30. CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 30
ETHAN
“ I t’s OK that I’m not wearing a suit, right?” I roll up the sleeves on my dress shirt. “I mean, it’s not a wedding. They’re just calling it a celebration. Celebrations aren’t that fancy, right?”
Ari is expecting me to pick her up soon to go to Knox and Lizzie’s house for their party, and I feel like a teenager getting ready for prom, stalking back and forth from my bedroom to the bathroom, then back to the bedroom closet as I change my shirt, then belt, then tie, then shirt again.
Fonz is sitting on the bed laughing at me.
The final outcome is a pair of charcoal gray slacks and a light gray dress shirt. I had a white shirt on, but you could see my undershirt beneath it, so I switched it. Then I was going to wear a thick black belt, but I swear it didn’t look like it was the same black as my shoes, which made Fonz roll his eyes. Now I have a skinny black belt that looks better anyway.
I freaking hate getting dressed up. For this occasion, I’ll add a tie, but no way will you find me in a suit jacket.
Fonz shakes his head at me again as I storm into the hallway and duck into the bathroom one last time. I shake some aftershave into the palm of my hand and slap it onto my jaw, wincing at the bite it leaves on my skin. “Hey!” I call out. “You think Ari will like my face?”
“Ethan, any girl who doesn’t like your face is not worth your time, you hear me?!”
“I need new friends,” I grumble, turning my face this way and that, checking myself in the mirror to make sure I didn’t miss any spots when shaving earlier. After our make-out session last weekend, my beard got trimmed way back. I want to be able to kiss and nuzzle and rub my face all over Ari’s pale, soft skin without worrying about scratching her.
I may still chafe her because I couldn’t bring myself to shave my face bare, but hopefully this will help.
She hasn’t seen it yet because we haven’t been able to get together all damn week. I worked every night, and one day she was busy with Sophie, then she and Meg went to look for a dress. Another day I had to go help my mom with something at her house, which Ari said was fine because she had an errand to run anyway as well as a visit to her therapist. And every other day this week she met with the trainer.
Needless to say, it’s been a long, lonely week.
I power walk back into the bedroom, passing Fonz. “You’re not helping my stress level.”
“I don’t get why you’re so stressed anyway,” Fonz says to my back as I enter the closet and emerge with three ties dangling from my two hands. “It’s just Ari.”
I stare at him deadpan, holding my hands with the ties out in front of me. “There is nothing just about Ari, Fonz. She is steeped in every cell in my body. Every memory, every experience was either with her, or compared to what it would be like if I were with her.” I shove my hands toward his face. “Which one?”
Fonz studies the material in front of him. He points to the cherry red tie on the far left. “Definitely not that one.” I toss it over my shoulder and wiggle the remaining two ties in front of him. His eyes pass between the skinny black tie and the one with gray stripes. “Ummm …” His pointer finger ping-pongs between the two before landing on the black tie. “That one.”
I toss the other one on the dresser and turn toward the mirror, draping the tie behind my neck and looping and sliding the pieces together in front of me. It comes out uneven, so I loosen it up and try again, but this time it just looks like shit.
Fonz jumps off the bed and comes toward me when I yank it open with a curse. “Ooookay,” he says, grabbing me by the shoulders and turning me to stand squarely in front of him. “Here, let me help.”
Fonz gives me a look as he makes a loop and pulls the thicker end of the tie down to meet the other end. “You OK?”
“Yeah, why?”
“You’re perspiring quite heavily.”
“Fonz.” I pinch the bridge of my nose, and he adjusts the material around my collar. “Just tie the damn tie.”
His eyebrows shoot up and he mouths OK as he steps back and appreciates his work. I turn and look in the mirror, seeing it’s perfect. My eyes meet his in the mirror. “Thanks.”
Checking the time on my phone, more panic sets in. “Gah! I’m late!” I slide the phone into my pocket and grab my keys and wallet off the dresser as I make my way out of the house.
“I’m headed out tonight as well.” Fonz follows me toward the door. “I’m not sure what time I’ll be back, but either way I’ll try to stay out of your hair.”
“Yeah, OK.” I pat all my pockets to double check that I have everything, then open the door to the garage and turn to Fonz. “Wish me luck?”
“Luck!” Fonz crosses his arms in front of his chest and leans back against the counter. As I’m pulling the door shut, he yells, “Don’t take drugs!” and I respond with “ Almost Famous ” before the door clicks closed.
Pulling into the Millers’ driveway, I park the Jeep and head for the garage. However, it’s the front door that swings open, and Meg steps out on the stoop, arm outstretched, palm straight up. “Stop!” she shouts.
I freeze on the spot, near the bottom of the walkway.
Sensing my panic, Meg begins rattling, “She’s coming! She’s right here. She wants to show you something.”
I stand up straighter as Meg moves aside and Ari steps out, grabbing Meg’s hand as she does. I can’t stop the smile that stretches across my face. She looks adorably perfect in a deep blue dress that is short and poofy on the bottom with two layers of skirt. It’s fitted around her core and has spaghetti straps that go delicately over her shoulders. It’s a little adorable, a little fun and flirty, and a whole lot of sexy.
Ari twists and shows me the back, which is open, and scrunches her nose over her shoulder at me when she sees my stare darken. Her red hair is shiny and smooth and falls in big curls, or waves, or whatever the hell you call it, around her shoulders and back. If she’s wearing makeup, it is artfully done, because her face looks the same as it always does—flawless.
Ari turns back around so she’s facing me again, and her eyebrows furrow. “What did you do to your face?”
I bite my lip nervously and fist my hands in my pockets. “You like it?”
She tilts her head to the side. “Depends. Is it softer?”
“Why don’t you come down here and find out?”
Meg practically melts.
Ari looks back at her foster mom, who gives her a thumbs up, before facing me again and starting to move. I take a step up the walkway and both women throw their arms up in another “stop” gesture. Ari drags in a breath and slowly puts one foot out and takes a step, then another. My eyes roam from her feet in her flat dress shoes up her body to her face, and my heart soars as I watch her take steps all on her own. She’s smiling and pulling her shoulders up to her ears, her arms straight down her sides with her wrists bent at right angles so her hands stick out horizontally, like a penguin.
Clasping my hands behind my head, I watch Ari get to the first long step, look down and feel out the step with the bottom of her foot, before dropping it down and slowly bringing the other down next to it. Letting out a satisfied breath, she clasps her hands in front of herself. “Uh, that’s about as far as I can go right now. I want to save energy for tonight.”
Bounding up the remaining steps until I am toe-to-toe with Ari, looking down at her, our eyes dart between one another’s. “When did this happen?”
“This week. DeShawn says my progress will really start advancing quickly now that I’ve got a lot of my muscle memory back. And he worked me like a freaking dog this week.”
We smile at each other as I brush hair behind her ear. “You’re amazing.”
“And you’re”—she reaches a hand up and trails her fingertips down my cheek, jaw and neck—“soft and smooth.” A smile curls up the side of her mouth and I feel all sorts of tingling inside. I bend down and just barely dust my lips over hers.
Behind Ari I see Meg reach inside the house, then come up behind her. “Here, don’t forget this.” She hands Ari a shawl, which I help drape over her shoulders. “And this.” Meg hands me a backpack.
“That’s my overnight stuff,” Ari says as I hoist it over my shoulder.
I raise my brow at her. “A little presumptuous, don’t you think?”
Ari punches me in the shoulder. “Asshole.”
***
“I fucking hate dressing up,” Knox says from beside me.
“Same, dude.”
“I told Lizzie I was not wearing a tux tonight. I’d rather die.”
The way Knox and Lizzie have transformed their backyard is incredible. Big outdoor lamps line the property, flames licking up inside them as the heat billows out. There are decorative carpets spread out across the grass, creating a space in the center where people are mingling and where, I assume, there will be dancing later. A mix of tall and regular tables line the outer edges, and a bar is set up in the corner.
It’s just getting dark, but the space is illuminated by strings of outdoor tea lights that crisscross over the entire back yard. Chill guitar music comes from surround sound speakers that a DJ in the other corner is controlling.
“Ari, EJ, you made it!” Lizzie comes bounding up to us.
“Oh, my God, Lizzie,” Ari gushes. “You look amazing. So does the backyard! This is so beautiful.”
Lizzie chuckles. “You know what’s funny? This is a bigger affair than we had when we actually got married forever ago.” She looks at Knox, who nods.
“Lizzie!” someone calls from across the way. She spins and waves, then turns back to us. “Sorry, we have to make the rounds.”
“Go.” Ari gives her hand a squeeze, also waving Knox off.
Back to just the two of us, I face Ari, brushing hair over her shoulder as I see Dee waving at us from a table to the side. She’s accompanied by Monty and his wife, and the rest of the work gang. I nod in that direction. “Care to join my colleagues?”
ARI
“Pretty snazzy, huh?” Ethan says to Dee, who nods her head animatedly and takes a gulp of her mixed drink.
“Yeah. They deserve it.”
“Definitely.” Ethan’s arm is draped over the back of my seat as he absentmindedly runs his fingers through my hair.
“Alright,” Monty rubs his hands together as he stands. “Who needs a drink?”
“I do!” Dee downs the remainder of her cocktail and rattles the glass of ice to make her point. “Good God, woman. It’s open bar. You can take your time.”
“Yeah but if you’re going up there anyway …”
Monty looks to Ethan, who shakes his head. “We’re good.”
A spectacular dinner is served, and as the waitstaff clears the dishes off the table, the music changes over to something more rockin’ and upbeat that gets a few people dancing. I see Ethan’s eyes focus over my shoulder, and he smiles and waves. I crane my head and see Knox’s friends from the other night, Tommy and Gino.
“Hey.” I place my hand on Ethan’s thigh as I turn to look at him. “I want to go talk to Gino. Be right back.” I start to push myself into a standing position, and Ethan rises alongside me. My hand on his chest stops him. “I got it. I can walk over there on my own.”
Ethan looks to where Gino is, then back to me. “You sure?”
“Yeah.”
I take a few slow steps in that direction, then place a hand on a high table to steady myself and walk alongside it until I get to another and do the same thing. When I approach Gino’s table, he takes strides to meet me, puts an arm out, and I accept it.
“Ari, you look stunning.” He brings me closer to his table, where Tommy is standing with a beautiful dark-haired woman with big lips and even bigger boobs. We nod in hello, but they are engrossed in conversation, so I don’t interrupt. Instead, I turn to Gino.
“So, I was just wondering if you’ve talked to Sophie?” I hike my shoulders up in guilt as I pry, not even bothering with small talk.
He runs a hand through his silky brown hair. “Actually, she won’t return my calls.”
My face falls. “What?”
“Yeah. I’ve left her like three messages, but then I backed off. I feel like any more is stalker territory.”
“Damn.”
“You’re telling me.” Gino leans his forearms on the high-top table and grips his beer.
“I don’t get it.”
“Eh, maybe I read too much into it. I thought we hit it off at the bar, but maybe I was wrong.”
I shake my head. “Oh, no. You weren’t wrong. She was totally into you.”
Gino’s head snaps in my direction. “Really?” I nod. “I knew it! So … what gives?”
Since I don’t feel it’s my place to tell Gino that, with the exception of Lars, Sophie has only ever encountered the worse of the male species, I’m simply offer, “It’s not you.” I place a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll talk to her.”
Gino stands up straight. “Well, I don’t want you to have to talk her into it, but … Actually, fuck it. Yeah, I want you to talk her into it!”
“Don’t give up on her just yet. Let me loosen her up a little.” I bump him with my shoulder.
He picks his beer up and gives me a smile. “Thanks, I appreciate it.”
Before I look away, I harden my stare at him. “But,” I say as sternly as I can, “you hurt her, you mess with her in any way, you are not 100 percent honest with her from the start, I will remove your balls. Got it?”
His eyes widen and he slowly puts a hand up, palm out, like he’s taking an oath. “Got it.”
I break into a smile. “Great!”
Before Gino can recover, a set of big mitts snake around my middle from behind and I turn my head to find Ethan coming up on me. “Care if I take my girl back?” Gino shakes his head and I wink at him as I turn in Ethan’s arms.
We spend the rest of the night socializing, enjoying a dessert bar, and Ethan even spins me around the dance floor for a bit, holding me close and moving me like I’m his personal marionette. But as the evening wears on, the smoldering fire between the two of us becomes almost intolerable.
So when Ethan pulls me away from conversation with his boss with a simple, “I’m ready to take you home, Red,” I nod and reply with, “Lead the way.”