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I hear the garage door open and decide it’s time for a break. My damn computer has been frozen in the same spot for the last fifteen minutes. I have to wait it out. Then I can type some more. Every time I save or get on the Internet while typing, it does this.
Standing, I meet them at the garage door. What I find melts my heart. Easton has a sleeping Paisley in his arms, rubbing her back as he carries her into the house.
“Hey, baby. You get any work done?” he whispers, taking P to the living room and laying her gently on the couch.
“Not really. Technical difficulties.”
“I heard about that. I think I have a solution.” He stops in front of me, bends and presses his lips to mine. “Be right back.” I watch him go back out to the garage, only to come back in with his arms full of bags.
“What is all that?”
“We went shopping.” He sets the bags on the opposite end of the dining room table from where I’m working. “This is for you.” He hands me a Bath & Body Works bag. “This is also for you.” He hands me a large bag from the Apple store.
“Easton?”
“I wanted to get you something that you’ve been needing to make things easier for you. P said you were yelling at your computer. She also said you mentioned it being on its last leg, but didn’t want to tell you computers don’t have legs because you were sad.” He smiles.
“This is too much.” This man with a heart of gold, how can I ever repay him for what he’s given us? Not the gifts, but the steady shoulder to lean on, the laughs, the hugs, the kisses. If I didn’t already, it would be impossible not to fall in love with him.
“It’s not. I told you, Larissa, I want to take care of you. I have the means to do these things. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I knew you were struggling, spending hours more than necessary because your computer was shit, and could afford to make it better? That’s what I’m doing.”
“You make our lives better. You don’t need to spend your money on us.”
“Noted, but I’m going to regardless.” He reaches out and cups my cheek. His thumb strokes gently. “I care about you, about both of you. I want to do this. I want to help.”
I can feal the tears building. “Thank you, I’ll pay you—” He cuts me off by pressing his lips to mine.
When he finally pulls away, his voice leaves no room for argument. “No, you will not. This was a gift to you. My girlfriend.” He hands me the bag again. “Now, open it and set it up, so you can kick this assignment’s ass. While you’re doing that, I’ll show you what else we bought.”
I sit back in my chair, box in hand and just stare at him. Is this really my life? He bought me a new computer.
“So, P said she needed some new shoes, but not until it gets colder. We went ahead and got her a pair. I made sure they fit then went a half size bigger in case her feet grow between now and then. I remember Mom doing that with my little sister, Pepper.”
“Easton,” I breathe his name as tears prick the back of my eyes.
“And this,” he ignores me, “this is for you. P and I thought that you would like something new that smelled good.” He grins pointing to the bag from Bath & Body Works.
“I got this, Mommy,” Paisley’s sleepy voice greets us.
I place the computer and the bag on the table, expecting her to come to me; instead, she stops beside Easton and holds her arms up for him. He doesn’t even hesitate to pick her up and place her on his hip. I watch as she rests her head on his shoulder and he rubs her back.
“You hungry, princess?” he asks.
“Did you eat all the cookies?” she asks.
“I would never,” he says as if she offended him. “How about I whip us up some dinner while Mommy finishes her schoolwork. You any good at making spaghetti?”
“The bestest,” she tells him. “But look,” she turns to me, “we builded it at the Build-A-Bear.” She holds out a big brown bear for me to see. “I gots to pick out her clothes too.”
“That’s all in this bag.” Easton shows her the bag sitting on the table.
“That’s great, P. Did you have a good time?” It’s a stupid question by the smile tilting her lips. I can feel some of the earlier tension sliding away watching the two of them. An outsider looking in would never be able to tell that she’s not his daughter. The love they have for one another is palpable.
