41. Grace
forty-one
Sexiest thing you do #2
The way you purr—like a kitten, but softer
I’m at the spa when my phone rings with Ethan’s ringtone. Specifically, on the deck with Ms. Angela who wants a repeat of the wellness day I organized for the Golden Girls. She cocks an eyebrow and starts saying, “You should get that,” but I’m already back inside, ducking for the break room.
“Ethan!” I half screech, half whisper. My heartbeat is out of control, my palms sweaty. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, babe. Just sort of… out of it. Been stuck inside for days, working on shit.”
I look out the window, at the lush green trees swaying in the breeze, the birds hopping from branch to branch, the thin stripes of clouds gently marring the deep blue sky. “That doesn’t sound healthy. I’m sorry.”
“How are you?”
I miss you like crazy. When are you coming home? “I’m doing good. Nothing much new over here. Daisy was in town a couple of days ago, eating the flower baskets in front of the library. Logan and Hunter managed to wrangle her and take her back home.”
His strangled laugh makes me smile. “Wrangle her?”
“Like two legit cowboys. Rope and all. Logan was riding Sunshine, Hunter was on a BMX. You should have seen them.” I laugh at the memory of Ethan’s two younger brothers coaxing their runaway cow to come back to the farm. “Honestly, I think it was Sunshine who convinced Daisy it wasn’t worth the trouble.” The horse was whinnying softly, and you could tell Daisy was paying attention. It was the cutest thing to see, but I don’t want to lay it too thick on Ethan that he’s missing so much of life’s daily pleasures by dealing with the world’s bigger problems.
Someone has to deal with those big problems so the rest of us can continue leading our simple, almost worry-free lives.
We talk for a bit, but I can tell he’s exhausted. “I’m going to catch some shut-eye, beautiful. Not sure when I’ll be calling again.”
I don’t ask him when he’s coming back.
Sexiest Thing You Do #1
Sleeping naked in my jersey
As of now, there are only two envelopes left in the jar. One green and one pink.
Mixed Emotions
You and Justin discussing your business made me feel so happy for the both of you, and excluded at the same time.
What is he talking about? When did I discuss my business with Justin? I can’t remember. Could have been anytime. My heart pinches knowing Ethan feels excluded now.
Feeling Complete again
You having coffee with Mom and Dad on the porch, waiting for me. Been wanting this my whole life.
There are no envelopes left, and Ethan is not back yet.
But he calls that night.
“Hey, beautiful.”
“Ethan!” The sound of his voice never fails to excite me. There’s background noise I can’t really make out, but I don’t dare ask him where he is or what he’s doing. Top-secret stuff and all that. But he sounds tired. Worn out. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“Nothing. Just wanted to hear your voice. God I missed you. Tell me what happened. Just tell me anything. I need to hear your voice. How’s work? Any news on the lease?”
I’m not ruining a phone call with Ethan with my work problems. Especially since they now involve Amy Keller. “I’ve had better.”
“Tell me everything. Every single thing.”
So I do. I pop a gold-flecked chocolate in my mouth, not really caring about the shit that was my day anymore, and I tell him I got officially notified about the impending sale, and that I had a certain time to let the owner know if I wanted to buy the house. I tell him I decided not to answer, just to scrape a few days or weeks. I told him that according to Ms. Angela, Cassandra and other women did some kind of woo-woo chanting around the house at night. She knows because someone called it in and Declan took his sweet time so as not to interrupt the ceremony, according to one of Ms. Angela’s friends who has insomnia. Also, he flashed his lights so everyone had time to scatter before he got out of the car.
Ethan’s low chuckle on the phone makes everything right.
There’s a sound of an engine, muffled, and his voice is a little tinny when he asks, “And how’s my boy?”
Damian stretches on the deck and looks at me as if he knows Ethan is asking about him. “He’s been trying to unhook all your little love letters.”
“Unhook?”
“Yeah…. They had the cutest little thing at the general store, to hang pictures? It’s like a thin black cable, and there’s little pins in the shape of birds, to hold the cute little envelopes? It’s been driving him nuts. Nuts! He managed to snatch some, but he didn’t damage them.”
The low rumble of his soft laughter is about to undo me. “Did you like my little notes?”
“Oh, honey. They’re the best. You’re the best.” I sigh and pluck another chocolate from the box. Looks like chocolate and a sexy voice are good for the mood. Just like Kiara said. Well, the chocolate part at least.
“Are you eating?”
“Chocolates,” I answer, my mouth full.
“Keep some for me.”
“I don’t know if I can. They’re so good. Kiara is a magician.”
He sighs. “How many chocolates in there?”
“I dunno.”
“Babe.”
“Mm?”
“I’ll be home soon.”
“What?” I screech. And also: home. He said home. “When?”