“I— I’m… sorry,” I muttered, voice tight, rough around the edges.
“I, uh, I have to get the kids home,” she said, fixing the folded sleeves of her blazer that didn’t need fixing. “Homework.”
She didn’t look at me. She just turned and left. The soft click of the door echoed behind her, and I stayed frozen, staring at the empty space, unsure of what I’d just done.
If it came out, I’d just tell Ethan I was a man possessed by some other-worldly enchantment. That’s what it felt like. Like I’d been drawn to her by a force outside of myself.
Outside my office, I heard the last of the kids’ voices carry through the office, then fade away. It must’ve been a full minute that passed without me moving a muscle. A few minutes more, and my mind reeled with how badly I’d fucked up, what would be waiting back at Ethan’s place the next time I walked in there… And then his voice filtered through my closed door. He was back and joking around with Adrian, who apparently wasn’t missing in action anymore. Some more muted mumbling, then Adrian’s office door closed. He was right next door, so I could hear how he moved around.
I took a deep breath, and Maren’s scent curled up my nose, awakening parts of me that spelled trouble. I couldn’t take it anymore. I could think up excuses for my behavior, or I could take the second option.
I wrenched open my door and strode toward Ethan’s office.
“Knock much?” he asked, a crooked smile on his face.
“I need you to remove the off-limits hold on Maren.”
That smile faltered, then dropped completely. “What do you mean?”
“I mean I want her back within limits, Ethan,” I said. “I know you’ve been thinking about it too.”
He gave me a questioning look but didn’t even try to deny it.
11
Maren
The house was still for once.
Not absolutely quiet, because Sadie talked in her sleep and the pipes whined like the old place was dreaming. But still. I’d just finished rinsing the last mug when my phone buzzed on the kitchen counter.
Ethan.
My heart did that ridiculous thing it had started doing lately, the one where it skipped over itself. I pretended it was the result of too much caffeine, and not the way his name looked lit up on my screen.
“Hey,” I said, keeping my voice low.
“Sorry to call so late.” He sounded rough around the edges, like exhaustion had been grinding him down all day. “You’re still up?”
“Barely. But the kids are down, and that’s a win.”
“Good. I, uh— could use a hand. The Halloween shipment came in early, and the vendor just dropped everything in the middle of the loading bay. I can’t get hold of Miles or Adrian. We need it sorted before the delivery team gets in tomorrow morning.”
He didn’t ask. He didn’t have to.
“I’ll come over to help.”
“Maren, that’s not—”
“I’m already grabbing my keys.”
There was a pause. A soft sigh. “You really don’t have to, but you’ll be a lifesaver.”
“Ethan,” I said, slipping into my coat. “I’ll see you there.”
The line went quiet except for the faint sound of his breathing, and then, “Okay. Drive safe.”
I shot Adrian a quick text to check on the kids before he turned in, which was the biggest benefit of having him and Miles as neighbors, then quietly slipped out.
