Page 47 of Boss and Brat

Ethan wiped his face again, breath slowing. The ache in his chest didn’t disappear, but it loosened, like someone had cut the rope holding it tight.

Carter nudged his shoulder. “You done beating yourself up?”

Ethan sniffed. “Maybe.”

“Good,” Carter said. “Because we’re heading back soon. And you’re not going through the rest of the day looking like someone kicked your puppy.”

Ethan laughed.

Carter stood and held out a hand. “Come on.”

Ethan took it.

Carter pulled him up with one solid tug, steadying him when his knees wobbled. Ethan didn’t feel alone.

Chapter Eighteen: Carter

Carter drove them back to the cabin, gravel snapping under the tires. Ethan had been quiet the whole ride, staring out the window like he was trying to hold himself together after the phone call. Carter didn’t push. He figured the kid needed a minute.

But when they rounded the bend and the cabin came into view, Ethan suddenly sat up straighter.

His bright red truck was parked in the dirt like it had never left.

Ethan’s breath caught. “That’s—”

“Yeah,” Carter said. “Looks like they dropped it off.

Before the truck even stopped rolling, Ethan had his seatbelt off. The second Carter put it in Park, Ethan jumped out and jogged across the yard.

Carter climbed out slower, watching him. Ethan yanked open the driver’s door and ducked inside, rummaging around. A second later he came back up with the keys in his hand, face lit up like someone had handed him back a piece of himself.

“They left ’em under the seat,” Ethan said, breathless. “Just like you said.”

Carter nodded. “Good.”

Ethan ran a hand over the hood, like he was checking to make sure it was real. Carter felt something tug in his chest—relief for the kid, sure, but also something warmer he didn’t want to name.

Ethan turned to him. “Can we go get my stuff from the barn?”

“Yeah,” Carter said. “Let’s get it done.”

They drove back to the stables in separate trucks. Ethan’s engine rattled like it needed a tune-up, but he didn’t care. He pulled up fast, hopped out, and headed straight for the barn.

Carter followed him inside. Ethan’s things were piled in the corner—a duffel bag, a stack of folded clothes, a couple of sketchbooks, a box of random junk he’d collected over the years. Not much. Too little for a kid his age.

Ethan grabbed the duffel first. “I can get all this.”

“You can get half,” Carter said. “I’ll take the rest.”

Ethan didn’t argue. They loaded everything into the trucks in a few minutes. The whole time, Ethan kept glancing around the barn like he was making sure he wasn’t leaving anything behind—or maybe making sure he wasn’t coming back.

When they finished, Ethan stood in the doorway for a second, hands shoved in his pockets.

“You good?” Carter asked.

Ethan nodded, but it looked unsteady. “Yeah. Just… weird leaving it.”

Carter understood that more than he wanted to admit. “Come on. Cabin’s waiting.”