“And in college my long-time boyfriend ended up cheating on me with my best friend. Same thing happened to Leah before she met Daniel. I’m a shit magnet, what can I say.”
“So what does that make me?” Ethan asked.
“Hmmm, a knight on a white horse, his colors flying?” I grinned at him and he grinned back.
“OMG, are you quoting Pretty Woman?” Jessica asked, grinning at me expectantly.
I nodded. “I hear you’re a fan of the film, too?”
“I love it. Seen it a million times. I used to make Ethan watch it over and over.”
“It paid off,” I said. “Did he tell you what he did in New York?”
“Holy hell, Anna, you’re not telling that story.” Ethan groaned. “I think I preferred the ex-boyfriend talk.”
“You have to tell me now,” Jessica squealed.
“No, Anna. Jessica doesn’t want to hear about what her brother does naked,” Ethan interjected.
“That’s true,” Jessica said. “No sex stories. Not ever. Well, not about my brother anyway. If they’re about a sexy man I’m not related to, then dish! I’ve completely run out of my own stories and I need to live vicariously!”
“I don’t want to hear about you naked either, for Christ’s sake.” Ethan rolled his eyes.
“Okay, more ex stories—my most recent ex owed money to someone he shouldn’t and they ended up breaking into my flat to scare me.”
Ethan pushed his chair away from the table, the legs, scraping across the tiled floor. “Areyou fucking serious?” I looked at him and his face was dark, his eyes boring into me. I was stunted by his reaction, and I didn’t have time to answer him. “The flat you’re in now?”
“Ethan.” I reached across to him, taking his hand in mine. “I’m selling it, you know I am, and the police are involved.”
“How could you not tell me?” He was scouring my face, as if looking for more information.
“It hasn’t come up. And there’s nothing to tell.”
“You’re not staying there,” he growled.
“Ethan, I’ve stayed there since, it was months ago, and you’ve been there with me recently.” I grabbed his hand, trying to reassure him.
“You’re not staying there on your own again,” he said, calmer but still resolute.
“Okay,” I said, meaning it. I liked that he cared enough to want to protect me. It felt nice. It felt safe. He smiled at me and squeezed my hand.
“Wow,” Jessica said and we both snapped our heads ’round to her voice at the same time.
“What?” Ethan asked.
She shrugged and started to clear the plates from the table. I stood up but Ethan pulled me back down, not letting go of my hand.
“Let me help,” I said, trying to get up again. Ethan pulled me and my chair toward him with one hand, his other not leaving mine.
“You two sit here. James and I will get this,” Jessica said.
I leaned my head on Ethan’s shoulder. “Do you work with him?” he asked after a few beats.
“No, god no. He wasn’t . . . just no.”
“Do you still see him?”
I shook my head. “No, not at all.”
