Page 150 of Fierce Storm
“I didn’t know about the other stuff until after I spoke to him. And that’s not exactly what I said.”
“What did you say?”
“That he should look at things from an outsider’s perspective before taking things further. To ask himself what he’d do if a friend told him she was dating someone much older.”
“For fuck’s sake, Easton. I don’t want marriageorkids.”
“You don’t?”
“No. I never have.”
“Okay. That may be true now, but things change.”
“Do they?”
“Yes, Paige didn’t want marriage or kids either.”
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware that had changed. The kids part, anyway,” I snap, and Paige looks my way, her gaze softening. “God, I’m sorry.” I physically deflate. “It’s the fiery redhead in me.”
Paige laughs while Easton groans. I used that many times growing up.
“You have nothing to be sorry about, Keeley. That hasn’t changed for me. Nor will it. But I have Isaac. I’m not sure how I would have felt if I didn’t have him in my life.”
“I’m in a similar situation; I’ll have stepkids as well. Two of them. Paige and Marc.”
Paige snorts out a laugh while Easton’s eyes flash to mine, his expression full of disgust. “It’s not the same, Keeley.”
“Why not?”
“She’s messing with you, Easton.”
“I know. It’s still wrong.”
I blow out a breath and sink back into my chair, putting some distance between us as I prepare to get real. Something Easton and I rarely do with each other. “I don’t want my own kids, Easton. I love Isaac, more than I love you, and I couldn’t imaginenothaving him in my life. But I don’t want that for myself. I never have.”
“What if you change your mind? You’re still young.”
“You’re right. I’m young. But that doesn’t change my feelings. You don’t have to worry about that.”
“You can’t predict the future, Keeley.”
“This isn’t a case of me never having given it a thought or suddenly changing my mind. Iknow. With absolute certainty. I was forced to face that reality when I was younger.”
“What?” Both Easton and Paige freeze with matching shocked expressions.
“I got pregnant when I was twenty-four. I had a miscarriage at thirteen weeks.”
“Fuck, Keeley.” Easton’s voice breaks a little while Paige’s eyes go wide, and I somehow read her mind, shaking my head. It wasn’t Vance. But it was another athlete, a guy that decided he was too young for a kid and threw the blame my way.
I was too young for a kid too, only I couldn’t walk away like he could. It wasn’t an option for me.
“How the hell didn’t I know about that?” Easton asks, his tone softer than I think I’ve ever heard it.
“You were just starting your last year of college. I moved home to stay with Mom and?—”
“That’s why you moved home?”
“Yep.”
