Billie woke up after a terrible dream. She walked out to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water and sat down at the counter, calming down a little.
She looked at the clock. 3 am. She took the water back to her room and laid down, closing her eyes and trying to fall back asleep.
"Shut the fuck up, Billie!" Sean's voice was still so clear in her mind. She could still feel the blows on the back of her head, where he preferred to strike her because no one could see the bruises. She felt his hands on her. "You're my wife and if I want to fuck you, I will." His voice, his breath, his smell. She closed her eyes tighter, hoping it would stop. She tossed and turned and finally, turned the light on and decided to clean. Her mind wouldn't quit long enough for her to fall back asleep.
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It had been a month since he had seen her last. He craved her presence. And he was going to tell her everything about himself, well, at least who he was, let it all out, and see what she thought after that. It was time. And it was fair. Maybe after his admission, she would tell him the truth about her past as well. And if she didn't want him, after knowing who he really was, then he would have to face it. It was better than living a lie and worrying about it all the time. He hated the anxiety he felt when it came to her. He knew the lie was a big part of that. He had a big night planned and he was excited. "I'm excited and nervous about a woman. What the fuck?" He said to himself, laughing, as he made the two hour trip from Tucson.
As his car entered the town, Ezra had an odd feeling come over him. Relief. He pulled into her drive and saw that her Jeep wasn't there. So, he backed out and went to the cafe in town.
"Well hello, handsome. Can I get you a table?" An older woman asked.
"Lily, please." He said.
"Oh, she worked the morning shift. She just left a few hours ago. Maybe check Abby or Gabe's house?" She said.
"Gabe." Ezra repeated.
"Yes. She is there a lot. And at Johnny's. Oh yes. That's where she is. She has an open mic thing outside on the patio today." She said.
"Johnny's. Thank you." Ezra said.
"No problem. And if you need anything else, ever… I'm Paula. Come back and see us." She said. He nodded and handed her a 100 dollar bill for her trouble.
"I, I can't accept this." She said.
"Please do. For your help." He said as he turned and walked out.
He followed what his GPS said and turned into a small restaurant/bar in the next town. There were people seated on the patio outside and as he walked inside, he could hear a woman singing. It was her.
She looked incredible. She had on a long, flowing floral sundress and a fedora style hat. Her hair was lighter brown now, a little longer, probably faded, he imagined, thinking about her blonde in the picture he saw. She looked like an angel and sounded like one, too. He sat at the outside bar and ordered a drink from a mesmerized bartender.
"Wow. What can I get you? A beer? Cocktail? Have your children?" She asked jokingly but seriously.
"I'll have a Corona." He said, not taking his eyes off Billie.
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"That was incredible, as always." Gabe said after she walked off the stage, giving her a hug. She still felt weird when he touched her even though they had been hanging out a little more, building their friendship. She smiled and gave Abby a high five and walked to the bar to get a drink. That's when she saw him. He looked incredible. Jeans, faded and form fitting, a v-neck white tee against his olive skin. His dark hair, cut perfectly and his arms bulging through the arms of his sleeves. He was wearing a silver necklace with what looked like a Celtic symbol or rune on it and a silver or platinum bracelet with black leather boots. Her heart stopped for a second. A long second.
"Easton." She said, breathlessly, barely making any sound at all as their eyes locked.
"Lily." He said back, with a perfect white smile. God he was beautiful. So beautiful it was like looking at a piece of art or a flower. He was perfectly designed. His features, his skin, his hair, his body, everything was perfect. Like a god.
"Oh, hey there weird stranger man." Gabe said, breaking their gaze. She snapped out of the trance and felt embarrassed by Gabe's bravado.
"Hello, Mr. Peacock." Easton said.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Gabe said, acting like a tough guy.
"Your shirt. It is the color of a peacock's feather. And I can't remember your name." Ezra said. Billie stifled a laugh.
"Cute." Gabe said sarcastically.
"Lily, might we take a walk?" Ezra asked.
"Yes." She replied. Gabe rolled his eyes and walked back to the table.
Ezra lead her outside and to his car. "You sing like an angel. And you look beautiful today." He said. Billie stopped in her tracks.
"Easton. Is this yours?" She asked, pointing at the car he stopped at. "This is a Bentley Continental convertible." She said, her jaw dropping to the ground. "It's like 200,000 dollars."
"260 but close enough. You know your cars ." He said, smiling.
"And shoes. The last pair of boots you had on were 15,000 dollars new. And the Range Rover. That's like half a million in only three things. Easton, who are you?" She asked.
"I came here to show you that, if you'll allow me to." He said.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"You have tomorrow off, correct? I remembered you saying that. I was wondering if you'd like to come to my place for dinner tonight." He asked.
"I'd love to. But what does that have to do with my question?" She asked.
"Everything." He said. "Shall we go now?" He asked.
"Yeah, I mean, I have to say goodbye to my friends. Give me a minute?" She asked.
"As long as you need." He said.