I scoffed. “You’re the one who pointed out I don’t know you anymore, remember?”
He cocked his head. “Are you sure you’re not mad?”
“I’m not.” I placed the glass on the coffee table and leaned forward.
The couch creaked as Ethan moved in closer. My gaze stayed on the table until I felt the tip of his finger at the corner of my mouth. Then I caught the amusement in his eyes, lingering on my lips.
“You get a little line here,” he said. “It dips when you’re mad.” He finally pulled his hand away, along with that quiet curiosity.
“Why can’t you tell me what happened?” The question came out in a whisper.
“Because he’ll tell you when he’s calmed down. Reach out tomorrow,” he said. “You were the one who taught me people have to voice their own stories,remember?”
His soft tone loosened something in my shoulders.
“I have to say, watching you get all macho is kind of hot,” Ethan teased, though there was seriousness beneath it. “But misguided. And unnecessary.” His eyes drifted over my face, then to my hair. “Are you doing okay?”
“I’m not the one who got hurt today?—”
“Henry didn’t get hurt, Ash,” Ethan cut in gently. “He’s okay. Are you?”
No.
Yes.
No.
Everything was going to be fine. I just needed to get everything back in order.
I blew a breath out through my nose. “Why do you call each other that?”
Ethan stretched out, arm over the back of the couch, head resting on his palm, a lazy smile tugging at his lips. “Babe?”
I leaned back into the leather, relieved he wasn’t pushing anymore. “Yes.”
His grin widened. “That was your fault.”
I arched a brow. “How could that have possibly been my fault?”
“Do you remember that guy you used to fuck? Chris?”
My lips curved at the bitterness lacing his tone. “Yes.”
“One night, we ran into him at a club opening. Henry and I had done way too many shots. Chris kept calling everyone babe—you know how he is.”
“I do,” I said with a huff. “It’s so fucking annoying.”
“It is. But drunk us thought it was hilarious, so we started saying it to each other. And then it stuck.” He shrugged. “See? Your fault.”
We held each other’s stares, trying not to smile.
“And that’s it?”
“That’s it.”
A knot loosened in my chest. The tension from tonight drained out of me bit by bit, and I let myself be soothed by his presence once more. Sinking into it.
“Is he okay?” I asked.
