"I really like you," she called down. "Like a concerning amount for three dates." "Same," he called back. "Okay, good. Just wanted to make sure we were on the same page."
"We are." She grinned and disappeared back inside. Ethan sat in his truck for a solid 5 minutes before starting the engine, trying to remember the last time a kiss had made his hands shake. High school, maybe. Possibly never.
His phone rang. Rachel, because of course it was. "How was the date?" "Good." "Just good?"
"Really good." "Did you tell her yet?" "No." "Ethan." "I kissed her." Silence.
Then, "You what?" "She kissed me first." "Then I kissed her back." "Then we agreed to see each other Sunday." "Oh my god," Rachel breathed.
"You're in deep." "Yeah." "Like really deep." "I know." "And you still haven't told her who you are."
"No." "This is going to blow up in your face." "Probably." "But you're doing it anyway." "Yeah." His sister sighed.
"You're an idiot." "But you sound happy, so I guess that counts for something." "Thanks." "When do I get to meet her? Not yet.
Why not? Because you'll tell her I'm a billionaire within 5 minutes and ruin everything. I would not Rachel stopped. Okay, I probably would, but only because she deserves to know. She'll know when I'm ready to tell her.
And when's that? I don't know yet. They talked for a few more minutes before Rachel had to go. Ethan drove home through empty streets, the city quiet around him. His house was dark when he pulled up.
He'd forgotten to leave lights on again. Inside the silence was oppressive. He walked through rooms that cost more than most people's yearly salary and felt nothing but the absence of what he'd just left. A crowded apartment, terrible coffee, a little girl reorganizing her bookshelf while her aunt translated questions about dinosaurs. That was home.
This was just where he kept his stuff. Ethan's phone buzzed, a text from Clara. Lilly wants to know if Jake can come on Sunday, too. He smiled and typed back. Let me ask him.
She's already planning activities, fair warning. What kind of activities? I honestly have no idea. She's being very secretive about it. Tell her Jake's in.
You haven't asked him yet. He'll say yes, trust me. Another text came through. I'm trusting you with a lot lately. I know, I won't mess it up.
You better not. Lilly really likes you. If you break her heart, I'll have to kill you. Noted. And before you ask, yes, I'll be sad about it, but I'll still do it.
Also noted. A pause, then I really like you, too, by the way. In case the kiss didn't make that clear. Ethan stared at that message for a long moment, something warm spreading through his chest. The kiss made it clear, he typed.
But it's nice to hear anyway. Good night, Ethan. Good night, Clara. He fell asleep on his couch, still in his jeans, his phone clutched in his hand like a teenager. And when he dreamed, it was about Sunday afternoons and terrible coffee and a woman with paint in her hair who looked at him like he was worth seeing.
Saturday morning, Ethan called his ex-wife. "I need to change weekend plans," he said when she picked up. "Ethan, we have a custody agreement." "I know. I'm not asking to skip my weekend.
I'm asking if Jake can meet someone." Silence. "Someone?" "I'm seeing someone. It's new, but it's good.
And she has a niece. I thought maybe the kids could meet." "You're dating?" His ex-wife sounded genuinely surprised. "Since when?"
"A few weeks." "And you're already introducing her to Jake?" "It's not that simple. She brings her niece everywhere. The kid's seven.
If I want to see Clara, Lily comes with the package." "Clara?" His ex repeated. "What does she do?" Here it was.
The test. "Graphic design, freelance." "Oh." The single syllable carried a world of judgment. "Does she know about" "No, and you're not telling her."
"Ethan." "I mean it, Jennifer. Not a word." "She's going to find out eventually." "Let me worry about that."
His ex-wife sighed. "Fine." "Bring Jake back Sunday evening instead of Monday morning. But Ethan, be careful. I don't want him getting attached to someone who's going to disappear."
"She's not going to disappear." "You don't know that." "Yeah," Ethan said quietly. "I do." He picked up Jake Saturday afternoon.
His son bounded out of the house with a backpack full of dinosaur books and endless energy. "Dad, Mom said we're meeting new people tomorrow." "We are." "Who?" "A friend of mine and her niece.
The girl's about your age." Jake's nose wrinkled. "Is she weird?" "Probably, but good weird." "What's her name?"