Easton took my hand in his and locked our fingers together as we exited the cafe. I glanced at the small public display of affection then back up at him, smiling.
“Is this okay?” he asked with a soft expression on his face and a gleam in his eyes. I nodded, too happy to form any kind of words. This was more than okay. This was perfect.
He was perfect.
After Tyler died, I never expected to feel normal again, least of all because of a man who had no real reason to stick around here in Savannah anymore.
At the time, it didn’t seem fair to continue on with my life while he no longer had his. But somewhere along the way, and although I still loved Tyler, I realized Easton had made his way into my heart, too.
Hand in hand, we strolled along the cobblestone sidewalks, soaking up the early Sunday morning sun. The streets were quiet, which meant people were probably sleeping in or just heading to church. Easton brought our hands to his mouth where he kissed the back of mine, and I stopped to get a better look at a flyer on one of the dimly lit storefronts.
It was an advertisement for a special First Friday celebration in August, which was just a week away. I had missed the annual Fourth of July celebration. The same celebration Tyler used to take me to. For a moment, that knowledge felt heavy, but then I kept reading. The high school marching band and cheerleaders were going to be leading a special parade. Immersed with memories of my past, they took me back to when things were simpler and life was more trivial. When the biggest problems I had were where I was headed after the Friday night football game or if I’d passed my chemistry test, usually in that order. My social life was a tiny bit more important than my academic one. Tyler was more important than both of them.
Tears burned the back of my eyes and the words blurred. I blinked rapidly, hoping they wouldn’t fall.
This special event was being held in commemoration of the fallen soldiers local to Savannah and a couple of surrounding counties. To pay tribute to the soldiers who had lost their lives in combat. Quite a few businesses were sponsoring the event with proceeds benefiting a short list of local military charities with the main focus on assisting wounded soldiers transitioning back into the community.
My eyes scrolled through the list, wondering if I’d find Tyler’s name among the twenty or so listed, and when it did, my breath stalled deep in my chest. I wondered why I hadn’t been informed about this. Had I been so checked out that I had no idea what was going on around me?
“Hey, are you okay?” Easton wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his side. I rested my head and palm against his chest and nodded.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” I wiped the corners of my eyes and managed a faint smile.
“We should go to this.” He pointed to the poster, and I wasn’t sure if he registered the significance of it all. “I heard Aunt Millie talking about it with someone the other day.”
I shrugged before answering as if I didn’t care either way. “Maybe.” I didn’t know how to explain what I was feeling, and I honestly didn’t want to. I should keep my thoughts of Tyler to when I was alone. Give Easton my full attention when we were together.
“I could really go for some coffee right now. Did you want to grab a tea?” He squeezed my arm, and I nodded.
“Why didn’t you get coffee with your breakfast?”
“They may have the best omelets in town, but their coffee tastes like dirt.” He exaggerated his distaste by cringing, and I laughed, knowing all too well what he meant. Dirt was exactly the taste I would associate with coffee.
We continued our stroll down the sidewalk and across the street to the water’s edge, avoiding the stench of the dumpsters. A homeless man sat on a bench with a couple of bags at his feet and a little tin can sat at his side. He wouldn’t make eye contact with anyone, and as we approached, Easton dug into his pocket, pulling out a few dollar bills and dropping them in the man’s tin. He looked up and smiled a toothless smile and mumbled, “God bless you.”
Easton nodded. “And you as well.”
“Thank you,” the homeless man mumbled again.
I looked up at Easton, wanting to get a good look at this unbelievably kind and generous man. He never ceased to amaze me, and I had to ask myself how I got so lucky to meet a man like him, especially when I wasn’t even looking.
“What?” Easton smiled sheepishly, pulling our joined hands to his chest and leaning forward to kiss my hand again, all while holding his eyes to mine. That undeniable feeling I got when I was with him swept away the lingering sadness, and I smiled.
Easton stopped next to the railing at the water’s edge and enveloped me in his strong arms as I snaked mine around his waist. I needed this, I needed normal. It also helped that I was comfortable around him.
Gazing over the river, we enjoyed the serenity around us. This was the nice part of coming out here so early in the morning. Not too many people were mulling about, and the ones who were, were busy prepping and planning for their day.
“When I moved here, a relationship wasn’t part of my plan,” Easton spoke softly while he continued looking out over the water. He kissed my head then rested his chin on top, letting his words dangle between us for a bit. “You weren’t a part of my plan, Lilly.” I tried to pull back, but he refused to let me go. “Quit.” He chuckled softly then carried on. “But now that you’re in my life, I can’t picture it without you in it. What I’m trying to say is . . . I saw his name on the flyer back there, and I know you’ll always love him, but I’m hoping you’ll be able to find room in your heart for me, too.” His confession had my heart squeezing in my chest. I wanted to reassure him, tell him something, anything that would convince him I was feeling the same things he was. Easton was a man who deserved to be loved wholeheartedly.
“East—” My voice shook.
“Shh. You don’t have to say anything. I just need you to know you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I love you, Lilly. This is all unexpected to me, as much as it is to you, but whenever you’re ready—” My breath hitched, and I let those three small but very powerful words sink in. There he was, being perfect again, and I had no idea how to properly formulate my thoughts and feelings into words. “And if you’re up for it, I think you should agree to let me take you this Friday.”
“I’d like that.” Aside from his huge admission, my heart felt lighter than a few minutes ago. Happy that he was patient with the pace I was taking.
“How ’bout that coffee?”