Ethan raises a brow.“You blaming me for last time’s shells?”
“She’s four,” I remind him.“She speaks only truth.”
He grins like he’s never been happier.
I pour the first circles of batter into the pan, and Mia leans close, whispering loudly,“Make them big ones. Daddy needs big ones so he gets super strong again.”
Ethan pretends to flex his injured arm.“Super strong is absolutely the goal.”
I flip a pancake. Mia cheers like I just won a gold medal.
I swear Ethan looks proud, too.
We eat at the little wooden table, Mia’s legs swinging, syrup on her nose. Ethan keeps brushing his thumb over the back of my hand under the table, small, grounding touches that make my heart ache in the best way.
Halfway through breakfast, the doorbell rings.
Mia gasps.“Is it Grace? Is she coming? Is she bringing Stormy? Is Stormy lonely? Does Stormy miss me? I miss Stormy so much…”
Ethan stands first.“Pretty sure that’s your riding buddy.”
I open the door to find Grace grinning on the porch, a thermos in one hand and a helmet in the other.
“Good morning, sunshine!” Grace beams at Mia.“Ready to go spoil a certain horse rotten?”
Mia jumps up and down so fast her curls bounce.“YES!”
Grace laughs as she steps inside.“I’ll have her back in a few hours. You two”, she points between me and Ethan,“should relax. Or nap. Or eat more carbs. Or… whatever.”
Her teasing smile makes my face instantly heat.
Ethan just smirks.“We’ll… figure something out.”
Grace wiggles her eyebrows at me, and I swat her shoulder.
“Mia, go grab your boots!” I call.
She zooms down the hall like a rocket.
Grace lowers her voice once she’s out of earshot.“How’s he doing? Really?”
I glance at Ethan,myEthan, leaning against the kitchen doorway, broad shoulders relaxed, sunlight catching in his dark hair. He watches us with that endless, quiet devotion he thinks I don’t notice.
“He’s… healing,” I whisper.“He misses the station. His crew. But he’s okay. We’re okay.”
Grace’s expression softens.“Good. You two deserve some actual peace.”
Mia races back with mismatched socks and both boots on the wrong feet.
“Ready!”
Ethan crouches carefully, fixing her boots.“You listen to Grace, alright?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
He freezes for a split second, jaw tightening like he’s keeping himself together. Then he clears his throat and kisses her forehead.“Have fun, kiddo.”
She hugs him hard, then me, before Grace scoops her up and carries her out the door.
