Page 124 of Rare Blend
He sets down the toast and smacks his hands together, dusting off the crumbs. “Trouble in paradise already. What did he do?”
My breath stills. Something I won’t be doing is talking about my relationship with Cole. What’s between me and Ethan, stays between me and Ethan. “I’m interviewing you, not the other way around.”
“Let me guess.” He pauses, looking up at the old-fashioned diner lamp dangling above our table like he’s deep in thought. “He’s probably pissed you’re here with me. Isn’t he?”
“Cole, come on. Let’s get back to the interview.”
He blows out a whistle. “I know I’m right.” Settling deeper into the booth bench, he crosses his arms. “There’s always been some rivalry between me and Ethan. How could there not be? Same age, same year in school, played the same sports, same pool of girls. And now as adults, we compete with our businesses. We get each other, and he’d probably disagree, but we think alike, too.”
“What’s your point?” I ask despite myself.
He shrugs. “At the end of the day, I still consider him a friend, even if he’s been looking at me lately like he wants to kick my ass. He’ll get over it. You’re nothing like Laura, and if he hasn’t figured that out yet, he will. He’s just scared.”
“Thank you for your unwarranted advice. Ethan and I are fine.”
He stands, gathering his coat. “I’m going to head out. Email me the questions and we can finish that way.”
“But—”
“No, really, let’s do it that way. Besides, I’m trying to get over to Novel before Ariana runs out of chocolate croissants.”
He leaves me stewing in my thoughts, making me question if I was too quick to snap at Ethan. Honestly, I think my feelings are warranted. Still, I probably should’ve stayed to talk about it, not run off at the first sign of a fight. I can’t help it. I hate fighting, but more than that, I hate dealing with it. I’m a sweep things under the rug kind of girl, and that has to change. Thingswith Ethan feel different than my past relationships. He feels like more. It’s terrifying and exhilarating, and I don’t want to mess us up, especially when a dark cloud the size of Seattle is hanging over us.
CHAPTER 43
Ethan
SAD PUPPY DOG FACE
I’m such an idiot. I had to open my dumb fucking mouth and vomit my insecurities all over Marisa. She hasevery right to be mad. It took all of five seconds after she stormed off for me to realize how in the wrong I was. I thought I had moved past this, but it’s pretty evident I’m transferring my fears from my past relationship onto this one, and it’s not fair to Marisa. The problem is, I’m not sure I can stop it on my own.
When her footsteps sound at the front door, my heart plummets to my stomach, my body tensing with each step closer. I’m already mentally preparing myself for a fight, truly our first one, excluding the bickering from before we really knew each other. When she walks into the living room, I’m thoroughly primed for her face to be tight in anger, but instead, she looks sullen, her shoulders sagging in sadness. Somehow, this is worse than anger.
“Hey,” she says, her voice withdrawn.
I stand, feeling like a kid being called into the principal’s office. “Hey.”
She sets her bag on the coffee table and slips out of her boots, plopping down on the couch. “You can drop the sad puppy dog face. I don’t want to fight.”
“We don’t have to fight, but we should talk about it.” I step closer. “Starting with me apologizing for being a massive, insecure dick.”
She breathes out a laugh. “Okay, then.”
Approaching her like she’s a feral cat, I carefully take the seat next to her and push the boundary further by setting her curled up legs on my lap. I begin massaging her calves. She tenses at the contact, but quickly relaxes as I start kneading under her knee.
“I’m not her.” Her voice is barely above a whisper, almost like she’s talking to herself.
“I know.”
“If you know, then why treat me like someone you think would cheat on you? I’ve been cheated on. I know how badly it hurts. That’s not the kind of person I am.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I panicked a little. My feelings for you have come on so fast and so strong it’s honestly terrifying thinking of losing you. Especially losing you to someone else.”
“The only way you’re going to lose me is if you keep acting like a Neanderthal, trying to mark your territory.”
“I’ll never do it again—well, with that intention. No promises on not shoving my cum back in your pussy, because that was fucking hot.”
“Always a perv,” she teases.
