Tears sting my eyes.“Ethan… this is too much.”
He shakes his head, a quiet smile tugging at his lips.“We all got her something. It wasn’t just me.”
The lump in my throat swells.“Your family is doing so much for me. It’ll take years to repay you all.”
He smiles softly.“You don’t repay gifts, Summer. You just accept them.”
I let out a wet laugh.“Well, I guess your whole family will have free coffee and pastries for the next ten years.”
He chuckles, warm and low.“That’s not how gifts work either.”
I hug him without thinking, brief, impulsive, grateful. His arms tighten just enough to make me feel safe, and when I pull back, I already miss the warmth.
“Now,” he says,“there’s something I want to give her personally.”
“There’s more?” I shake my head, half-laughing.
He just grins.“Hey, princess! Come on up here!”
Mia’s footsteps thunder on the stairs. She bursts in, face flushed.“You have a surprise?”
Ethan scoops her up, carries her to the closet, and opens the doors. Her gasp fills the room.“My pink coat! And my hat! My scarf! My mittens!”
She runs to grab them, eyes wide as moons.“Thank you, Efan!” She throws her arms around his neck, and he hugs her tight.
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”
I stare, my heart in my throat.“How did you know which ones to get her? I never showed anyone.”
He shrugs, that easy grin curving his lips.“I went to the store and asked which set the beautiful woman from the coffee shop bought a few days ago.”
My breath catches.“Ethan, this is too much.”
He steps closer, his voice low, gentle.“Summer, I know you want to do everything on your own, and I respect that more than you know. But life threw you into a storm, and it’s okay to grab someone’s hand to climb out. You don’t have to do it alone.”
I shake my head, blinking fast.“I would’ve found something at the thrift store, and…”
He places a hand on my shoulder, steady and warm.“I wanted to do this for her. She already lost her home. I just wanted to give her something to smile about.”
The fight drains out of me.“Okay.”
His lips curve, soft and satisfied.“Good.”
He leads me to the second room. I step inside and stop. The view takes my breath away, endless fields, the ranch sprawling across golden grass, the mountains rising pale blue in the distance.
The bed is covered in a patchwork quilt, pillows stacked high, candles on the dresser waiting to be lit. There’s even a small TV across from the bed.
“You like it?” Ethan asks, eyes bright, the faint curve of a smile softening his strong features.
I nod, voice caught in my throat.“I love it.”
He smiles, that same quiet smile that makes everything inside me tremble.
He steps closer, and I feel the heat from his body even through the space between us. My pulse ticks faster, and I catch myself staring at his mouth, the curve of his jaw, the warmth in his eyes. He tilts his head, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
“You okay?” he asks softly, voice low and teasing, like he knows exactly what I’m thinking.
I shake my head quickly, trying to force a smile.“I’m fine. Really. Just… tired, that’s all.”
