Chapter 22 Ethan
Ethan
The bakery used to be my sanctuary. Now, it feels like a prison. It’s been weeks since Alex left, but the ache in my chest hasn’t dulled.
I knead the dough with more force than necessary, trying to lose myself in the familiar motions. Trying not to think about the feel of Alex’s skin beneath my palm, the rich tenor of her laughter, the heartbreak in her eyes that last night.
The quiet that once brought me peace now feels oppressive, every silence a reminder of what I’ve lost.
The blue of early morning has brightened just enough to softly illuminate the empty booth by the window. Alex’s booth. A fresh wave of pain sweeps through me. I turn away, forcing my attention back to the task at hand.
The back door bangs open, and I don’t need to look up to know it’s Zoe. She bursts in like a hurricane of color and noise, her bright clothing a stark contrast to my mood.
“Morning, Boss!” she chirps. “Hope you’re ready for some tunes, because I’ve got a playlist that’ll knock your socks off!”
Before I can protest, she’s already fiddling with the speaker, and an upbeat tune rings through the space, a chorus of voices echoing the lead singer.
I grit my teeth, resisting the urge to tell her to turn it off.
I know what she’s doing—trying to pull me out of my funk.
Part of me appreciates it, but a larger part wants to wallow in my misery.
“Zoe,” I start, but she cuts me off with a wave of her hand.
“Nope, you said you don’t want to talk about it. Fine, then we’ll sing instead.”
I shake my head and return to my work. The dough has started to take shape, but it feels hollow and overworked—like everything else in my life right now.
I hate the looks of pity the Cove’s residents keep giving me.
It was better when I first moved here, when they were all wary of me.
At least then I could pretend I didn’t care what they thought.
I reach for another bowl, but my hands slip, and it crashes to the ground. The shattering sound echoes through the bakery, drowning out even Zoe’s music.
I stare at the mess, frozen. Something inside me has cracked along with the bowl. The speaker goes silent. The next moment, Zoe is by my side, her brow furrowed.
“Ethan,” she whispers, all traces of her joking tone gone. “Enough already. Call Alex and tell her the truth. Tell her how you feel.”
I clench my fists and blink away unshed tears. “How I feel doesn’t matter.”
“Of course it matters!” Zoe yells. Despite her anger being directed at me, I appreciate the ferocity of her friendship—how quickly she jumps to my defense, even when I don’t deserve it.
“She can’t know who we really are,” I say, the words bitter on my tongue. Our relationship was impossible from the beginning. I was selfish enough to think it could be a summer fling, too blind to see how badly I’d hurt Alex in the end.
Zoe’s next words hit me like a physical blow. “She already does.”
I jerk my head up to meet her gaze, my heart hammering. “You told her?”
Zoe has the grace to look sheepish. “I couldn’t let her walk away thinking you’re just an asshole who manipulated her and broke her heart, Ethan.”
I inhale sharply, the scent of yeast thick in the air. I think of the Council, of Dean’s stern warnings. The consequences of revealing our magic to outsiders blare through my mind—memory wipes, exile, or worse. And Zoe could face those consequences because of my choices. My heart clenches.
My control is slipping, magic crackling at my fingertips. “Do you know the trouble you could get into?”
“Some things are worth the risk,” Zoe shoots back, squaring her shoulders. “Alex is trustworthy. She could belong here—I think she wanted that, even. I showed her magic, and she barely flinched.”
I run a trembling hand through my hair. “You told a journalist our greatest secret.”
“I told Alex,” Zoe snaps, her eyes flashing. “Not a journalist. Not a human or a city girl. Alex. And she accepted it—accepted us.”
Her words hang in the air, heavy with implication.
I turn away and brace myself against the counter.
There’s so much left to finish before the Whisk opens, and now none of it seems important.
Alex knows. She knows, and she didn’t run screaming.
She didn’t immediately publish our secrets to the world or call the police.
“What have you done, Zoe?” I whisper, but there’s no real anger in my voice. Just exhaustion.
Zoe bends down and gathers the broken shards of the bowl, tossing them in the trash before answering. “I did what you were too scared to do. I gave her a chance to understand. To choose.”
I close my eyes, remembering the way Alex’s lip trembled on the cliff. “She might accept magic in general, but she’d never accept me.”
Before I can blink, something cold and sticky splatters across my cheek and neck. I sputter and wipe the frosting away, staring in horror as it drips from my apron. Zoe stands before me, empty bowl in hand, her jaw jutted out.
“What the hell was that for?” I gasp.
Zoe slams the bowl down hard enough that it vibrates the counter.
“Because words aren’t working, pity isn’t working, and being Little Miss Sunshine isn’t working either.
You need a wake-up call. You’re head over heels for Alex, and you’re just sitting here like a week-old muffin instead of doing something about it. ”
I yank a towel free from its hook and scrub at my face. “Everything with Alex was foolish for so many reasons. I’ve been heartbroken before, and I’ll get over it.”
Zoe steps closer. “You forget, I met you right after everything went down with Sarah. You were messed up then, sure, but not like this. Back then, you were heartbroken over your destroyed career and shattered dreams. This time? You scarcely think about the consequences. You would’ve given up everything—the Whisk included—to protect Alex.
” She pauses, her gaze softening. “Don’t think Mia didn’t tell me about you asking her to help find a scholarship form for Alex’s sister. ”
I freeze, and frosting drips from my arm, plopping onto the ground. “What of it?” I say, hoping it comes out nonchalant.
“What of it!?” Zoe throws her hands up, and I’m afraid she’s about to chuck something else at me.
“Infatuation is when you’re attracted to someone.
Maybe you had that with Sarah—fine. But love?
Love is when you care about someone else’s well-being and happiness over your own.
You love Alex, you big dummy, and you’re just going to stand here and give that up because you’re scared. ”
I stare at her—at the fuchsia headscarf tied over her purple hair, her fierce brown eyes, and the gleaming tattoos with Mia’s name written in script across her bicep. I want to deny her words, to argue with her. But Zoe knows me too well.
“It doesn’t matter,” I whisper. “Even if you’re right—even if I do love her—I’m different. More dangerous than most magical beings. You know that. I can’t risk—”
“Doesn’t Alex have a right to make that decision?” Zoe slams her fists against her hips. “That one’s got a good head on her shoulders. I think you misjudged her, and honestly, Ethan, you owe her better than what you gave her.”
Her using my actual name makes me come up short, pausing before I respond. I want to argue—but deep down, I know she’s right.
As I stand there, covered in frosting and reeling from Zoe’s words, I think about Alex—her sharp intellect, the way she could dissect a recipe with a single taste, her keen observations of the town and its people.
How protective she was of her sister. How determined.
I’ve done her a disservice by making this decision for her—by forcing her out before she even had a chance to understand. The realization sits heavy in my chest, along with a flicker of something I’m almost afraid to name. Hope.
What if I explain everything—my past, the magic, the dangers—and she accepts me? What if I’ve found someone who actually wants me? Loves me?
I’ve been a coward. Letting her go was easier than facing the truth. Maybe the person who needed a Courage Cupcake all along was me.
“You’re right, Zoe,” I say. “She deserves the truth. All of it.”
Zoe’s face breaks into a crooked, triumphant grin. “Now that’s what I like to hear! What’s the plan, Boss?”
I take a deep breath and square my shoulders, knowing the only answer. “I’m going to have to get permission from the Council.”
Zoe nods. “You’ve got this, Ethan. Just share your heart. You’ve been a member of this community for years—you deserve more credit than you get. And for what it’s worth, I think Alex is going to surprise you.”
Her belief is almost enough to bolster my own. My heart is thudding again, though first, I have to clean up. Damn, I was an idiot. Zoe literally had to throw a bucket of sugared butter at me to snap me out of it.
“Thanks, Zoe. For everything.”
She waves a hand dismissively, but her cheeks flush. “Yeah, yeah. Besides, you always think you’re so terrifying, Ethan. You’re nothing more than a teddy bear—I’m just bringing you down a notch.”
I snort a laugh. “That’s deserved.”
“I agree. Now, I’ve got the Whisk under control for the morning. You get cleaned up and gather the Council. You’ve got a foodie to win back!”
As I head to the bathroom to change, a spark ignites in my chest. I’ve made mistakes, but maybe the situation isn’t hopeless. Maybe I’m not.
The Council chamber feels colder than usual as I stand before the group, my heart pounding but my resolve firm. I’ve just finished explaining my request, and the silence that follows is deafening.
Councilwoman Frome scoffs, breaking the tension. “And why, Mr. Hart, even if we agreed to give Ms. Sinclair an opportunity to join our community, should we trust you with such a monumental task? Leaving the island before your term is up? Revealing magic to a human?”
I meet her gaze steadily. “Because I’ll take Dean with me.”
A ripple of surprise runs through the room. Dean’s shock reaches me without me even looking at him.
“I know the risks. I know what I am and what I’ve done before. But I think I’ve proven myself in my time here. And I’m willing to vouch whatever goodwill I’ve gained on Alex. We can trust her. I’ll accept any conditions, any restrictions you deem necessary, if it means I have this chance.”
The Council members exchange glances, a silent conversation passing between them. Finally, Councilman Hawthorne leans forward. “And if she rejects your proposal?”
I swallow hard, pushing down the knot in my throat. “I vow to maintain myself, even if that happens. Plus, Dean will be there if magical intervention is necessary.”
Another long moment of silence follows. Then, slowly, Councilwoman Evelyn nods. “Very well, Mr. Hart. You have our permission, with Dean as your… chaperone.”
I fight a shiver at the word. I’ve wanted nothing more than to break Dean’s shackles since I arrived at Magnolia Cove. Now, I’m walking into a cage—but with a bigger purpose. Because Alex is worth the sacrifice.
As I leave the chamber, Dean falls into step beside me.
“You know,” he says, his voice gruff but not unkind, “I’ve always wanted to see New York City.”
“Sounds like you’re in luck.”
Dean’s face falls into its normal scowl, but I can’t help the hope rushing through me. If even Dean Markham is willing to give me a chance, maybe this isn’t as impossible as I thought.
Maybe there’s a real shot at making things right with Alex.