Page 26 of Not So Very Sensible

“And you do?” she challenged. “Is he a Christian?”

“I don’t know. We haven’t got that far yet.”

“Well, surely that’s an important question to ask before you get too carried away.”

“Is Ethan?”

“Yes. He also helps run a youth group at his church.”

“Well, good for him. But it’s not like you have been hiding your feelings about him. Anyone with two eyes can tell how you feel about him.”

Heat rushed into her cheeks. “Keep your voice down.”

A toilet flushed, and a woman exited a cubicle and glanced at them. Embarrassing.

Obviously this was not the place to talk about this. And obviously she was going to have to guard herself from showing her feelings so openly.

Several minutes later, they were primping at the mirror, Ellie the recipient of a few more compliments about her dress.

“See? I told you it would be a hit.” Katie smiled smugly. “Ethan’s barely been able to take his eyes off you.”

She shivered. It would be so nice to think she was the focus of a good man. He didn’t even have to be handsome, but the fact she thought Ethan was, was a bonus.

“I’m going to do some youth group graphics for him.”

“So you’ve got his phone number already? You go, girl!”

“Keep your voice down,” she murmured again, as another toilet flushed. She really didn’t want other people speculating about her. What if someone knew Ethan and said something to him about the peacock girl getting ahead of herself?

No way did she want him to feel embarrassed or obligated because she’d misread things. “I don’t have his number, just his Insta. But that’s something.”

Her smile drooped. Was he paying her attention because he felt a spark of something, or was it simply because he was a nice guy who was being friendly? She’d never felt this way before, so she had no experience to work from. Whereas Katie had been in love at least a dozen times since high school, and while some of those men had been actors on TV, others were men she’d come to know, so Katie must’ve had some clues to make her think she had something reasonable to base her emotions on.

Ugh. This was hard. She didn’t want to get carried away. She probably needed to protect herself by guarding her emotions and revealing too much too soon.

“Come on. I want to get back.”

She followed her sister back to the room, conscious of people watching her in her beautiful dress. While she loved the dress, she didn’t love people looking at her. This was definitely a centre-of-attention party-girl kind of dress, made for someone with Katie’s bright personality rather than Ellie’s own more staid and boring one. Oh well.

She saw the way Ethan’s face brightened as they returned, and Jason straighten from his slouch beside the woman who had been so rude before. “Katie, my love.”

Katie’s eyes widened, and Ellie felt her own eyebrows rise. But Ethan had stood, was holding out her chair for her, just as Chris was doing for Katie.

Ethan waited, then helped push in her chair.

“Thanks.” She smiled up at him, then remembered. She needed to be circumspect. Not impart heart-eyes like Katie was giving Jason. She dimmed her smile. Glanced at the table. She needed to be sensible and not get carried away.

Ethan leaned close, catching a hint of a honey-like fragrance that instantly became his favourite. “Is it too soon to say I’m really glad you’re back?”

“It might depend on why you’re saying that.”

His lips curved. “How about that you’re my hero, and you’ve saved the day?”

“How so?”

“Jason was boring us all silly with talk about his exploits. Ruby”—he nodded to the woman across from them—”was the only one who kept listening, while Chris and I got to know each other some more. Did you know he received a medal for bravery?”

“Really?” She turned to Chris, who was once again looking pensively at Katie. “Did you receive a medal for bravery?” she asked him.