My throat closes.“Ethan...”
He looks up, his smile faltering at my tone.“What’s wrong?”
I twist my fingers together, fighting for the words.“This isn’t fair.To you.”
His brows pull tight.“Zora...”
“I care about you,” I cut in, my voice trembling.“You’ve been good to me.Good to Ivy.But my life is ...complicated right now.And I can’t ask you to stand in the middle of it.”
He sets the carton down slowly, his eyes searching mine.“This is about him, isn’t it?”
I can’t deny it.Not when my silence is answer enough.
Ethan sighs, running a hand through his hair.“I knew.The way you talk about him without talking about him.The way you look when his name comes up.”His voice softens.“You still love him.”
Tears sting my eyes.“I don’t want to.But...”
“But you do.”His words aren’t cruel, just sad.
I nod, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.I will always love Maverick Hall, I made peace with it years ago.
He exhales, gathering the takeout back into the bag.“You deserve someone steady, Zora.Someone who doesn’t make you doubt.”He pauses, eyes pained but somehow kind.“But you also deserve to figure out what you really want.I hope you do.”
My chest cracks open again as he walks to the door.I follow with a heavy heart.
“Ethan...”He stopped, glancing back.“Thank you,” I whisper.“For being good to us.”
He gives me a small, tight smile.“Take care of yourself.And Ivy.”
Then he is gone, his car pulling away, leaving me alone in the quiet.I sink back onto the couch, pressing my palms to my eyes as sobs wrack through me.Because he is right.
I still love Maverick.
And no matter how hard I try to push it away, that love is clawing its way back into the light.
Chapter Thirteen
