Page 37 of Accidental Dad's Best Friend

“Ethan,” I let out, my guard way lower than I’d like it to be. “What are you doing here?” I find myself trying to fix my hair, the way I’m standing, looking down at my sweat-drenched workout clothes. And by workout clothes, I don’t mean a matching Harala set like all the other women are wearing. More like cotton pajama shorts and an oversized Cage the Elephant t-shirt I got at a concert many years ago.

“You haven’t answered any of my texts or calls. So I decided to–”

“Stalk me?” I cut him off. A couple other women can hear what I’m saying. My words should alarm them, or at the very least cause some concern. But they look at Ethan and then at me and then back at him and smile.

“Don’t flatter yourself, sweetheart. You hardly leave the area so it was either the coffee shop, home or here. I took a wild guess and got lucky.”

I lean in, enough that I can talk through my teeth and lower my voice. “If you could not call me sweetheart in public, or anywhere for that matter, it would be great.”

Ethan matches my tone, annoying me even more. “If you could answer your phone when your boss slash friend calls you, it would be great.”

“We…” I gesture between us. “Are not friends.”

“But I am your boss. And I kind of need to keep tabs on you.”

I shake my head, turning to see if Jaxon is coming yet. This cannot be happening. He can’t just follow me around. And he definitely can’t be here.

“You have to go.” I tell him.

“Your dad is looking for you.”

Ethan’s words make all the anger and frustration drop from my face. “What are you talking about?”

Ethan takes me by the arm and pulls me aside. “We had lunch today and he asked if I’ve talked to you recently.”

“And what did you tell him?” My voice comes out in a frantic squeak, but I try to keep it low. Meanwhile, my heart is jack hammering in my chest.

“I lied, of course. But then he said he’s worried about you–”

“Worried about me?” I laugh. “He probably just wants to make sure I’m not making him look bad.”

Ethan looks down at his shoes and rolls back on his heels.

Oh. So I hit the nail on the head.

I am officially fuming and I cross my arms over my chest, biting my cheek.

“If it makes you feel better, Izzy, I told him to let me do it.”

I whip my attention back to him. “Let you do what?”

“Keep an eye on you. I convinced him that I would find out where you are living, working, all of that.”

“So you are stalking me!” I let out. “Why would you do this to me?”

“Will you calm down? I am not stalking you. Jesus, Izzy. We are already working together and talking and…other things. I’m going to lie about all of it so that he loses interest.”

I narrow my eyes. “How do I know I can trust you?”

Ethan meets my gaze. “Can you trust him?”

Fuck. He’s got me there. I open my mouth but before I can say anything, I hear my name.

“Mommy!” Jaxon runs up to us and for a minute I forgot where we are and what I’m doing and how all of this was not supposed to happen. Jaxon holds up a still wet painting with a huge, gap-toothed smile. “Look what I made!”

“I see that. It’s so cool.” I force a smile. Inside, I am panicking.

“Do you know what it is?” He asks.

---