Self-defense? Who had attacked him? Everyone in town loved Ethan.
“Not until you two work your shit out.” Grant’s voice came over the intercom.
My eyes widened. Was he serious?
“Grant,” Ethan growled, his voice threatening.
“You heard me. Work it out,” Grant said, holding firm.
My jaw dropped. This had to be a serious violation of police conduct, but I wasn’t going to complain. Not if it finally made Ethan stop and listen to me.
“Who attacked you?”
“Who do you think?” He glared at me, tacking on, “Your boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend?” I frowned, and then the pieces came together. “You mean Ben?” Ben was aggressive, sure. Overbearing at times. But violent? I had a difficult time picturing it.
Ethan shook his head and turned away. “Of course, you’d take his side.”
“I’m not…” I inhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of my nose before letting my breath out slowly. “I don’t know what he led you to believe, but Ben isn’t my boyfriend. He never has been.”
“I saw the way he looked at you. The way he kissed your forehead and kept his arm around you.” He clenched and unclenched his fists, hissing. I glanced down to see the knuckles on his right hand were bleeding.
“And what about Vanessa?” I blurted. “Are you dating her? Sleeping with her?” My blood boiled at the idea, vision blurring. Ethan and I had never discussed what we were. Technically, he didn’t owe me anything.
He furrowed his brow. “What does Vanessa have to do with this?”
I waved a hand through the air. We were getting off topic. “Vanessa, Ben—they don’t matter.” I stepped closer. “Youmatter to me. And I’m on your side, Ethan.”
“Tell me, Audrey.” His expression hardened, jaw setting. “What does it mean to be on someone’s side? Does it mean that you manipulate them? Lie to them?”
“I-I—” I stammered, running a hand through my hair.
“That’s what I thought.” He turned away and banged on the door again. “We’re done here.” Then he turned to me, “Sell the house. Go back to Boston.”
My heart clenched painfully. He couldn’t mean that, could he? How could he throw away what we had? Even though I’d be the one leaving, he was the one leaving me.
“I don’t want to.”
“Then why did you ask Vanessa to list the house?”
I gnashed my teeth. “I didn’t. Ben did. He told her I wanted to list and made the appointment, all without ever talking to me.”
He scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “You seriously expect me to believe that?”
“Yes. I’m telling the truth.”
“I’m not sure you know what that is.”
I felt a sharp pang in my chest. “That’s not fair.”
“Why are you friends with him? He’s an asshole. A homophobic, entitled, elitist asshole.”
“I’m not friends with him anymore.” I closed the distance between us. “And I tried to tell Vanessa we weren’t selling, but then Max was running toward the road, and…” I lifted a shoulder.
It was nearly imperceptible, and if I hadn’t been watching him so closely, I wouldn’t have noticed that he’d softened his stance. “Thank you for chasing after her, by the way.”
I nodded. “Of course. I know it might not seem like it, but I’d do anything for Max. I’d do anything for you.”
