on the bread and note the tomatoes sliced on the other. It makes my stomach rumble even though Carter bought us a late-night dessert at a café right before we parted ways. “I was out to dinner with somebody.”
His eyes go to the clock on the oven before swiping over to my face. “Dinner? Like a date?”
Wincing, I shake my head as he studies the outfit melded to my body with a sour look crossing his features. “Not really a date, no. More like … two people who met up and ate a meal together and talked. It was a non-date.”
“A non-date?” he says slowly.
I nod, sipping my water. “It was probably with the same guy who sent the flowers.”
“The flowers?”
Why the hell is he repeating everything I’m saying? “Yes, the flowers.” Both our attention turns to the bouquet in question, still holding strong behind me on the counter. “You know, the ones I embarrassingly thought you bought for me. And it’s honestly fine you didn’t. I don’t expect anything from you. It’s just sex. Good sex. So, yeah. I went out. But not on a date. On a non-date with food and conversation. And then alcohol.”
His eye twitches. “You’re drunk.”
“I’ve sobered up.”
His eyes flick back to the flowers. “The flowers, huh?” He shakes his head and puts his sandwich together, cleaning up after himself. “I hope you had fun then.”
Walking past me without a second look back, he exits the kitchen. But I don’t want to end the conversation knowing the pinched expression on his face is there. “Why do I feel like you’re mad at me?” I call after him, following the brooding man toward the stares.
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
He stops a few steps up and turns. “Why should I care if you go out on a date, Piper? We’re just fucking, like you said. Go out and see whoever the hell you want. Just know that this thing between us ends here. I’m not into double dipping.”
My lips part as hurt slices my chest. Is that what he really thinks of me right now? “I didn’t sleep with him. Not that it’s any of your business.”
He lifts his shoulders. “Like I said, I don’t care. It’s probably better we stop anyway. You’re free to go on as many non-dates as you want. I probably have plans for tomorrow night as is. Look at us moving on.”
Moving—
I watch as he walks upstairs, biting into his sandwich and closing himself in his room. I remain at the bottom of the stairs, unsure of what just happened. My grip on the railing tightens as tears blur my vision, but I force them away and clear the emotion clogged in my throat. The burning sensation resides despite me holding my head up and pretending it doesn’t matter.
There’s no reason to cry over Easton.
After all, we were just fucking.
Chapter Eighteen
Seeing Mable tending to her plants when I walk into her room makes me smile. The window is covered in them, even more than the last time I was here to see her. The nurse working the floor today said gardening keeps her calm, so they kept getting her more.
“Piper,” Mable greets when she turns and sees me, setting the green watering pot down and walking over to give me a hug. “How are you, dear?”
I loosen the grip on her that I want nothing more than to keep, knowing her warmth is the only thing that can make me feel better. It’s been days since my non-date with Carter and the tense conversation with Easton following it. He hasn’t been home since, though he told me via a single text that he was staying with Jay.
With Jay. That was all his text said when I asked if he was okay because he hadn’t been home. I was worried, but he must not have noticed or just didn’t care. My guess was the latter. It was Jenna who noticed the sign on The Inked Lotus door saying they were closed for a convention until Monday.
I didn’t expect Easton to tell me everything, but it would have been nice to hear it from him instead. Then again, he didn’t owe me anything. It wouldn’t be fair to ask him where he was when it wasn’t really any of my business.
“I’m okay,” I lie through a smile.
She pats my arms, not seeming to know the difference. I follow her over to her plants. Her fingers brush the leaves as she picks up her watering can and