41. Ethan
CHAPTER 41
Ethan
SO GODDAMN MATURE
“ S omeone got laid,” Tawny chirps as I pass her desk on the way to my office.
Rather than indulge her with an answer, I keep walking, ignoring her.
I barely have my coat off, and she’s already taking a seat in the brown leather wingback across from my desk. Apparently, she can’t take a hint.
“How was it? Tell me everything,” she says with way too much enthusiasm for this hour before taking a sip from the steaming mug of coffee in her hands.
“Fine.” A sigh slips out of me as I get my computer started up.
She grumbles something incoherent under her breath. “Come on, you have to give me more than that. Did she like it? What did she say? Was it a total disaster? Was it amazing? Tell me something!”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, already feeling a headache coming on. I knew I was going to regret asking Tawny to help me plan the date. Now she’s going to be even more annoying.
“It was fine,” I repeat.
She rolls her eyes. “Don’t make me track down Marisa so I can get the dirt.”
“It was good.”
“Why are you like this? Does this mean you guys are together now, or what?”
I know she’s going to continue to pester me if I don’t give in a little. “Sure, yeah, we’re together.”
She squeals so loudly it hurts my ears.
“Will you calm down? People are trying to work, which is what you should be doing.”
I’m being a dick on purpose. I don’t want Tawny or the rest of my family putting their noses in my business, and spooking Marisa.
She hops up from her chair and some of the coffee in her mug sloshes over the rim and splatters on the floor. “Does everyone know? Have you told your family?”
I glance at my watch, hoping time has miraculously moved an hour so I can leave and get to my meeting at the warehouse.
It hasn’t.
“I didn’t realize I needed to make an announcement on matters pertaining to my personal life.”
Instead of answering me, she sets her mug on the edge of my desk and starts vigorously texting. No doubt informing everyone in our entire family.
“Stop being so moody. We’re happy for you, that’s all.”
“Go be happy for me at your desk.”
She tosses her head back, likely frustrated that I’m not divulging every single detail of shit that doesn’t concern her.
“You know, I thought you’d be a little more pleasant, maybe nicer, after an amazing date with your dream girl. Guess I was wrong.”
I may not be acting like it, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt so happy. Waking up this morning with Marisa wrapped around me, getting ready alongside each other for a boring workday, it gave me a glimpse into what life could be like with her. Squeezing together in the small bathroom of the cottage as we brushed our teeth, hearing her hum as she did her makeup, giving her a kiss goodbye before we went our separate ways, I couldn’t have asked for a better morning. A random Monday morning made all the better because of the amazing woman I got to share it with. I could get used to it—I want to get used to it.
Just as Tawny’s about to walk out I say, “I am nicer…to her. The rest of you I tolerate.”
She squeals again, but this time she’s smart enough not to linger.
By two o’clock, I’m considering leaving early. After Marisa sent me a text at noon asking if it was okay if she worked the remainder of her day at my cottage to keep Goose company, I haven’t been able to focus on anything besides getting home to her.
As I’m gathering my things to head out, Tawny emerges with a weird look on her face.
“Whatever it is, it can wait.” There’s no way anything is so important it can’t be handled by someone else, or wait until tomorrow.
She winces. “It actually can’t. More like he can’t wait.”
I still, my forehead creasing as I look at her with complete confusion. “What?”
Her eyes close like it pains her to tell me whatever it is that’s going on.
“Travis…he’s downstairs.”
My stomach sinks at the sound of his name. Why the hell would Travis come here? What could be so important? He wouldn’t show up without a good reason. I don’t owe him anything, and I should refuse, but my curiosity gets the best of me.
“Uh…okay. Send him up.”
Tawny’s eyes go wide. “Are you sure?”
“Just send him up,” I bite.
She starts to slink away. “I’m not going to have to call the cops, am I?”
I shoot her a deadpan look. “Jesus Christ. No. It’s the middle of the day. Send him up.”
Besides the fact that we’re grown ass men, I’m not about to fight him over a woman I don’t give a shit about.
Forcing myself to keep my expression neutral and stay composed, I wait with clenched fists and a pounding heart for Travis to get here.
I don’t have to wait long because less than five minutes later he’s walking in, looking as nervous as I feel. Travis has always been the kind of guy that wears every emotion on his face.
He drops his head low and holds my stare for a beat, his jaw twitching. His throat clears loudly. “Thanks for agreeing to see me.”
I’m silent for a stretch, watching him sweat bullets as he awkwardly stands in the middle of my office with his hands tucked in his pockets.
“You didn’t give me much of a choice, showing up here unannounced.”
He approaches slowly, like a timid animal. “Mind if I sit?”
My head nods slightly. “Sure.”
He breathes a strained sigh and sinks down in the seat across from me. “You’re probably wondering why I’m here.”
I regard him with a flat expression. “I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”
“Laura and I called it quits.”
Some of the rigidness in my spine dissolves, either from shock or maybe it’s…empathy.
“Oh.” My head nods in slow motion. “Sorry to hear that.”
He scoffs with the shake of his head, a dull smile resting on his face. “I bet you are.”
“I’m serious.”
His jaw tightens, face twisting in disbelief. “Why do you always have to be so goddamn mature, taking the high road? Fucking hit me, man. Scream at me. I deserve it.”
“I’m not going to do that. Maybe if this shit happened in high school, but we’re not stupid teenagers.”
He groans and then leans forward to rest his elbows on his thighs while his head hangs heavy. “Everything is so fucked up right now. I don’t know why I came here. I guess I thought it’d feel better to add some physical pain to this nightmare, but you won’t even do me a solid and punch me.” He looks up at me, and the corner of his lip quirks.
I smile back, and for a brief moment, it feels like we’re friends again, just like we used to be. But the moment is fleeting. Too much has changed for us to go back. I don’t hate him, and I don’t wish him any ill will, but I can’t trust him either. There’s no place in my life for that kind of relationship anymore, even if I once thought of him as family.
“You’ll be fine. My fist in your face isn’t going to dull that pain. You have to deal with it and move on.”
He nods and stands to leave. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry for what we did—what I did. There’s no excuse. She was just the first person, besides you and your family, that looked at me like I was worth something, and I let it get to me, let it turn me into someone I hardly recognize. If I could take it back, I would.”
With that, he steps out, and a pressure that’s been weighing on me eases. I wait for Tawny to come barging in and badger me about why he came by, but for once in her life, she minds her business.
“How goes it, son?” my dad calls to me as I’m walking to the parking lot.
“You do realize it’s almost freezing, right?” I ask, barely containing my laughter at his ridiculous outfit consisting of a Hawaiian shirt and cargo shorts.
As he walks closer, his arms open wide, gesturing at his clothes. “I overdid it with buying Hawaiian shirts when we were on vacation and told your mother I wouldn’t let them go to waste.” His shoulders lift in a shrug. “Besides, I think she kind of likes them.” He waggles his brows, and I scrunch my face at what he’s implying.
Trying to change the subject, I let out a sigh. “Did you need something?”
Ever since he retired, he’s been pretty checked out in terms of the business. There wasn’t a transition of any kind, and when I do ask questions, his answers are vague. He’s always happy to talk about the business side of things, but never in any way that’s helpful.
“I was coming by to see you, but it’s clear you’re heading out. I can come by another day.”
I’m dying to get home to Marisa, but this is the first time my dad has randomly dropped by, and I have to know the reason.
“I have time now.”
We head back in, settling in the tasting room since it’s closed and vacant.
“What did you want to talk about?”
He cocks his head with a knowing smirk, and for a second, I’m a kid, feeling like I’m not going to like what’s on the other side of that look.
“I peeked at the reports from this year’s harvest and compared them to previous years.”
My stomach drops. A collision of my fears and anxiety surges through me, coiling tightly. He’s going to tell me I’m not fit for the job. Why else would he be here?
“I can explain?—”
His hand lifts, stopping me. “There’s nothing to explain. The numbers are phenomenal. You kept equipment costs down by keeping up on the maintenance of the harvester, gross tons harvested was more than last year, overall, it’s looking like it’s going to be a good rest of the year for production. I’m impressed.”
After several seconds I say, “Oh…Thank you.”
He shakes his head and looks up at me over the rim of his glasses. “You need to stop convincing yourself you can’t do this. You can do this. It’s in your blood, you grew up in this world. Trust yourself. You’re the best person for the job.”
“I don’t know about that.” I smile faintly. “Gavin is probably better suited.”
His head turns, looking in either direction before speaking. “Don’t tell your brother I said this, but thank goodness he turned it down. He’s too calm and understanding. He’d let too much slide because of his good heart. Not that you don’t have a good heart, but you don’t take any shit. Not even from me, and I respect that about you.” He pauses and leans back, resting his ankle on the opposite knee. “There’s a reason I didn’t hold your hand during transition. I did exactly what my dad did for me, absolutely nothing. He fed me to the wolves when I took over and then never checked to see if I was okay. Because that’s how you learn, you figure it out yourself. I didn’t want you to do things my way, I wanted you to do them your way.”
“Would’ve been nice if you gave me some warning and told me that beforehand.”
He chuckles. “Now what’s the fun in that?”
When I get home, I find Marisa reading in bed with Goose cuddled up to her. My girl and my dog; it’s the best sight to come home to. Within minutes I’m changed out of my work clothes and have her in my arms, my nose buried in her hair, inhaling her.
“How was your day?” she asks, closing her book, and giving me her full attention.
“Weird,” I say hesitantly while twisting the ends of her hair between my fingers, the silky strands slipping easily through my hands.
Her eyes narrow, willing me to elaborate.
“Well, first Travis came by.”
Her jaw drops while she stares at me with creased brows. “What? Why?”
I tell her about our conversation, and she’s quiet for a beat, biting her bottom lip.
“How do you feel about it?
I have to think for a moment, because ultimately, what I really feel is surprising. “As strange as it sounds, I feel bad for him. I’ve been there, but I had my family to lean on. Travis doesn’t have a family like mine, and he hardly has any friends. He’s probably going to have a hard time getting over her.”
Marisa caresses my cheek with her thumb and then runs it along my shave line. Her soft, smooth hands on me could calm even the worst of my storms.
“You’re a good guy, you know that? Someone else in your shoes would probably scream ‘I told you so’ in his face.”
I grunt a laugh. “I wanted to, but I held it in.”
Her lips brush against mine, the faintest of kisses. I feel her smile against me as she pulls away.
“I should probably tell you I got added to a group chat today with your sisters and Tawny. Is that weird for you? I know things between us are still new, and I don’t want to overstep a boundary you’re not comfortable with.”
“Baby, there is no boundary. I want you everywhere, in my house, in my bed, in my life. I pre-apologize for my crazy family, but they’re kind of part of the package.”
Her cheeks lift as a dazzling smile spreads across her face. “So, we’re really doing this, huh? Full-on public, out in the open?”
“Definitely.”