Chapter 43

ETHAN

Glancing at my watch, I let out a curse. It had been thirty minutes since Nicole left. But my gut was still unsettled, and my eyes were still leaking tears. "Stop it," my inner voice scolded, reprimanding me. "She doesn't love you." That was the problem. I wanted her to love me so badly. "Then what is stopping you from going after her?" my inner voice mocked, continuing its internal dialogue. I had never believed in love before Nicole. My father had made sure of that. When I married Ember, it wasn't for love. I still didn't believe in it. I married Ember out of obligation, a decision I made because of a bad choice. It all started when my cousin Jason called, claiming he was in trouble. I didn't believe him, thinking it was just another attempt to get money from me. He had a habit of doing that. Jason had gotten involved with some dangerous people and had taken a dark path. I had helped him out of countless situations before. But that time, he had gone too far. If I had known how deep he had gotten, I would have never turned my back on him. I wouldn't have walked away. But I didn't know, and because of my ignorance and the decision I made, I took away Ember's husband, her home, and three months later, her baby. Last night, I made another terrible decision. I poured my heart out to Nicole, and she crushed it, leaving it to bleed on the ground.

Shaking off my thoughts, I headed towards the bedroom to take a shower. I needed to wash off the sweat and wood chips from trimming trees. As I entered the bedroom, I was hit with a wave of intense emotions. The room, closed all day, carried the scent of Nicole's arousal. My gut ignited with heat at the intoxicating aroma, causing me to grow aroused. Storming into the bathroom, I turned on the shower taps and groaned. Even the damn shower smelled like her! Damn, my chest hurt, and I felt like I was suffocating. A choked sound escaped my lips, followed by another, and before I knew it, I was sobbing.

Five minutes later, I stepped out of the shower, dried myself, and headed back into the bedroom. After quickly changing into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, I made my way into the living room. It felt so damn empty without her there, and I couldn't help but swear under my breath. "Fuck this," I growled, grabbing my cell phone and dialing Nicole's number. It went straight to voicemail. "Call me when you get this—please, baby."

NICOLE

Earlier, I had aimlessly driven around until I ended up at the park. I parked the pickup and walked over to the merry-go-round. Sitting down, I pushed myself around in circles, taking in the sounds of the surroundings. Forty-five minutes later, I was still sitting on the merry-go-round when I heard the faint musical tune of an ice cream truck in the distance. It had been years since I had allowed myself to enjoy the simplicity that a park brought to my soul. I needed it now more than ever, as things in my life were far from simple.

Lost in my thoughts, I was startled when my phone notified me of a message. Ignoring it at first, I curled up into a ball, resting my head on my knees. My gaze kept drifting back to the phone, and eventually, I let out a breath and reached out to pick it up. With another sigh, I glanced at the Caller ID. Letting out a slight groan, I pressed the button and held the phone to my ear. Ethan's voice came through the tiny speaker, and I brought the phone closer to my ear to hear him better. I felt a hint of moisture behind my closed eyelids upon hearing the vulnerability in his voice. Sniffing, I forced myself to push down the emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. His love for me didn't matter, not when his entire way of life was at stake.

A few minutes later, after one final push on the merry-go-round, I surrendered. Ethan's soft-spoken "I'm sorry" were the first words he said when he answered the phone. Ten minutes later, I found myself gazing at the man I loved standing before me. His damp hair hung loosely around his shoulders, indicating that he had come straight to the park from his shower.

I motioned towards the empty spot next to me, saying, "Please, have a seat."

As Ethan settled in beside me, the merry-go-round started spinning once more. Darkness had descended, and the birds that had filled the air with their songs had fallen silent. In their place, the symphony of crickets and tree frogs serenaded us under the moon's gentle glow. Just as Ethan began to speak, his voice blending with the nocturnal creatures, his cell phone abruptly interrupted him. Initially, I thought he would ignore the call, but with a frustrated exclamation, he reluctantly answered the phone. I observed as his expression changed, and he glanced at me before speaking into the phone, "No, don't bother calling her. I'll reach out to her myself."