“Good.I’m glad.”Dragging his fingers through his rumpled hair, he blows out a breath.“Will you tell me what happened?”
Telling him the truth hurts worse than all my broken bones, bruised ribs, and random scrapes combined.“Rick was driving drunk and ran me off the road.Not on purpose, but still just as bad.”The man who impregnated my mother has done a lot through the years, and I’ve always forgiven him.
This time, I’m done.
As soon as I get out of here, I’m filing a restraining order to keep him away from Mugs and me for good.The sheriff wants me to press charges for the accident as well, but the jury’s still out on that.
I’d rather forget Rick exists.
He could’ve killed me.
He could kill someone else.
Ethan’s nostrils flare, and his jaw pulses as he scrapes a hand down the back of his neck.“Fuck, Chloe… If Willow hadn’t called, I might never have known something happened to you.”
I’m sure it would have come up when he was down visiting his parents at some point.“It’s only a broken arm.”Mostly.
“Doesn’t matter.I hated being so far away when you needed me.”
“I hated it too.”
I draw in a deep breath, steadying myself so that I can get this out.I don’t know how long I have until Ethan disappears back to Philadelphia again.
“I had this crazy idea that… I don’t know… maybe we could try doing something long-distance,” I say.“If you wanted to.”A look of affection fills his face.“But the truth is,” I quickly go on, “I’m not sure that would be enough for me.”
The plastic mattress crackles as I shift my weight, the truth bringing tears to my eyes.
There was a reason I asked the ferry gods for someone who wants to set down roots in Inner Shores.
I’ve never been someone’s priority, not even my mom’s or Rick’s.
You deserve better.
Ethan may have made the off-handed remark about Steve, but it applies to our situation as well.
I don’t want to settle for phone calls and video dates.I want to hold hands on the beach.To wake up next to each other every single day.I want someone who I can rely on to be there when things are tough, and I want to be that person for them as well.
Having a long-distance relationship is possible, but it’s not what I really want.
And it’s not what either of us deserve.
Ethan’s fingers curl around mine, gripping tight.“It’s not enough for me either.”
My heart sinks in my chest.“I understand.”
A wayward strand of hair falls across his brow as his head slowly shakes.“I don’t think you do.”He slips a finger beneath my chin, raising my gaze to his.“When I got back, my apartment—hell,Philadelphia—felt so empty.Soon, my mom and dad won’t be there anymore.They’ll be in their dream home, living their best lives.My brother Gray is already living his dream, and Wyatt is off chasing his.It feels like everyone is moving forward, while I’m stuck doing the same old shit, hating every second of it.My first day on the building site, all I could think about was being on the beach, watching you own the waves.”
That little flame of hope in my heart grows, burning through my chest.
Is he saying what I think he’s saying?
“I’ve never had any dreams for myself,” he continues, his gaze pinned to mine.“So I didn’t immediately realize it when I found one.Chloe, my dream is to be here… with you.”
This is too good to be true.It has to be.Even so, the butterflies in my stomach take flight, fanning the flames of hope.“But your job?—”
“Was sucking my soul dry, so I quit.Right before I came here to see you.”
He quit.He wants to be here with me.
