Page 7 of What Remains

“No clue who you’re talking about.”

She taps her finger against her lips twice while making a hmmm sound. “Gee, I don’t know, could it be a pilot?”

“Nash?” I shake my head. “He’s down the hall. No need to hack CCTV footage to locate him.”

Carter tried to move him into Easton’s old room. I may have had a mini breakdown at the idea, explaining why he couldn’t live there. Carter didn’t protest and changed Nash’s suite without a word. I owe him for that, and for not embarrassing me.

“Nash is cute, by the way. And single, from what I hear.”

“He’s separated, not quite single yet. And twenty years older than you, missy. Don’t be like me and start dating older guys when you’re eighteen, please.”

She chuckles. “You’re acting like your dad.”

“Maybe now that you’re of dating age, I’m starting to understand him a little better.”

As she goes for another Oreo, I wind up zeroing in on Easton’s mug, and now I’m mentally transported to the day he found me in his kitchenette while I helped myself to his Nespresso machine because mine was acting up.

He walked out of his bedroom in thin cotton blue pajama bottoms that left nothing to the imagination. No shirt on and messy bed head to complete the sexy look. I may have checked him out. Okay, okay, I ogled the hell out of him as discreetly as possible.

“And you’re here because?” He had the nerve to casually lean against his counter with folded arms, acting like he caught me doing something downright sinful.

“I needed a cup of joe.” I had to turn my back to him, unable to face him any longer. Otherwise, I’d have kept staring at his tanned, sleek abs and his rock-hard chest and shoulders. And as for his arms? They had to be cut from steel or something.

“And what happened to your joe?”

“Never been with a Joe, but⁠—”

“Smartass.” His body brushed against mine when he grabbed his U-M mug from the top shelf for me.

“I was thinking Nash is cute for you, not me.” Elaina successfully interrupts my memory, which is probably for the best. I’m not supposed to be thinking about Easton (let alone searching for where he’s at).

I wash down the Oreo with coffee. “I’m not interested in Nash.”

“Julian, then?” she blurts out.

I grip the handle tighter at her question, remembering Easton’s comment to me on the terrace. Almost sounded like jealousy when he referred to Julian as my date at the wedding reception.

Julian’s sister married a few months back, but she and her husband waited to have the official party to celebrate until earlier this month, and Easton showed up for all of two minutes. Spent one and a half of them out in the garden with me saying goodbye.

“No, not Julian. We have the cyber thing in common, sure. And he’s witty, smart, and obviously good looking, but⁠—”

“But he’s not Easton?”

I roll my eyes. Very mature, I know. “Even if there was no one else occupying my thoughts, I’d never date someone Mum would approve of. Julian’s noble, richer than Carter, which is saying a lot, and⁠—”

“Dead, according to most government agencies,” she cuts in again. “Doubt your mom would like that.”

“I really tell you too much.” I finally abandon my mug and rest my hands in my lap.

“Don’t ever stop.” She grins. “Anyway . . . Easton is the one ‘occupying your thoughts,’ yeah?” she asks with air quotes.

Why’d I say that? “Easton and I are just mates.” My shoulders sag. “Well, not anymore, I suppose. He left me.” I snatch another Oreo, needing a sugar fix. I twist the top, and Elaina frowns when she guesses wrong again.

“It’s weird being normal and not knowing everything like I used to.”

I thought that was what she wanted. To be a carefree teenager.

Elaina had always been able to see things, ever since she was little back when Liam and Emily adopted her. But her visions started becoming so strong they gave her migraines and made her physically sick. So sick, she almost died one day last year.