“Ethan!” Mia breaks away from me and runs straight toward him, then skids to a stop, clutching her drawing.“Can I hug you? Mommy said I might hurt you…”
Ethan crouches, gathers her gently against his good side, and kisses the top of her head.
“Of course you can, princess. Don’t you worry.”
He pulls back to look at her picture, and his throat moves as he swallows.
“This is for me?”
“It is!” she beams.“See? That’s the fire. And that’s you fighting it. Like a superhero.”
His jaw tightens with emotion as he pulls her into another soft hug.
“I love it,” he murmurs.
His eyes lift for a brief second and find mine, just long enough to steal the breath from my lungs, before everyone crowds around him. I hang back, waiting, my pulse thudding in my throat.
Finally, I step forward.
My feet feel heavy, like each step is another chance to lose my nerve.
I reach him. He turns toward me.
Without a word, I wrap my arms around him carefully, gently. His scent is mixed with smoke and antiseptic, but beneath it is him, Ethan, warm and alive.
The moment my cheek brushes his shoulder, something in my chest cracks open. I close my eyes, but only for a heartbeat. I force myself to pull back even though every cell in my body screams to stay.
???
We gather around the table for lunch, but the air feels heavy. Ethan sits between Josh and Jace, pushing food around his plate. His usual bright, easy smile is gone, replaced with a tight, tired imitation.
He laughs when his brothers joke, but his eyes stay dull. His posture tense. His mind elsewhere.
He must be thinking of Asher.
I keep stealing glances at him. And every time my chest aches a little more.
When Lily brings out the pie, Ethan stands abruptly.
“Uh… I think I’ll pass. I need some air.”
Josh moves to follow, but I lift a hand.
“Can I go?” I whisper.
Josh searches my face, then nods and settles back into his chair.
Outside, the cold bites my cheeks. At first I don’t see him, then I spot him by the tree line, far from the house. Shoulders rigid. Back to me.
I walk slowly toward him, my breath forming tiny ghosts in the air.
“Ethan,” I whisper when I’m close.
He turns, too fast, and I see it. The storm inside him. Anger, fear, heartbreak all knotted tight.
“Summer,” he rasps.“This… isn’t a good time.”
He scrubs a hand over his face, looking everywhere but at me.
