Chapter 4 #2
Yes, I made mistakes. I suppose a lot of small businesses do during their first year as they learn the ropes, but I had also been struck with bad luck.
Everything that could go wrong had gone wrong.
Alex suggested bailing on his date with Blaine so he could throw the hundred bucks we had set aside for his date back into the pot, but our debt was so much more than that.
It wouldn’t have even touched the surface.
And if he hadn’t gone on that date, they wouldn’t have fallen in love.
We wouldn’t have had the success we did when Blaine saved our asses that gloomy December morning, and he wouldn’t have introduced me to this gorgeous hunk of a man, who now wants to whisk me off to England with him and play pretend.
Yep, the coffee must definitely be playing tricks on me.
“Go and enjoy yourself. Don’t let it pass you by; you will only live to regret it,” my brother repeats my own words back to me and winks before giving Ethan his best scowl. “If you don’t take care of him, though, I’ll set Blaine on you.”
“Oh, I’m quaking in my boots,” Ethan deadpans, but his lips curve in a smile. “I will, don’t worry.”
Chewing on the corner of my lip, I mull it over. It’s too big of a decision for me to make here and now, but there’s something in my gut telling me to go. I can’t remember the last time I did something so…adventurous.
I turn to Ethan. He’s looking at me with a mix of apprehension and hope. I want to say yes so badly, but I need to be sensible.
“I’ll think about it and let you know. I need to make sure everything will be okay here.”
He nods understandingly.
“I understand, thank you. ”
As he moves to leave, we both realize my hand’s still on his arm. I forgot all about it, and I rush to remove it as Ethan just smirks, looking at me.
I instantly miss touching him, and from the look in his eyes, I’m pretty sure he knows it.
“You!” I point an accusatory finger at Blaine. “What did you do?”
“Me?” A sly grin spreads across his face. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Placing my hands on my hips, I walk further into the apartment, narrowing my eyes with every step. “You know very well what you did.”
Alex snorts behind me as I stalk closer toward Blaine, causing him to scramble to his feet and shift behind the couch. His eyes dart between me and where Alex is in the kitchen, slight worry lining his forehead.
“You’re gonna have to fill me in because I haven’t done anything.” He nudges Ernie, waving his hand in my direction. “Ernie, protect me.”
“If you haven’t done anything, why do you need Ernie to protect you?”
We end up circling the couch. Ernie follows us, bouncing excitedly across the cushions, his pink tongue lolling to the side.
I scowl at Blaine, then look at the dog. “Ernie, get him.”
Blaine trips on the corner of the rug, and that’s all the encouragement Ernie needs. He pounces off the couch and starts tugging on Blaine’s sock .
“Ernie! You’re supposed to be protecting me, not taking his side!” Blaine whines. He tries to shove the puppy away, then yelps when Ernie’s tiny puppy teeth catch his toes.
“Ernie knows not to interfere in things.” I cross my arms over my chest.
Alex chokes on his water, coughing and spluttering between fits of laughter. “Trust me,” he croaks. “He interferes a lot.”
I cast a glare at my brother before looking back at Blaine. He picks himself up off the floor, scooping the puppy into his arms and tickling his belly.
“I’m assuming a certain cranky captain came to see you today.”
“Yes, he did. He told me all about your brilliant idea. I was doing fine crushing on him in secret, Blaine! Why’d you have to go and put ideas in his head?”
“Look, I thought it was a good idea. Ethan needs help. You need a vacation. Throw in the fact you have a crush on him, and ta-da!” He does one-handed jazz hands.
“You’ve got yourself a British summer romance.
It’ll be like in that movie, The Holiday , but set in summer instead of Christmas, and neither of you are British. ”
“It’s nothing like the movie at all,” Alex laughs.
With zero fight left in me, I drop onto the couch and cover my face with my hands, letting out a silent scream into my palms.
I hate the fact that he’s right. I can’t even remember the last time I went on a vacation. It was probably when I was in high school and our grandparents took me and Alex to a cabin in Wisconsin.
Hell, I’ve never been on an airplane before. I only have a passport because I applied for one when I opened the bakery.
I don’t even know why. There was just something in my gut telling me I’d need it one day.
Well, would you look at that—divine intervention.
I feel the couch dip as Blaine sits down next to me. Ernie wriggles his way onto my lap, weeding his face between my hands, and licks my face. I cuddle the bundle of fur to my chest and hide my face in his fluffy neck.
“For what it’s worth, I think it would be good for both of you.” Blaine’s voice takes on a softer tone.
“What makes you say that?” I ask, turning my head slightly to look at Blaine.
“Ethan is one of my closest friends, but he’s very…
private. I’ve been playing hockey with him for six years now, and I’ve never met his mom.
” He gives me a pointed look. “There’s obviously something between you, especially if he’s suggesting introducing you to his family.
I don’t think any of the guys have met his mom either, except maybe Kendrick and Peyton—and probably Coach—but that’s because they’re old timers. ”
“Why is that?”
“Who knows.” Blaine shrugs. “Ethan is an enigma, but maybe you can help him come out of his shell a bit more. We all feel like he’s keeping us at arm’s length on a personal level.
As a captain, we’re under his wing. We can trust that he has our backs no matter what on the ice, but personally?
Off the ice and away from the rink? Nobody knows him.
His apartment is sparse. There’s no hint of who he is away from hockey.
I think he’s lonely, but no matter what we do, he won’t let us in. ”
That doesn’t surprise me at all. He is the definition of a grump, but I think it’s more of a protective shield than his actual personality. Plus, there’s got to be a reason behind his need for a fake boyfriend. What could he be hiding? Or who does he need protection from?
And why do I want to protect him from whatever it is?
Alex’s words play on repeat in my mind—about living in the moment and taking the chances I’m given with both hands. I know he wouldn’t push me to go if he didn’t think he could cope. He’s proven time and time again that he’s more than capable.
I trust him with every ounce of my being.
I’m wary because, while I would only be in England for two weeks, it would be enough time to fall for Ethan.
Being in close proximity, meeting his family, and seeing a side of Ethan Parkes that is unknown to most?
It’s my damn heart that I don’t trust.