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“Let’s go, Teeny,” Ethan says, taking my hand.
We pile into Pops’s pickup and Ethan starts the engine. We get moving without a hitch.
I turn to him eagerly. “Now can you tell me what we’re doing?”
Ethan laughs, shifts into third gear as we drive out of the neighborhood. “Alright, you’ve been patient. We’re doing a treasure hunt.”
My heart leaps with excitement. “Really?!”
“Well, you are doing a treasure hunt. I’m acting as chauffeur for the night.” He gives me a wink.
“What’s my first clue?”
For the next couple of hours, Ethan and I drive to different stops in Mirror Valley. First is the Valley Roast, where I find a regency romance novel hidden in an alcove next to the door. That leads us to my favorite bookstore, open late so that I could find a container with a brownie behind my go-to reading chair.
After that, it’s off to the school field where Ethan and I had our first kiss. There, I find a letter with a sweet message. Next is the treehouse, and Ethan and I climb inside to find that the place has been refurnished. New blankets and pillows are spread throughout, and taped glow-in-the-dark stars blink on the ceiling. “Because this is our place, just you and me,” he explains.
That brings us to our final destination: his grandparents’ house. At this point, I’m already reeling with emotion and nostalgia. I can’t believe Ethan did this; set up this entire evening for me. Every stop—and every gift along the way—was so meaningful. I haven’t even eaten the brownie yet because I don’t think I can swallow around the lump in my throat.
On his part, Ethan’s been uncharacteristically quiet and thoughtful all evening. I’ve asked him if something’s on his mind, but every time I do, his brow clears and he comes back to me. I’ve chalked it up to nerves about the treasure hunt—he’ll be back to normal as soon as we’re done.
Ethan parks the truck in the driveway and we sit for a moment. The glow of the porchlights gives him this dreamy, romantic aura. Like a warm filter has descended on the world.
“You ready for the last step?” he asks, his voice low.
I breathe in, suddenly weirdly nervous. I have a feeling that what comes next is going to be the pinnacle of the evening. This has to be why he’s been so quiet. “I think so.”
Ethan opens his door, but before he can leave, I grab his arm and pull him back towards me. I tangle my fingers in his hair and my lips find his. “Thank you for doing this,” I whisper. “But why tonight?”
A half-smile plays on his lips. “You’ll see.”
He hops out of the truck and opens the door for me. We walk around the house to the backyard.
My jaw drops.
Twinkling fairy lights are strung across the yard, interspersed with shining, colorful orbs. The patio table is covered with candles, and my preferred chair—the cozy white loveseat—has been moved into the grass facing the moon. It’s beautiful; completely transformed from where Ethan and I were laying hours ago.
My heart is racing. “What’s going on?”
“This is the end of the treasure hunt.”
“It’s incredible.”
“Like a scene out of Pride and Prejudice?”
“Better than any movie.”
“I thought…” Ethan trails off into silence.
“Thought what?” I prompt. When I look up at him, he’s staring through the kitchen window into the house. I follow his gaze to where his Nana is giving his mom a hug. Their faces are turned away from the light.
Ethan’s quiet for so long, his demeanor suddenly rigid and tense. I scan his face. “Ethan?”
No answer. There’s an expression on his face I don’t recognize, but that makes my stomach clench uncomfortably. He taps his pants pocket absentmindedly.
“Ethan,” I say again, louder this time. “Is everything okay?”
He barely flinches. Finally, he takes a breath—a hesitant breath, if I’m not mistaken. When he looks at me again, there’s a darkness in his eyes that I’ve never seen before. He gives his head a shake, looks down.
