She clapped her hands. “Let’s go now. My friend Sarah said they have a special flavor today.” Then she was in between us, holding both our hands and pulling us toward the ice cream shop just across the street from the park.
Easton laughed, and I couldn’t help but notice the rich tone of it, the lightness and carefree happiness. So unlike every other time I’d been around him. I watched him as the three of us crossed the street then stood in line at the ice cream shop, observing how he and Amy got along like old friends. He seemed completely genuine, and when we got to the ice cream counter, he scooped Amy up so she could see all the options. She giggled and wrapped her arms around him.
“Uncle East, can I have a double scoop?”
“Only if you get double the toppings,” he told her with a bright smile. He glanced over his shoulder at me, that smile still in place, making my chest feel funny. “Don’t you agree, Percy?”
Hearing my name on his lips in that friendly tone was strange after the heated arguments we’d previously had in each other’s presence. Was he putting on a show for Amy’s sake? Or was this just how he always was? I couldn’t be sure.
He cocked a brow when I didn’t respond, and I gave myself a mental shake. I needed to pull it together. “Yeah, absolutely. Double toppings all the way.”
Amy giggled. “My dad is going to be so mad.”
I laughed. “That’s why we won’t tell him, right, Easton?” I gave him a conspiratorial wink, not even realizing what I’d done until he blinked a couple of times, his brow furrowing.
But then he grinned at Amy, looking at her like she hung the moon. “Absolutely. In fact, I think we should make it a triple. On me.”
“I’ve got it,” I told him quickly, not liking the idea of him paying for me, even if it was just ice cream.
He rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. We got our ice cream and headed to a table by the window.
“Are you ready for school to start back up in the fall?” Easton asked Amy.
She shook her head. “No way. Summer is the best. I got to see my friends today. Plus, I get to spend more time with you guys.”
Watching them, I realized they’d really gotten close over the last year. It was the first time I’d actually been around them together, and it made me happy that Amy had someone else close to her. Especially since I wasn’t always around. Though I was starting to think maybe I should make a change there.
Maybe I should take Tuck up on more of his invitations. Work would still be my priority, but I could make more time for Tuck and his family. In fact, I realized I needed to. Plus, if Easton was around, it might give me a chance to get to know him better.
The thought came out of nowhere, and I was stunned for a moment. But as I mulled it over, I wondered if maybe that would be a good thing. Perhaps I’d judged him too swiftly. The Easton I’d seen today was nothing like the man I thought he was.
Just as I was about to suggest that we all get together sometime soon, Easton’s phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and stared at the screen for a moment, looking like he wasn’t sure if he should answer. When his gaze lifted to meet mine, I knew immediately where his hesitation had come from.
“I’m sorry. I have to take this. It’s a work call.”
He answered the phone, his eyes locked on mine the entire time. And reality came crashing down around me. It had been far too easy to take him up on his suggestion earlier of leaving work out of our day, of making today about Amy. But the truth of the matter was, we couldn’t eliminate work from the equation.
Easton and I were on opposing sides of a major battle, and there was no forgetting that, even if it had somehow slipped my mind over the last hour and I’d started to think perhaps there was something worth exploring.
It felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over me, waking me up and bringing me back to reality. It didn’t matter if there was another side to Easton. I would never be able to take the time to find out because, at the end of the day, we were pitted against each other in one of the most significant cases of my career. Anything that may be between us would be ruined because of it.
So I did what any other logical person would do—I shut down that hint of curiosity and doused the embers of attraction that had been quickly sparking to life.
There could never be anything between Easton and me, and that was the end of it.
6
Easton
“Is everyone here?”
I glanced in my rearview mirror at the car parked a row behind mine and saw the driver nod.
“We’re ready. Just give the signal if you need us.”
I took a steadying breath and pushed my car door open, glancing around the crowded parking lot, noting the second vehicle with my security team. I didn’t call them in too often, but after getting the latest lead on Milo’s disappearance this morning, I wanted to be careful. This case had so many unknown elements, and I didn’t put it past Senator Bates to do something shady. Better safe than sorry.
Honestly, I was surprised I’d gotten the lead since everything in this case seemed to be wrapped up so neatly, making it hard to crack. I’d been going on a gut feeling so far, but it finally looked like I might get some information that would help me move past the standstill I’d found myself in.
The informant had requested we meet in a public place, which was more than fine with me. That didn’t mean I would come without backup. My security team would sit outside the diner and wait for my signal if I needed anything.
When I went inside, I spotted the guy immediately, knowing it was him by the way he was nervously watching the room and wringing his fingers.
“John?” I asked as I approached his table near the window, knowing the guy had given me a fake name but not caring if he gave me the info I needed. I’d been on pins and needles ever since I got the tip on Saturday while I’d been with Amy and Percy.
Just thinking of Percy had my blood heating in my veins. The way he’d looked at me in the ice cream shop… I didn’t know what it meant, but something had been different—in a good way—until I’d gotten the call from John. Percy’s entire demeanor had changed at that point, and we’d been right back where we were before, with him being cold and aloof.
For a few short minutes, I’d almost thought I’d gotten the wrong impression about him. I didn’t have time to worry about that, though. I had a job to do.
My informant nodded, looking around nervously. “You come alone?”
“Do you see anyone with me?”
John tucked his hands into his lap, looking like he might bolt at any minute. I gave him a smile as I slid into the opposite side of the booth, trying to keep him from being on edge.
“I really appreciate you coming forward. It’s been hard to get a lead on this, and Milo’s mother is beside herself with worry. Anything you can tell me that might help us find him would be amazing.”
John nodded again, seeming to relax a little. “So, like I told you on the call, I was at the club that night—the place Milo was last seen. I’d seen him there before. I mean, everyone who went there knew it was the place to go for hookups. I didn’t think anything about it at first since we all went there for the same reasons. But then when I saw the news last weekend…”