Chapter Twenty-Six
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Easton had arrived at the office at the same time Zach was dropping Leann off. He’d invited both of them up to his office, knowing he needed to discuss the situation with Dizzy. There were plans that needed to be made. His assistant fetched them three coffees and he explained what had happened and managed not to go into too much detail or blame Dizzy for overreacting.
For the first time that Easton could remember, the office didn’t feel like the haven it had always been. Even now he was unsettled, still thinking about his argument with Dizzy. Normally he would have shaken it off and be deep into his work by now.
But then this wasn’t any ordinary situation and Dizzy wasn’t an ordinary woman.
“You did what?” Leann shrieked when he was done, her eyes wide and her cheeks bright red. “Have you lost your mind?”
Easton had been wondering that exact thing since he’d left Dizzy’s house less than an hour ago. That conversation hadn’t gone at all the way he’d planned. He’d assumed that he and Dizzy wouldn’t see each other while her parents were in town but she’d taken it as a rejection of their entire relationship and even accused him of not caring enough for her. She thought he was using her mom and dad as an excuse because they were moving too fast.
He was pretty sure that he wasn’t doing that. Almost. But they were moving quickly by his usual standards, although this was different. He’d known Dizzy for years.
“I have not lost my mind but thank you for asking.” He turned his attention to Zach, who had stayed quiet while he’d explained what had happened. He and Dizzy might have broken up this morning but he still wanted to make sure she was safe. “Now I just want to make sure that someone is watching Dizzy. She says she’ll be okay because her parents are there but I’m not so sure. If I can’t be there, someone should.”
“I’ll watch over her.”
Easton looked up to see Carter strolling into his office. Where in the hell was his assistant? She was supposed to be monitoring his visitors, although to be fair he rarely refused to see any of his brothers.
“Why would you do that?”
Carter stood between Leann and Zach, who were sitting on the opposite side of Easton’s desk. His jaw was jutted forward in an aggressive stance and his arms were crossed over his chest. All in all, he didn’t look happy. Too fucking bad. Easton had more pressing problems than his little brother’s emotional wellbeing.
“Because someone needs to, obviously. Looks like you got tired of playing house.”
Standing, Easton came around the desk so he could look his brother in the eye. He didn’t like it when anyone hovered over him. “It’s a very complicated situation and I don’t have time to explain it to you.”
“I heard enough,” Carter said shortly. “Dizzy’s parents don’t think much of us Andersons and you got all butthurt. Is that about it?”
Easton needed this bullshit like he needed a hole in the head. “All I did–”
“All you did was make Dizzy believe you didn’t care enough,” Leann said, jumping from her chair. “That you didn’t love her enough to deal with her family, which is bullshit, by the way, because she’s never complained about dealing with ours.”
“Why would she complain?” It didn’t make any sense. “Our family is wonderful.”
Zach was smiling now, chuckling behind his hand. Leann nudged him with her foot.
“Tell him, handsome.”
“The Andersons are wonderful.” Zach seemed sincere but there was a mischievous gleam in his eye. “And nosy, and bossy, and judgmental when it comes down to dating the only female. Don’t get me wrong, I love your family. But nobody circles the wagons quicker than the Andersons, and heaven help you if one of them is mad at you because then they’re all mad at you. When Leann and I have a disagreement I have every Anderson male in my office telling me what I need to do, how I need to do it, and when I need to do it. Then they come back later to check on me and make sure I did it.”
Smiling, Leann leaned down to kiss her boyfriend. “But I’m worth it.”
“Yes, honey, you are. No question there.”
Scraping his fingers through his hair, Easton sighed. “I just suggested a break. That’s it. She’s the one that blew it all out of proportion. She accused me of not caring and then she said that I was using her parents as an excuse to back out of the relationship because we were moving too fast. She said that I’m uncomfortable dating a woman that believes in psychics.”
“And are you?” Carter asked, his brows raised. “Is she right? Because I’d be proud to have a woman like Dizzy in my life. If you two are on a break, I think I’ll give her a call and ask her out.”
It had been one long and miserable fucking morning and Easton had pretty much lost the little patience that he’d had when he woke up. Still it was a surprise when he realized it was his fist connecting with his little brother’s jaw. Pain shot up his arm as Carter’s body flew backward along with a few file folders from Easton’s desk, the papers fluttering as they fell to the floor. He shouldn’t have done it but dammit, Carter was getting on his last nerve.
It wasn’t as if this was the first time he’d punched Carter. Probably wouldn’t be the last, either. The brothers were known to take out their frustrations on each other.
Sprawled on the carpet, Carter rubbed his face and laughed, not appearing to be too upset that he’d been punched in the face. Leann and Zach had moved to the other side of the room, not wanting to be in the middle of two fighting Anderson boys.
“You love her. Just admit it, say you’re sorry, and then she’ll forgive you,” Carter said, levering to his feet. “What are you waiting for?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Easton’s shoulders slumped. No one seemed to be understanding the issue. “Her parents still hate me, and they hate you too, by the way, so don’t bother to ask her out. They hate everything we stand for.”
The office was quiet until Zach cleared his throat. “Sounds like this is a family matter, so I think I’ll run over to Dizzy’s and check on her. See how she’s doing. It will give me a chance to check out Stanford’s house as well. See if he’s dug any new flowerbeds lately.” He leaned down and dropped a quick kiss on Leann’s cheek. “I’ll call you later, baby.”
After Zach left, Leann turned and gave Easton and Carter a nasty look. “Both of you better straighten up because I have lost patience. This is a matter of life and death for Dizzy and you’re letting your testosterone do the thinking for you. Carter, I love you but stay away from Dizzy. No one needs you muddying up the waters right now.” She shook her finger under Easton’s nose. “And as for you, I don’t give a shit if her parents hire a hit man to take you out, you’re going to nut up and deal with it. She needs us right now and you do not have the luxury of acting like a diva. Are you listening to me? Because I’m serious here. You’re going to fix this with her, and that means admitting to yourself why you did it.”
Easton held up his hands in surrender. “I’m listening. Jesus, you’re bossy. I feel sorry for Zach. And I told you why I did it.”
“And not one person believes you,” Leann replied smoothly with a bright smile. “I doubt you do either. Now stop being a jerk and be the man I know you can be. I need to get back to my own office. I have a meeting in ten minutes. Some of us don’t have the luxury of playing Fight Club on a workday.”
Turning on her heel, Leann was gone in a second leaving Carter and Easton alone. It looked like his brother’s jaw was going to bruise. Their parents would find out about this. Shit. Easton was a grown man but he could still be cowed by his mother’s disappointed expression and his father’s disapproval.
“I can have my assistant get you some ice.”
Chuckling, Carter rubbed at it. “If that’s your half-assed way of saying you’re sorry, then I accept your lame apology.”
“I am sorry.” Easton knew better than to turn on a brother but that’s how they were. He’d hit the one guy he knew would take it. “This entire situation has me twisted up. I don’t want to hurt Dizzy but I don’t want to be hurt either. What if her parents convince her that I’m not good for her?”
Strolling toward the door, Carter just gave him a grin. “What if they don’t?”
Easton fell back into his leather chair when his brother left, images of this morning with Dizzy crowding out any other thoughts, leaving him with little urge to work and less ability to do so. He wanted to believe in what they had together but her parents had brought up some valid points.
They were different. Very different. Dizzy had a far different view of the world than he did. Could they make it? Could they find some middle ground to build a relationship on? Would she grow tired of him eventually? She was the creative and interesting one, after all. He was…disgustingly normal. There wasn’t anything much special about him.
Did it matter either way? Because he’d only been without Dizzy for a few hours and already he was missing her. Somehow he had to find a way to make this work.