79
He grins. “Anytime.”
With Elio back in his chair and his supplies hanging from the handles, I wave a quick goodbye, then climb into the seat. North does the same, but he doesn’t move out until the car behind him honks, and then he jolts like he was being woken up out of a damn coma and hits the gas a little too hard.
“Maybe he did break you,” I mutter.
North snaps a look over at me before pulling out onto the main street. “So. You and Easton?”
“It’s new.”
“It better fucking be,” he snarls. Then suddenly, he hits the brakes and swerves into the gas station and comes to a stop. “It’s you!”
I blink at him. “Um. Are you going to murder me or something?”
He shakes his head. “You. It’s…Easton said…” He trails off with a heavy breath, then holds his palm over his mouth for a second. “He wouldn’t give up your name. He said it was new. He said the guy wasn’t ready for anyone to know. It’s fucking you.”
I take a breath and bow my head. “Yeah. But North, I am begging you not to say anything.”
At that, he gives me the most offended look I have ever seen. “I’m not a dick, dude.”
Well, he can be. But I suppose I should have known he wouldn’t say a word. Especially after what he and Leo went through.
“Easton wasn’t out when it started,” I tell him. “And I’m still technically married.”
“To a fucking evil monster who set your house on fire,” North spits. He takes a calming breath. “Sorry, but no one is going to judge you for falling for Easton while still being married to that shit-bag.”
I kind of want to laugh. And I kind of want to cry. I smile instead and hunch my shoulders up a little. “It wasn’t meant to happen. I’ve always liked him, but I assumed he was straight. And even if he wasn’t, I’m a whole, entire mess.”
North’s face softens completely. “You certainly drew the shit straw out of the shit bag, but that doesn’t make you a mess. And Easton is not the kind of person who would reject someone or look down on them because their life is complicated.”
My throat goes a little tight with emotion. “I know. He’s a better person than me.”
“He’s a better person than most of us. I’m glad you can see that now.”
The truth stings, but it’s fair.
“Can you do me a favor? Can you swing me by my parents’? I want to see if I can find a tracker on my car so I won’t have to call you to pick up Elio after school. And then I want to get back to Easton.”
North grins. “Is he making you a pancake frittata?”
“Yes.” He grins wider. “Should I be scared?”
He doesn’t answer me. But he does laugh.
The tracker is under the tailpipe. It looks like it was stuck there in a rush, which means he wasn’t taking great care not to get caught. Or Neal thinks that I’m not smart enough to figure out how he’s been able to run into me over and over again.
“Let me take a pic,” North says, pointing his phone at me.
“What? Why?”
He rolls his eyes. “Because this is fucking illegal, babe. You are going to report this shit.”
My stomach sinks. I wanted to get through this divorce without any more drama, but the idea that I would hesitate about reporting this when the man literally set my house on fire is absurd.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” I murmur as North snaps several photos.
He drops his arms, then shoves his phone into his pocket and tugs me into a hug. “Don’t do this to yourself, okay? There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re in the thick of it, and you know that saying how you can’t see a tree in the forest?”
With a snort, I pull back. “The forest for the trees?”
