Chapter 3
I t was after midnight by the time Amelia was finally able to leave the reception. She tried to get Piedmont to go home without her, but he said he was happy to stay. Knowing how absolutely crazy busy his life was, she didn’t take his time or attention for granted. He even pitched in to help clean up after Maggie and Ridge left. Ethan, she noted, was markedly absent for that part.
Piedmont’s driver took her home. There was a part of her that couldn’t believe she was dating a man who had a driver. It’s a luxury, I know, but it’s such a timesaver. I can work while we sit in traffic, and he’s the one who has to deal with rush hour stress.
Amelia had never invited him up to her apartment before, but there was no getting around it tonight. Mostly because he followed her inside her building uninvited. She was nervous about having him see her teeny tiny little studio. DC was an expensive city, and she wouldn’t start making good money at the exclusive salon where she worked until after her probation was over. Some of the more senior stylists made six figures. Amelia couldn’t wait until it was her turn to do so. Being poor in the city was no fun, especially when her quasi-boyfriend was likely a millionaire.
She paused outside her door. “Piedmont, about my apartment…”
He rested his hands on her shoulders. “Amelia, do you have any idea where I lived during law school?”
“With your parents?” she guessed. He had been a teenager, after all. Some kind of super genius who finished high school at twelve.
“Yes, so you can imagine the sorry state of my dating life. And then when I finally moved out, I had a crummy little walkup over a crack den. Believe me, I didn’t start out with a townhouse in Georgetown.”
Townhomes in Georgetown were in the millions. “You’re not really easing my anxieties here,” she told him. She had never seen his home either, and right now she was glad. If she’d actually landed a glimpse of his luxury digs, she’d for certain never be able to let him see her peephole of a dwelling.
He laughed, his thumbs making soothing little circles on her shoulders. “I like you for you, not your apartment.”
She stood on her toes and kissed him, wanting to cement the moment before he saw her crummy little abode. One of his hands slid to her neck, pulling her closer, and he kissed her in return. And then her door opened and they nearly tumbled inside.
“Amelia,” Ethan said. He sniffled, and she realized he was crying. For a moment, her heart stopped. Had something happened to Maggie and Ridge? “I’m so sorry I disappeared, baby. I freaked out, okay? I just needed a minute to think about things.”
“Um…” Amelia said, too shocked for more words.
“Who?” Piedmont said, his head swiveling confusedly between Ethan and Amelia.
“You were right about us; you were right about everything,” Ethan continued, swiping his hand under his nose. “I want to give us a try again, and this time I’m going to do it right. I love you, baby, to the moon and back.”
Finally, she caught on. She gave his chest a little shove and pointed toward the exit. “Out, get out of my apartment, you bungling burglar.”
“What about the baby?” Ethan continued undaunted, pressing his palms to her belly.
She tossed his hands away and gave him another shove. “Go away, Ethan.”
“Ethan Jr. needs a father,” he called, though he took a step away from them.
“I hate you forever,” Amelia called.
“That’s not what your lips said in that pantry,” Ethan returned. He winked at her and blew her a kiss before casually tossing his tuxedo jacket over his shoulder and heading down the stairs.
When he was gone, Piedmont remained. “Friend of yours?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Friend of my brother-in-law. It’s a long story, sort of a running joke between us.”
“Huh,” Piedmont said. “It seemed like you two know each other rather well.”
“No,” she contradicted. “I barely know him, I swear. This weekend was only the second time in my life I’ve ever seen him. It’s just…it’s how SEALs are. I can’t explain their mentality. They do things like that. They’re big into jokes and retaliation.”
“What was he retaliating for?” Piedmont asked.
“I told him he was going prematurely gray and offered to color his hair,” Amelia said.
“Ah, that would do it,” Piedmont said. “Where were we?”
“I was about to invite you inside,” Amelia said, glancing in her apartment. What had Ethan touched? Knowing him, probably everything.
“Hmm, I don’t think that’s quite where we left off,” Piedmont said and, reaching for her, kissed her again.
The next morning when Amelia’s phone rang with an unknown number, she almost didn’t answer. On a hunch, she did.
“How’s the morning sickness, Baby Mama?” Ethan said. His voice sounded gravelly with sleep. Amelia rolled over and looked at her clock.
“Who calls at seven on a Sunday morning?” she asked.
“A guy who wants to make sure you’re sleeping alone,” he said.
She groaned and rubbed her eyes. It wasn’t too long ago she had been in college and a night owl. Truth be told, she still sort of was.
“By your growl, I can tell you’re happy to hear from me. This is me calling you, by the way.”
“You’re six months too late,” she said.
“It’s never too late, Amelia,” he said. “How long have you been seeing Bonvoy?”
“Hmm, let’s see, how many multiple ways can I tell you it’s none of your business?” she said.
“I don’t see you with him,” Ethan said.
“Then you must not have been paying attention last night,” she said.
“He’s too uptight for you,” he continued.
“Opposites attract and all that,” Amelia countered. “And, you know, he’s a grownup.”
“He and I are the same age,” Ethan said.
“Yes, but he’s an emotional grownup,” she said.
“What does a twenty-two year old know about being emotionally mature?” he asked.
“More than a twenty seven year old, apparently,” she said, and he sucked in a breath.
“You wound me.”
“I wanted to last night,” she said.
“I think we both wanted a lot of unspoken things last night,” Ethan said. “Have breakfast with me this morning.” He sounded as surprised by the invitation as she was.
“Can’t,” she said.
“Why? Don’t tell me you and Bonsnore are exclusive already,” he said.
“Making fun of his name is an example of the emotional maturity you don’t posses,” she said.
“So have breakfast with me.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because you only want what you can’t have,” she said.
“Who says I can’t have you?” he asked.
“I do,” she replied.
“We’ll see,” he said and disconnected before she could fathom a comeback. She thought that was the end of it, but she should have known better. An hour later, as she was stepping out of the shower, a knock sounded on her door. When she stared through the peephole, she saw Ethan on the other side, basket in hand. Her forehead rested on the door as she tried to think of the best way to make him go away.
“I know you’re in there. Don’t make me break in,” Ethan called.
Sighing, she opened the door a crack. “What are you doing here?”
“Breakfast,” he said, holding the basket aloft.
“Ethan…”
“You can’t reject a man who brought you croissants.”
She shifted. “Croissants?”
“One regular, and one with chocolate,” he said.
Overcome by temptation, she reached out a hand toward the basket. Ethan grasped it and pulled her closer until they were chest to chest. “Hey. You wake up even cuter than you go to sleep. How is that possible?”
“Don’t do this,” she said.
“Do what?” he asked.
“Don’t pursue me like this. I know how it is with you.”
“How is it with me?” he asked.
“It’s what I said on the phone. You want what you can’t have. I like to flirt, and I’m attracted to you, but I’m not casual, and I don’t want a broken heart.”
He blinked at her, shocked by her honesty. “Fair enough, but I still like you, and we have fun. Friends?”
“Can you be friends with a woman?”
“I’m friends with your sister,” he pointed out.
“Can you be friends with a woman who’s not married to a man who could rip your arms off?” she amended.
“There’s a first time for everything,” he said. He held the basket aloft again. “Come on, I know you can smell these and you want them.”
Against her better judgment, she moved aside and let him in.