17. Ethan
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Ethan
I woke up feeling different. Not just in my body—though damn, I still felt the echoes of last night—but in my head, my chest.
Like something had shifted, something big.
I stared at the ceiling, my mind replaying everything.
The way Aurora had looked at me. At Owen. At Mason.
Like she saw us, really saw us, and somehow, it had all made sense.
This had never happened before.
Not for me. Not for us.
But it wasn’t impossible, right?
Other people made this work. Maybe we could, too.
The thought was both exhilarating and terrifying.
I pushed the covers back and sat up before I could start overthinking it.
If I let myself analyze this too much, I’d talk myself in circles, and I didn’t need that right now.
What I did need was something simple. Something grounding.
Breakfast.
So I pulled on some jeans, grabbed my keys, and headed to Sweet Maple Bakery.
The second I walked in, the warm scent of cinnamon and fresh bread wrapped around me.
This place was comfort. The kind of thing that made you feel like everything was fine, even when your entire world was tilting on its axis.
And then I saw the sweet, caring owner—Harriet Cooper.
If Medford had an official news station, it would have been her. The woman knew everything before it even happened.
I wasn’t sure how she did it, but under that grandmotherly demeanor, she knew it all. Nothing happened in Medford without her being aware of it.
“Morning, Ethan,” she said, smiling. “You're up early.”
“Morning, Harriet.” I kept my voice even, casual. “Figured I’d grab breakfast for the shop. Some croissants and donuts, please.”
“Sweet of you.” She leaned in, her grin turning sly. “Heard it was real lively at Lucky’s last night.”
I kept my face blank, but my stomach tightened.
Shit .
“Yeah?” I said, reaching for my wallet. “It was a busy night.”
“Mmhmm.” I handed over my money for the order, but she didn’t look away. “It seems the new owner of Page Turners is causing quite a stir.”
The words landed like a stone in my gut.
I didn’t flinch, didn’t react. I just kept my movements slow and controlled as I grabbed the bag of pastries.
“I’m sure she was just enjoying all that Medford has to offer.”
Harriet hummed, unconvinced. “Well, you know how people like to talk. Rumors in Medford run wild.”
I gave her a tight smile, nodded, and headed for the door. But even as I stepped outside, I could still feel her eyes on me, my stomach a knot of unease.
I wasn’t ashamed of last night. Not even close.
But I knew how this town worked.
People loved to talk, and if Harriet was already sniffing around, it wouldn’t take long for the whole town to start whispering.
I didn’t think Aurora would be able to handle it.
We already didn’t know if she’d be sticking around, although we all had hope. But this. It might send her running.
By the time I pulled up to the house, the smell of fresh coffee and something frying drifted through the open kitchen window.
Normally, that would have been a good sign. A sign of normalcy.
But the second I stepped inside, I heard them talking—low, serious voices.
Owen, Mason, and Aurora.
And then I heard it.
Page Turners.
My stomach dropped. My blood ran cold.
I set the bakery bag down on the counter, my movements stiff. “What about it?”
They all turned to look at me.
Aurora perched on the edge of the couch, brows drawn together, hands wrapped around a coffee mug like she was holding onto it for dear life.
Owen leaned against the table with his arms crossed. Mason looked restless, like he had just gotten bad news and didn’t know where to put it.
Mason was the first to speak. “Aurora was telling us what she found in her uncle’s office. Old paperwork, some weird financial stuff. Bad business deals, maybe?”
My chest tightened. Shit .
I schooled my expression, but I already felt my brothers watching me closer.
They knew me too well. And now I knew exactly why this had been eating at me since she inherited the store.
Because I knew something they didn’t.
And I should have told them a long time ago.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet Aurora’s gaze. “What exactly did you find?”
She leaned forward, setting her coffee down. Exhaling slowly, she ran a hand through her hair.
“A bunch of old paperwork, contracts, loan agreements, letters. Some of it doesn’t make sense, but I keep seeing different names on a few documents. Including Grady, actually. And then there's the key.” She reached for the small metal object sitting on the table. “The one we found at the shop.”
I stared at it, my stomach twisting. That damn key.
It was the reason everything suddenly felt too close, too tangled.
Owen folded his arms.
“Ethan.” His tone was sharp. “You know something.”
I swallowed, my throat dry.
I’d never wanted to keep secrets from my brothers. But this?
This was old, buried history.
I didn’t think it mattered anymore.
But now, looking at Aurora, at the worry in her eyes, the way Mason was already bracing himself for whatever was coming. I knew I had to say it.
I exhaled sharply. “Years ago, our grandfather and Aurora’s uncle had a business deal. Something went wrong. Terribly wrong. It caused a falling out.”
Aurora straightened. “What kind of deal?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know the details. Just that they were close once. Friends, business partners, or something like it. But after things fell apart, they stopped speaking.”
Mason ran a hand down his face. “Why the hell didn’t you say anything before?”
“Because I didn’t think it was relevant,” I admitted. “Not until that key showed up at our shop.”
I looked at Aurora again.
“That key. It belonged to your uncle. If it was in our garage, that means he was there at some point before he died. And I don’t know why.”
Silence stretched between us.
Owen’s jaw was tight. “You think there’s more to this?”
“I think,” I paused, choosing my words carefully. “I think there were other people involved. People we don’t know about yet.”
Aurora’s fingers curled around the key. “And if we find out who?”
I met her gaze, steady and sure. “Then we find out the truth.”