Em nodded. “I see that.”
He was taking a ton of heat and Ethan looked to be a man at his breaking point. Which actually sat heavy on her chest because he was a good guy. The kind of guy who didn’t want to hurt anyone and wanted everyone to feel important.
A guy who loved his daughter and adored Fiona, too. A guy who, in a few short weeks, had become Em’s friend.
Em’s mouth went dry because this sucked for him.
“This is my sister,” Tiffany—one of the other moms—said with giddy gusto when she got to the front of Ethan’s line.
Tiffany was happily married, as far as Em knew, so the enthusiastic giddy was new. The hashtag shirt was an interesting choice, considering her husband was over chatting with Em’s brother, Blake, at the fire truck.
“She’s the one I told you about,” Tiffany said with a heavy, heavy wink.
Em sort of choked on Ethan’s meat. Oh, right, there it was, the reason for the giddy.
“Hi.” Ethan looked like he was ready to run.
“Jordan. I’m Jordan.” Tiffany’s sister flashed him a smile. “I would like to officially volunteer as tribute for your little hashtag project. Tiff has told me so much about you and all you do, and little Annie seems so sweet. I love kids. I want so many kids. I’ve always wanted a whole houseful of little kids. You know? So, hey, it’s me. Your future right here.”
“Ah.” Ethan’s eyes got big, and he seemed to stumble over his tongue. “I’m...uh... I’m...” He looked like a man ready to pop.
Em didn’t seem to have control over her limbs. She couldn’t say why she did what she did next. But she put on one of the damn shirts over her tank top and strutted right over to him.
“Hey, sweets.” She draped her arm around his waist, lifted on her tiptoes, and pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek. “You ready for your break?” She glanced at Tiffany and her sister. “He’s been working all day on this spread. The man doesn’t stop. Even when I tell him how important it is to take time for himself.”
Jaws dropped all across the other side of the table. Tiffany and Jordan and pretty much the rest of Ethan’s insane line all made the same expression.
Em squeezed him and laid her head against his shoulder, really playing it up.
Jack seemed to choke on something and then cleared his throat over by the volunteer food table.
Lauren stared at Em from the bake sale table as though Em had personally set up a wet T-shirt contest for those who wanted to put on one of the hashtag tees.
But Ethan looked at her like she was saving his bacon.
Aw, that felt nice even though this whole thing was a really horrible idea.
Ethan’s arm wound around her waist, and he rolled with it. “Jack, you got the grill?” Ethan asked with a chin-jerk to his buddy. “I’m gonna go eat with my girl.”
The sound of hearts breaking all through the carnival seemed to be audible. That was probably the gasp that came from all the lines at the same time.
And the feel of Ethan’s arm at Em’s waist was actually nice. That was probably because she hadn’t been touched like this in ages.
But then the gravity of what she had done seeped into her pores. That was probably just sweat from the heat.
All together, the trifecta made the whole day seem totally nuts.
Ethan snatched up a plate for himself, and Em collected her own. Then they headed across the grass to a sort of sad picnic table away from all the others. Sad, but private, so…yeah…it did the trick.
They sat across from each other. Em busied herself getting comfortable and avoiding Ethan’s gaze. He set his plate down and didn’t move. Not an inch.
Em squirmed. Then she fortified her position and stared Ethan straight in the eyes.
“That was unexpected, huh?” she said.
Ethan slow blinked at her, folding his hands under his chin.
“Hear me out,” Em said, nudging her hot dog with her fingertip.
