Page 31 of Claim to Fame

“Yeah, you did.” Baz took the folder from Ethan and flipped to the current year’s income statement before handing it back. “But you weren’t so grumpy about it last night.”

“I’m not grumpy,” he snapped.

“Definitely grumpy,” Jamie said. “Something must have happened between last night and now.”

Ethan looked away and tried to focus on the balance sheet in front of him, but the numbers blurred and dissolved on the page. He dropped the folder back on his desk and dug the heels of his hands into his eyes with a groan.

“The numbers are right,” Baz said. “Double checked them myself this morning.”

“It was nice to see you so relaxed last night. We haven’t seen you like that in weeks.” Jamie exchanged a glance with Gavin. “And we thought if the reason for that change was Hannah—”

“It’s not.”

“But if itwas—”

“Nothing else can happen with me and Hannah.”

Shit.

His friends’ eyes widened and they exchanged another one of those glances that made Ethan want to put his fist through a wall.

“But somethingdidhappen?” Jamie asked.

Ethan sighed. He didn’t suppose there was any point in denying it. “Hannah is the woman I spent time with in Boston.”

Gavin leaned forward. “And by ‘spent time,’ you mean—”

“They fucked,” Baz said.

“For Christ’s sake,” Ethan muttered. “We’ve known each other for years.”

“Years? You’ve been seeing someone for years and didn’t tell us?” Gavin asked, wounded.

“Not exactly.” Ethan sighed. “We see each other a few times a year when we’re both in Boston. That’s it. Until she showed up here yesterday.”

“Well, fuck,” Baz said.

“Wait, I thought Hannah was in Aster Bay because her famous boyfriend cheated on her,” Gavin said.

“I think we figured out why he’s so grumpy,” Jamie said, motioning to Ethan.

“I’m not grumpy!” Ethan forced himself to take a slow breath, but it didn’t keep him from shooting daggers at his friends with his eyes.

“But they’re not together now, right?” Gavin asked carefully. “I mean, she wouldn’t have met with you in Boston if they were still together.”

Ethan shook his head. He wasn’t sure how much Hannah wanted everyone else to know about the terms of her relationship with Jackson Hayes, but he didn’t want his friends to think she was a cheater, either. “No, they’re not together.”

“Okay!” Gavin leaned back in his chair as if that solved everything.

“Not okay. Hannah’s made it very clear she has no interest in anything more than our previous arrangement.”

“I’m pretty sure moving into your guest room is more,” Gavin said, looking to his friends for agreement.

“That’s just logistics,” Ethan said.

Jamie leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands. “Doyouwant more?”

Did he want more than a handful of nights a year of feeling like he hadn’t missed his chance at love? Of course, he did. But dating was exhausting. Maybe that was why he’d asked Hannah to see him outside of their arrangement in the first place. He was tired—of trying to find his person, yes, but also of being alone.

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