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Mike gaped. There was nothing else he could do. He couldn’t even muster the ability to ask what he was talking about.
Thankfully, Ethan wasn’t done speaking yet. “I was so worried about Rose, I let my disappointment in how things turned out get in the way.”
“It’s okay?—”
“No, it’s not,” he insisted. “It’s not okay, because you’re just as much part of my family as any one of the other people here.”
Mike glanced around again, realizing that most of the people working were those who lived or had jobs out at Sagebrush Ranch. He swiveled his gaze back to Ethan.
“It’s fine, really. I wasn’t the best version of myself. I let a lot of things get in the way.” He could feel the embarrassment creep up the back of his neck. “You were right. About everything.”
Ethan’s brows lifted.
“I stole those supplies and made excuse after excuse as to why it was okay. I got a spare window off a truck out back of Hanley’s, too. I needed to replace the broken one.” He couldn’t bring himself to look Ethan in the eye any longer. Instead, he stared down at his hands. “I want you to know that was the end of it. I finally forced myself to accept that it wasn’t right no matter how badly I needed it. I didn’t want to be the person I was when we were younger.”
Ethan was quiet. He was so quiet, Mike wasn’t sure if he’d walked away. He might as well have. Mike was just as disappointed in himself as Ethan likely was.
He dragged his eyes up to meet his friend’s. “I’m sorry I lied to you.”
Ethan’s expression was unreadable. This was it—the moment Ethan finally threw down the hammer and told Mike he couldn’t spend time with his sister.
Then he surprised Mike with a half-smile. “I’m not going to say it’s okay. But I will tell you this: I’m all for second chances. If you’re trying to make a change, I’m not going to stand in the way of you getting to where you need to be.”
Mike wouldn’t have been able to prevent the smile that spread across his face if he’d tried. “That’s really big of you.”
Ethan shrugged. “Like I said, we’re family.”
“Yeah. Family.” Mike glanced around the group once again. “Where’s Rose?”
Ethan turned to face the house. “She’s the one who organized all of this, you know.”
“I heard.”
His friend glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “You did?”
Mike nodded. “I stopped by the hardware store. I wanted to make sure Mr. Hanley was aware of what I’d done and I wanted to make it right.”
This time, Ethan faced him fully. “You did?”
Another nod. “I couldn’t leave things the way I had. I’m trying to be better—do better.” He wasn’t sure he should tell Ethan the main reason for his change. While he knew he needed to be a better version of himself because it was the right thing to do, he couldn’t deny the desire to be better not only to make his grandfather proud but to show Rose that he wanted to be good enough for her.
Nope, he definitely couldn’t tell Ethan that. They were just starting to get back on the same page. Right now, he needed to just stick with making an effort for the sake of making an effort.
Ethan tilted his head slightly, his eyes shining with something Mike had only seen a handful of times in his life.
Pride.
His friend was proud of him. It was funny the way that knowledge alone could send a flurry of warmth through his body. It pushed him to strive to be that person even more.
“Good for you,” Ethan murmured, turning back to the house. “Rose will be impressed, too.”
“That’s not what this is about.”
Ethan lifted one brow. “You can say that if you want, but I know what it’s like to have feelings for someone who probably shouldn’t give you the time of day.”
His words put a damper on Mike’s outlook. Ethan was right. But that wasn’t going to stop him. There was no way he’d let his feelings of inadequacy get in his way. Not again.
“You may be right,” Mike murmured. “Impressing someone like Rose is only a perk, though. I have my sights set on something more. Is she inside?”
