Chapter 13
For a little while longer, the strange dinner continued.
Parker finished half his steak before anyone noticed how quiet Will had become again. Emily was doing most of the talking now, asking Ethan about Alabama, about ranching, about the difference between Tennessee farms and the ones he was used to.
Ethan seemed more than happy to oblige.
"So you actually have highland cows?" Emily asked.
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
"Last time I checked."
Aria smiled into her shake.
"I would love to have one as a pet."
Emily laughed.
"I grew up in New Zealand. Farming is life there. Still, I've never seen a highland cow."
"That is a tragedy because they are lovable little SOB's," Ethan said.
Parker snorted.
"Careful, Emily. He'll start telling you stories about his cattle auctions."
"Oh, those are fascinating," Ethan replied dryly.
Aria leaned her elbow on the table.
"Don't lie."
"Okay, they're not fascinating," Ethan admitted. "But they pay the bills."
Emily looked amused.
"And Parker? Does he ever come help you?"
Parker immediately shook his head.
"Nope."
Ethan pointed his fork at him.
"That man is banned from my ranch."
Parker raised his hands defensively.
"That was one time."
"You left a gate open."
"It was an accident."
"You released seventy-three cows."
Aria laughed.
"Seventy-three?"
"They spread across three fields," Ethan continued. "It took me two days to find them all after a loss of a few expensive crops and my grandmother's flower beds."
Emily laughed harder now.
"I would pay to see that."
"You would not," Parker muttered.
Even Will cracked the faintest hint of a smile.
For a moment, the table relaxed again.
The tension that had filled the diner when they first arrived seemed to soften, melting into something more manageable.
Emily checked her phone suddenly.
"Oh."
Will glanced at her.
"What?"
Her eyes widened slightly.
"We're going to be late."
"For what?" Parker asked.
"The movie," she said quickly.
She looked apologetically toward Aria and Ethan.
"I'm so sorry. We didn't realize how late it was getting."
Ethan leaned back in his booth.
"You're abandoning us already?"
Emily smiled.
"We did interrupt your dinner."
Aria waved a hand.
"It's fine."
Emily slid out of the booth.
"Thank you for letting us join you."
She looked at Aria with a quiet sincerity.
"I really mean that."
Aria nodded.
"You're welcome."
Will stood more slowly.
For a second, it seemed like he might say something.
His eyes flicked toward Aria.
Then toward Ethan.
Then back again.
But whatever words might have been forming stayed trapped behind his jaw.
Emily touched his arm gently.
"Come on."
He nodded once.
The two of them walked toward the door together.
The bell chimed softly as they stepped outside.
For a moment, Parker stayed behind, still working on the last of his steak.
Ethan waited exactly five seconds before turning toward him.
"Alright."
Parker didn't look up.
"Alright, what?"
Ethan leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table.
"You want to explain why you brought them here?"
Parker finally looked up.
"I didn't."
"Really."
"Yes."
Ethan tapped the table with his finger.
"You knew exactly where we were eating tonight."
"I did."
"And yet somehow you still walked through that door with them."
"Correct."
Ethan narrowed his eyes slightly.
"That seems suspicious."
Parker sighed.
"It wasn't planned."
Aria leaned back, watching the exchange.
"Then what happened?"
Parker rubbed his forehead.
"We were supposed to go to the place across the street."
Ethan blinked.
"The barbecue place?"
"Yeah."
"That place is terrible."
"I know."
"So why were you going there?"
"Because Emily wanted ribs."
Aria smiled faintly.
"And then?"
Parker pointed toward the diner window.
"She saw the sign."
"The neon sign?"
"Yep."
Aria already knew where this was going.
Parker continued.
"She said it looked cute."
Ethan groaned softly.
"Oh no."
"And before I could say anything," Parker finished, "she was already halfway through the door."
Ethan leaned back again.
"So you're telling me this entire awkward dinner was actually an accident."
"Complete accident."
Ethan studied him carefully.
"Swear?"
"Swear."
Aria laughed quietly.
Parker glanced between the two of them.
"You're welcome, by the way."
"For what?" Ethan asked.
"You survived dinner with the guy whose wife you're taking out."
Ethan shrugged.
"Wasn't that bad."
Parker raised an eyebrow.
"He looked like he wanted to punch you."
Ethan grinned.
"Yeah."
Aria kicked him under the table again.
"Ow."
Parker finished the last bite of his steak.
"Well," he said, pushing the plate away. "My part in this circus is officially done."
He stood, tossing a few bills onto the table.
"Try not to start any fights."
Ethan smirked.
"No promises."
Parker looked at Aria before leaving.
"You good?"
She nodded.
"I'm good."
He gave her a small smile.
Then he headed for the door.
The bell chimed again as he stepped outside.
For a moment, the diner felt quieter.
Just Aria and Ethan now.
Ethan glanced toward the door before looking back at her.
"Well."
"Well."
He leaned back in the booth.
"I'll admit something."
"What?"
"He might actually be a little better looking than me."
Aria blinked.
"That's very generous of you."
"But," he continued calmly, "I am significantly more charming."
She laughed.
"You're ridiculous."
"Am I wrong?"
She shook her head.
"He barely said two words."
"Exactly my point."
Ethan waved the waitress over and paid the check before Aria could protest.
"You didn't have to do that," she said.
"It was my idea."
"That's not the point."
"It absolutely is."
She rolled her eyes but let it go.
Outside, the night air had cooled further.
The parking lot lights cast soft pools of yellow across the pavement.
Ethan opened the truck door for her again.
"Your carriage awaits."
She climbed in, still smiling slightly.
The drive back to her house was quieter.
Not uncomfortable.
Just thoughtful.
The radio played softly in the background as the truck rolled along the dark highway.
Aria watched the passing trees through the window.
Eventually, Ethan spoke.
"I don't know a lot about your situation."
She turned slightly toward him.
"I know."
"I don't know the history you share with that man."
She nodded.
"That's fair."
"But I've seen that look before."
She frowned slightly.
"What look?"
He kept his eyes on the road.
"The one he was giving me."
Aria didn't answer.
Ethan continued.
"I saw it once before."
"When?"
"Years ago."
"With who?"
"Two brothers."
She raised an eyebrow.
"That sounds like a long story."
"It is."
He glanced at her briefly.
"One brother thought he had everything figured out."
"And the other?"
"The other one knew better."
She studied him quietly.
"What does that have to do with Will?"
Ethan slowed slightly as he turned down her road.
"Because that man tonight," he said calmly, "is still desperately in love with you."
Her chest tightened.
"You don't know that."
"I do."
"How?"
"Because he looked like he was ready to punch me in the face if I touched you."
She stared at him.
"And honestly," Ethan added with a small grin, "I was very tempted to touch you just to prove it."
Aria burst out laughing despite herself.
"You are terrible."
"Maybe."
The truck rolled to a stop in her driveway.
Ethan turned off the engine.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then he looked at her again.
"But I meant what I said earlier."
"What?"
"I'm not here to compete with ghosts."
She held his gaze.
"And I'm not ready for anything else."
"I know."
He smiled softly.
"But I'm still glad I asked you to dinner."
Aria looked at the porch swing swaying gently in the night breeze.
Then back at him.
"Me too."
The truck engine ticked quietly as it cooled.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
The porch light cast a warm glow over the front steps, illuminating the swing Parker had hung earlier that day. It swayed gently in the night breeze, the chains creaking softly.
Aria followed Ethan's gaze toward it.
"I still can't believe Parker actually installed that thing."
Ethan chuckled quietly.
"He's surprisingly handy when he wants to be."
"That dosent surprises me."
"He is a heck of a carpenter, too."
She smiled faintly before reaching for the door handle.
"Well... thank you for dinner."
Ethan stepped out of the truck first and walked around to open her door.
"Thank you for agreeing to go."
She climbed down from the passenger seat, her shoes crunching softly against the gravel driveway.
The night air had cooled even more since they left the diner. Somewhere in the distance, a cicada hummed.
Ethan gestured toward the porch.
"Shall I escort you to your castle door, milady?"
She smirked.
"It's hardly a castle."
"Still counts."
They walked up the short path together, the quiet between them comfortable now instead of uncertain.
When they reached the porch steps, Aria paused and turned toward him.
"Tonight was fun."
Ethan tipped his head slightly.
"I'm glad."
"No expectations."
"No pressure."
"Just dinner."
"Exactly."
He stepped closer, but not in a way that felt overwhelming.
Gentle.
Respectful.
He reached for her hand slowly, giving her time to pull away if she wanted to.
She didn't.
He lifted her hand lightly and pressed a soft kiss against her knuckles.
The gesture was old-fashioned.
Almost formal.
And it made her smile despite herself.
"Well," he said quietly, lowering her hand again. "Goodnight, Aria."
But she didn't step away.
Instead, she tilted her head slightly.
"Hey."
"Yeah?"
"Just out of curiosity..."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Those two brothers you mentioned earlier."
"The ones from my story?"
"Yeah."
"How did you know about that look?"
He hesitated.
For the first time all evening, something heavier crossed his expression.
"You really want to know?"
"I asked."
He exhaled slowly.
"It was me."
Aria blinked.
"You?"
"And my brother."
Her brows lifted slightly.
"Oh."
Ethan leaned one shoulder against the porch railing.
"I grew up here when I was younger; my whole family is here except for grandma."
"In Tennessee?"
"Yeah."
"What made you leave?"
He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.
"A woman."
Aria folded her arms loosely.
"A woman."
He smiled faintly.
"I was about twenty."
He glanced out toward the dark yard.
"I fell in love with her."
The words were simple.
But there was no mistaking the weight behind them.
"How serious?" Aria asked quietly.
Ethan chuckled softly.
"Head over heels."
She watched him carefully.
"I worshipped the ground she walked on."
He shook his head slightly.
"It was embarrassing, honestly."
"That sounds anything but."
"For a while," he continued, "I thought she liked me back."
Aria felt her chest tighten slightly.
"What made you think that?"
"She flirted with me."
"That'll do it."
"She laughed at my jokes."
"Also convincing."
"She'd show up at the house just to hang out."
Aria frowned slightly.
"That definitely sounds like interest."
"Yeah," he said softly. "That's what I thought too."
"What happened?"
He let out a slow breath.
"It turned out she wasn't interested in me."
Aria waited.
"She was interested in my brother."
The words landed quietly between them.
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"That's... rough."
Ethan laughed without humor.
"That's one way to put it."
"What did she do?"
"She used me."
Aria blinked.
"Used you?"
"To get closer to him."
Ethan shrugged lightly.
"She knew we were very close."
"So she stayed close to you."
"Exactly."
Aria felt a flash of anger on his behalf.
"That's awful."
"It happens."
"No," she said firmly. "That's awful."
He looked amused by her reaction.
"You're very protective."
"I just hate hearing about people being used like that."
"Me too," he said quietly.
"So what happened when you figured it out?"
Ethan laughed again.
"It wasn't exactly subtle."
"How so?"
"One day I walked into a barn."
Aria already knew where this was going.
"And they were kissing."
She winced.
"Yep."
"Your brother knew how you felt?"
"Oh yeah."
"And he still..."
"Yep."
"That's brutal."
He nodded slowly.
"Yeah."
"What did you do?"
"What do you think I did?"
"Punched him?"
"Thought about it."
"What stopped you?"
"He's my brother."
"That's complicated."
"It was a complicated situation."
Aria leaned back against the porch post.
"So you left."
"Pretty much."
"You moved to Alabama?"
"That's where my grandmother lived, and she needed help running the ranch."
"And you just never came back?"
"Only for short visits."
"Because of them?"
Ethan nodded.
"Every time I saw them together..."
His jaw tightened slightly.
"I wanted to knock his teeth down his throat."
Aria couldn't help laughing a little.
"I can imagine."
He gestured vaguely toward the driveway.
"That's why I avoid coming into town when I visit."
"You stay at Parker's."
"Yep."
"You don't go to family dinners."
"Not anymore."
"Do you ever see them?"
"Rarely."
"And when you do?"
"That look comes back."
Aria studied him quietly.
"That's the look you saw on Will tonight?"
"Exactly."
She shook her head slowly.
"He barely looked at you, and you hardly gave him your attention."
"I didn't need to."
"How could you tell?"
Ethan met her gaze.
"Because, as I said, I've worn that look myself."
Her chest tightened again.
"That man might think he has everything figured out."
"You think he doesn't?"
Ethan smiled faintly.
"That man is still desperately in love with you."
Aria looked away toward the porch swing.
"That's not possible."
"Why not?"
"He doesn't remember me."
"Memory and love aren't always on the same page."
She shook her head.
"You're romanticizing things."
"Maybe."
"He's married."
"True."
"And his life is somewhere else."
"Also true."
She crossed her arms.
"So you see the problem."
"I see the situation."
"Which is?"
"That he looked like he wanted to punch me."
She rolled her eyes.
"You keep saying that."
"Because it's true."
She laughed softly.
"You're ridiculous."
"Maybe."
He pushed himself away from the railing.
He smiled gently.
"I'm so glad I asked you out."
Aria glanced at the porch swing again.
Then back at him.
"Me too."
They stood there quietly for a moment.
Then Ethan tipped his hat slightly.
"Well."
"Well."
"I should probably get going."
"Goodnight, Ethan."
"Goodnight, Aria."
He walked back down the porch steps toward his truck.
Aria watched him go.
Aria stood on the porch long after the sound of Ethan's truck disappeared down the road.
Crickets filled the silence. Somewhere in the distance, a dog barked once and then went quiet again.
She wrapped her arms around herself instinctively, the night air cool against her skin.
For a moment, she just stood there.
Processing.
The evening replayed itself in her mind piece by piece.
The diner.
The laughter.
The awkward dinner with Will and Emily.
Ethan's stories.
His honesty.
And that look he'd described.
The look Will had given him.
Her chest tightened slightly at the thought.
Finally, she stepped down from the doorway and crossed the porch.
The swing moved gently in the breeze, rocking back and forth in a slow, quiet rhythm.
Parker had done a good job installing it.
She lowered herself onto it carefully, the chains creaking softly above her.
The wood was cool beneath her legs.
For a moment, she pushed lightly against the floor with her toes, letting the swing rock slowly.
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
The motion was soothing.
Her eyes drifted across the yard.
The same yard Chase had spent entire weekends working on.
The same yard where he had once insisted on building a fire pit, even though she'd told him they didn't need one.
"We absolutely need one," he had argued at the time. "How else are we supposed to roast marshmallows?"
She smiled faintly at the memory.
God.
She missed him.
Not Will.
Not the man trying to rebuild his life.
Chase.
The man who had filled every room with laughter.
The man who had painted this house yellow because she once said it was her favorite color.
She leaned her head back against the porch beam and stared up at the night sky.
Stars dotted the darkness.
The same sky Chase had stared at before leaving for his last deployment.
The memory surfaced before she could stop it.
"You're coming home," she had told him.
"I know," he had said with that confident grin of his.
"No, I want you to promise me."
"I promise."
Her chest tightened painfully.
"Well," she whispered to the night, "you technically kept that promise."
But not in the way either of them had imagined.
She closed her eyes for a moment.
Ethan's words drifted back into her mind.
That man is still desperately in love with you.
She shook her head slowly.
"That's not how this works," she murmured to herself.
Will wasn't Chase.
Not anymore.
Maybe pieces of him still existed somewhere in that mind of his.
But the man she had loved...
The man she had built this life with...
That man had been gone for five years.
The swing creaked softly as she pushed it again.
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
The rhythm steadied her breathing.
After a few minutes, she noticed something small drifting through the porch light.
A flutter of wings.
A butterfly.
It landed briefly on the railing beside the swing.
Aria froze.
For a moment, she didn't even breathe.
Over the last five years, she would have smiled instantly.
Chase had loved that ridiculous little story he'd told her about butterflies.
"If you ever see one," he had said, "that's me checking in."
She had teased him relentlessly about it.
But secretly...
She had always looked for them.
Even after he was declared dead.
Even after the funeral.
Even after everyone told her to move on.
The butterfly rested there for only a few seconds before lifting off again into the dark.
Aria watched it disappear.
Her throat tightened unexpectedly.
"Are you?" she whispered quietly.
The yard didn't answer.
The night remained still.
After a while, she let out a long breath and stood from the swing.
She moved toward the front door slowly, pausing one last time at the edge of the porch to look for the butterfly one last time.
It was gone.
She stepped inside and closed the door behind her.