Chapter 26 Ethan
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
ETHAN
It’s been two weeks.
Two weeks since the Zoom call, since I saw her face pretending everything was fine when we both knew it wasn’t. Two weeks of silence. Two weeks of pretending I’m not checking my phone every hour like a damn teenager.
Now I’m back in Tacoon, and the air feels heavier, maybe because it’s colder, perhaps because I have new memories of her that hurt the same or more than before.
I pull into the site. Josh and Audrey are mid-convo with the foreman. I shake hands, nod when I need to, and pretend to care about floor plans. But I’m scanning the lot like an idiot.
She’s not here.
When the moment’s right, I ask, casual as I can, “Olivia not joining us today?” Audrey doesn’t even look up.
“She’s around. Said she’s handling some things.
She’ll jump in when she’s ready.” That doesn’t sit right.
Olivia doesn’t “handle things.” She shows up, leads the damn room, and makes people listen.
When the meeting wraps, I barely wait until I’m in the truck before texting her.
Me: Hey, we just wrapped up. Surprised you weren’t there. You were excited about this.
Olivia: I’m back in Tacoon. Just handling a few personal things before I jump in. Everything’s okay.
But it doesn’t feel okay. That’s not her tone. Not really.
Me: I’m heading to your parents’. I’ll meet you there, and we can talk.
Olivia: I’m not staying there.
Me: Where then? Rental?
Olivia: No. I bought a place.
Me: Wait. You guys moved here?
Olivia: Not we. Me. With the boys. It’s a long story.
That stops me cold. What the hell is happening? I stop thinking. I type.
Me: Send the address.
Olivia: Ethan… I can’t. I’m with the kids. I’m dealing with some stuff.
Me: Liv. Send it. Now.
The pin drops. I’m already driving.
The place is tucked behind a line of pines on the edge of town.
It has a hell of a view. You can see the city, the quieter side.
You have pines all over it, and a lake at the back.
The front door opens before I make it halfway up the walk.
She’s barefoot, in jeans and a white tee, hair tied up.
She looks tired but offers me a smile anyway.
I walk inside. She shuts the door behind me.
“What the hell happened, Liv?” She doesn’t stall. “David cheated.” I stare at her, in total and complete shock. This motherfucker. “Wait, what? With whom? When was this?”
She rolls her eyes. “Yes. With his assistant. A couple of weeks ago, when I went back home. Any other questions? My chest lights up with rage. “You’re fucking kidding. I’m going to kill him.” She snorts. “Get in line.”
“Liv—”
“Look, I don’t need a white knight, Ethan. I’m furious, I’m sad, and even a little ashamed. But I’m not a weak ass woman. He cheated because he wanted to, and he could. He chose someone who kept her calendar and legs open for him. I made my fair share of choices, too.”
My fists clench. “Still—”
“No, Ethan.” She steps closer. “I already yelled, broke some things, went to therapy, and moved out.” I glance around as she talks. The space already feels like her—it’s warm, sharp, a little chaotic, but alive. “So, you just... left?”
“I called my lawyer the minute it happened. And the city didn’t feel like home anymore. So, I came here, talked to my real estate agent, found this place, and I’m working on it.”
“And the boys?”
“They’re okay. Kids are more resilient than we think. They know we’re starting over. I’ll make it work.” I look at her and feel like I’m seeing her for the first time again. She’s on fire and holding it steady at the same time.
“You should’ve told me.”
“For what? I didn’t want to be that woman. The one who shows up with her life in ruins, hoping someone will put her back together.”
“I wouldn’t think that.” She looks me dead in the eye. “I’m not here to fall apart. I’m here to rebuild my life. And I didn’t want to complicate yours. We had our thing, we talked about it. That’s that.”
“You’re not a complication. You’re—”
“Ethan,” she cuts in. “Don’t.”
“Why not?” She sighs like she’s tired of even thinking about this.
And I don’t blame her at all. “Because you’re still married, Ethan, and I’m not.
Because I made my choice to step out of a marriage where both people were in the wrong, even if only one got caught.
” She exhales, eyes on the floor. “That doesn’t mean this is some clean slate for you and me.
This isn’t a green light. This is me, rebuilding my life, being there for my kids. ” I nod.
She folds her arms, now looking at me, “I need space. To figure this out. For me, not for you, not for anyone else.”
“I get it,” I say. “But I’m not disappearing, not now.” She finally softens, just a little. “Good, I appreciate that. But right now, what I need is a friend. Nothing more. If you can be that, then we’re good.”
“Okay. I’ll be that. No pressure, no nothing, just here.
For you.” She looks at me. Like, really looks.
Then, in a whisper, “Thank you.” And that melts me.
I could kiss her right now and hold her.
But I’ll settle for a hug. I open my arms, looking at her, and she comes right in.
“You want to meet them?” she asks mid-hug. “The boys?”
There’s a lump in my throat I didn’t expect. “Yeah. I’d really like that.” They are her kids, but also his, and a part of me envies him for that. He got to have her as a wife, as the mother of his kids, and he screwed that up. What a fucking idiot.
She lets go of the hug and walks towards the backyard to open the door.
“This is Ethan,” she says. “He is Mom’s friend.
” They wave. I smile. And in that moment, standing in the middle of her new life, I know something for sure: She doesn’t need rescuing.
She’s already saving herself. I want to be around to see it all.
And maybe, maybe I’m finally seeing her as more than the girl I lost.
She’s the woman I’d do anything not to lose again.