"You're welcome. I was making one for myself and feeling charitable. I wasn't sure how you take it, so I just put in a dash of sugar and creamer, the way I like it."
Nothing else is said for a few minutes. I watch out of the corner of my eye as Easton takes in the view while taking long, slow sips from his mug.
"It's quiet out here," he notes, his tone low. "Been a long time since I've had quiet."
"I can imagine, with your job and the lifestyle that comes with it."
Easton nods.
"I bet it's exciting, though."
"Exciting gets old real fuckin' fast." He lets out a heavy sigh.
I tip my head but decide not to say anything more. I get the feeling that it's too heavy a topic for this early in the morning. So instead, I nudge his arm with my elbow. "Come on, Blue will get in a tizzy if I keep her waiting, and I have to be at the salon in a few hours."
An hour passes as Easton and I work together to bathe Blue. He takes cues from me on how to do everything properly. Blue has been a bit curious about the newcomer combing her mane, but I can tell by the way she keeps nudging him that she's found a new friend.
"So, you said you work at a salon." After a long, silent spell, Easton is the first to speak.
"Yeah, I work part-time at the hair salon in town. I don't do hair or anything. I just schedule appointments, help clean up, things like that."
"Why the part-time job? If you don't mind me asking."
Pausing what I'm doing, I peer over at Easton, whose eyes are laser-focused on me, like he genuinely wants to know. "I don't mind."
"I mean," he continues, "this place looks like it keeps you busy. Running it must be a full-time job in itself."
"Oh, it is." I blow out a breath and think of how much I want to share. "Before my grandmother passed away, she was sick with cancer."
"I'm sorry, baby," Easton interrupts, his face full of remorse.
I bite my bottom lip to keep from crying. My grandmother has been gone for some time now, but it's a wound that never heals. "Anyway, it didn't take long for the doctor bills to pile up, so my grandfather was left with no other choice but to get a loan from the bank. The only thing he had of value was this land. Long story short, it became a struggle to keep up with the payments.
After that, things around here started to deteriorate. We couldn't afford a lot of the upkeep. Things like a new barn, fixing the leaky roof, and installing new carpet were placed on the back burner. It caused a domino effect. We soon began to see a decline in guest bookings, and before long, we had to cut staff. All we have left are Steve and David, but they stay mostly out of loyalty. They've been working for my grandfather for over twenty years. Now, I work at the salon not only to pay them but to contribute to the ranch. I'm not ready to give up on this place. This is my home." I blink myself back into the moment and find Easton watching me intently. It's the kind of look that makes my tummy flutter. Ignoring the flutter in my stomach and realizing I may have shared too much, I decide to change the subject. "What about you? What's your deal?"
The corner of Easton's mouth lifts into a smirk. "My deal?"
"Yeah. How'd you get into music? Has it always been your dream to be a famous rock god?"
"You think I'm a god?" His smile gets broader.
I roll my eyes. "Don't go getting full of yourself. Poor choice of words on my part."
Easton chuckles. "I guess you could say it's always been my dream. I've been singing and writing music for as long as I can remember."
"I bet your family is really proud of you," I state.
Something sad passes over Easton's face, but he's quick to school it. "Nah, my parents were against me chasing music at first. They've slowly been coming around the past couple of years and showing their support. It was my sister who bought me my first guitar on our tenth birthday." He shakes his head and smiles. "She saved a whole year to buy it for me. Every penny of her allowance went to buying that guitar."
"You said our birthday," I point out.
"Emerson and I are twins."
"So, I take it you two are close?"
Easton nods. "We are. My sister is my best friend and my biggest supporter. She's also a huge pain in the ass." He chuckles. "I wouldn't have it any other way, though."
I can't help but laugh too. "I bet it was fun having a twin, too. Always someone to hang with, someone to have your back, and like you said, someone to be a constant friend."
