12. Ethan

12

Ethan

“Why do you hate me?” I ask Keeley as I walk back inside.

“I don’t hate you.”

“You could have fooled me.”

“I know your type. From what I’ve been told you hurt Ellie badly back in the day. I don’t want that to happen again.”

“You’ve known me ever since you started here and you just met Ellie two days ago. Is there no loyalty?” I tease.

She narrows her eyes at me, clearly not amused by my charm.

“Why would I be loyal to you? Ellie is naturally a good woman, she’s full of love and light and authenticity. I admire and respect that.”

“Are you saying that I’m not a good man?”

“You can take that comment however you like, your reaction says everything you need to know.”

Damn.

“I love Ellie and I’m going to prove that to her and the rest of the world.”

“You don’t have to prove anything to the rest of the world, just her. You could start by not being in a relationship with another woman though.”

“I’m not in a relationship with anyone.”

“Make sure Ellie knows that. I think it’s sweet that you’re here helping her out, but it’s also helpful to listen if she tells you that she needs space.”

“Noted.”

I walk back to the storage room and go back through the box I had been working on. I hear a soft meow and turn to see the black cat rubbing up against a box.

“Hey there little mama,” I breathe as I bend down and hold out my hand.

She immediately comes over and begins rubbing up against my leg. I pet her head and she begins purring loudly. Within a minute, she’s curled up in my lap while I sit on a box, petting her as I talk to her softly.

“This is unexpected,” Ellie laughs as she looks back at me with wide eyes.

“What?”

“You with a cat in your lap, talking to it.”

“Is that bad?”

“I didn’t say that, just said it was unexpected.”

I nod as I continue petting the black fur. “She’s a sweetheart. I don’t think a more perfect cat could have found its way into the store.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” she giggles.

She sets down the bags she’s carrying and starts pulling things out. She moves boxes around and sets up a clear corner for the mama cat and her kittens. She has a food dish, plus food and water, litter box and litter, some toys, a cat bed and scratching post.

She went all out.

When the mama cat hears the food hitting the dish she leaps off my lap and goes straight to the dish.

“What’s this?” Ellie murmurs as she starts tugging on something from behind the wall.

“El, that’s not safe.”

I take a step toward her just as a giant duffel bag falls down onto the floor with a loud thud. She reaches back up again and two canvas bags fall down.

“What is this? Why is it hidden in the wall?”

She leans forward and starts unzipping the first bag.

“Ellie, let me do that.”

“Shut up,” she groans as she rolls her eyes. “I don’t need a knight in shining armor in order to unzip a bag. Get over yourself.”

I groan and take a step back.

Ellie continues to unzip the bag that looks to be filled with books and photo albums. She pulls a sketch book out and starts flipping through the pages before she gasps.

“What?”

“Can you read that name?”

“Starts with an F, maybe, I don’t know,” I answer her.

She pulls the book up closer to her face and shakes her head.

“There’s no way. There’s no way.”

“What?”

She puts the first book down and goes through the other sketchbooks, shaking her head as she does. She pulls out a framed picture that looks as though it dates back to the 1950’s.

“Oh my God,” she breathes.

“Can you please tell me what’s happening?”

“This sketchbook belongs to Jaques Fath.”

“Who is that?”

“A famous designer who died in 1954.”

“Why would your grandmother have it?”

“It looks as though they were friends. That’s her with Christian Dior, Jaques Fath and Pierre Balmain. All three of those men were legendary designers.”

Grams was a knockout at that age. She could have been a model with curves in all the right spots, long dark hair, and a smile that showed such happiness and joy.

I never realized how much Elena favored her until now.

She could be her auburn-haired twin.

She opens one of the canvas bags and pulls out short colorful dresses. She goes to the biggest bag and squeals.

“What?”

“It’s a Christian Dior original dress.”

“How do you know that?”

“His tag is on the inside, but there’s a note attached in a plastic envelope.”

“What does it say?”“To my faithful friend for your biggest day ever, I adore you Adeline.Walter is the luckiest man alive. Love, Christian.”

“I don’t follow.”

“I think it’s Grams wedding dress. Walter was my grandpa’s name.”

Tears fill her eyes as she feels the fabric in her hands. She looks at all of the treasures before her with a small smile on her lips.

“Christian Dior designed your grandmother’s wedding dress? That has to be worth a lot of money.”

“All of this is worth a lot of money. It’s like… it’s a goldmine. Fath’s sketchbook alone should be in a museum somewhere. I can’t… I can’t believe Grams had this hidden and never told anyone.” She turns to the cat and starts scratching behind its ears. “You’re the best kitty in the world, do you know that? I might never have found this if it weren’t for you.”

“Do you think Grams remembers she has it?”

“I don’t know. I’m certainly going to ask about it.”

“Hellooooooo!” I hear someone call out.

Elena’s eyes grow wide and her face pales quickly.

“Shit, that’s Jaclyn.”

“You still talk to her? Why?”

She cocks an eyebrow at me. “According to her, she talks to you regularly and are dating.”

“She does not. We’ve been over this. There’s something not right about her.”

“Well, she can’t see this, no one can until I know what I have.”

“Got it. You stay back here and I’ll get rid of her,” I say with a sigh.

I don’t want to deal with Jaclyn, but Elena is too nice and won’t tell her to get lost like she should. I have no problem telling her that.

I walk out to the front where Keeley is already standing in front of Jaclyn.

“Can I help you find something?” she asks.

“I’m here to see my bestie, Elena. Go fetch her for me,” Jaclyn says dismissively as she poses for a selfie. “Never mind, I’ll find her myself.”

Jaclyn starts walking toward the backroom and Keeley steps in front of her.

That girl is a bulldog, she isn’t letting anyone get to Elena. I’m here for it.

“That’s for employees only.”

“Did you not hear me say that Elena is my bestie?”

“I’ve been working here for a while and I’ve never heard your name mentioned.”

Jaclyn’s dark eyes pin Keeley with a steely glare. She doesn’t budge. Jaclyn finally notices me.

“Ethan,” she breathes as her face lights up.

She sashays toward me but Keeley doesn’t let her get far.

“Jaclyn, Elena’s not here. She stepped out to handle some stuff with Grams.”

“Why are you here? And why haven’t you been replying to my messages?”

“I’m here helping Elena out with the store.”

“Why haven’t you been replying to my messages?”

“I told you a long time ago that I wasn’t interested. And I blocked you on my phone and on social media.”

Her face drops before she rolls her eyes.

“I doubt that.”

“If you would like to purchase something I can help you with that,” Keeley offers.

“I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing anything from here,” Jaclyn mutters before she stomps out of the store.

“How can you be someone’s best friend and not support them?” Keeley asks in bewilderment as she shakes her head.

“She doesn’t know what it means to be a friend to anyone,” I reply as I roll my eyes. “She’s literally calling herself Elena’s best friend while constantly hitting on me. A friend doesn’t do that.”

“She’s a pick me girl.”

“I don’t know what that is.”

“A girl who pretends to be a friend, but as soon as it comes down to a guy she will abandon her morals and all of her so-called friends to get that guy.”

“That sounds like her.”

I turn and walk back to the storage room.

“She’s gone.”

“I haven’t spoken to her in six years.. I called her out on her nudes to you and told her that I wasn’t her friend. I’m surprised she showed up.”

“I’m proud of you for not replying.”

“I only recently confronted her about the texts she was sending you that night I left. But I haven’t spoken to her since that night.”

“There’s a reason Daniel and I both don’t like her.”

She shakes her head and puts her hand up dismissively. She’s going back through the sketch books she found as if they’re a national treasure full of ancient unknown history.

To her, they probably are.

“Can I take you to dinner tonight?” I blurt out.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. And incredibly random after we just made the discovery of a lifetime.

“It’s work related,” I lie.

Why did you do that? You’re supposed to be showing her that you turned over a new leaf.

She lets out a long sigh. “Fine. What time?”

“I will be done with practice and meetings by seven. I’ll pick you up at your place then.”

I walk toward the door.

“Are you leaving?”

“Yeah, I have practice in an hour and have some stuff I need to do first. I’ll see you later.”

She doesn’t reply and I walk to the front of the store. I gesture to Keeley and ask her to follow me outside. She does.

“I have a favor to ask of you.”

“I’m not promising anything until I know what your motives are.”

“Listen, that storage room and this entire boutique is way too much clutter and chaos for one woman to handle. Between helping me and running the store, trying to keep it afloat I think that Ellie is going to get overwhelmed and I don’t want that. There’s something that I can do to help her get through it though, as well as get her mentors at the same time.”

“Go on.”

“I have a few friends who could come in help. If I pay you overtime and to keep it quiet, can you stay late tonight?”

“Get to the point, I’m not agreeing to anything yet.”

“I have a friend, Tony, who has a business in which he organizes peoples homes and lives. I have another friend named Sasha who rebrands clothing boutiques. Grams got angry when I brought them in before, but I want to bring them in to straighten out the store overnight for Ellie. I think it will be good for her.”

“Are they trustworthy?”

“They’re the best. They’ve become like family to me after we met for a photo shoot years ago.”

She eyes me skeptically before nodding slowly.

“I’ll do it. Only because I agree that this is too much for Ellie and me to handle right now. There’s an entire upstairs to the building that’s full of boxes and tubs of clothing. There’s no telling what’s up there.”

“There’s an upstairs?”

“Yeah, the whole place is a treasure trove for clothing fanatics, but right now it’s all a hidden gem.”

“I’m glad I had this idea then.”

“Yeah, you’re a genius,” she rolls her eyes. “I won’t tell Ellie and I appreciate that you’re trying to take care of her in a way that you know how.”

“You and Ellie just met, or did you know each other before?”

“Grams took me in and treated me like family the second I walked into town. She gave me a job and a place to stay when I and my kids had nothing. I don’t have to know Ellie personally to know that I’ll treat her like family just as Grams did for me.”

“I get that. Grams did similar for me.”

“I’m aware.”

“Thank you, I appreciate this. Tell me what I owe you in the morning and then send me your Venmo information. Here’s my business card with my contact details. Text me updates on how things are going or if you run into any problems.”

She nods and goes back inside.

I don’t want to leave right now, but I have to.

We’re going out tonight, that’s enough.

***

As I pull up to Ellie's house, the anticipation bubbles inside me like champagne fizzing in a glass. I will sweep Ellie off her feet and leave her breathless with wonder. I glance at myself in the rearview mirror, adjusting my tie and running a hand through my hair.

She won’t resist your smile and charm.

I step out of the car and make my way to the front door, my heart pounding in my chest with every step. When Ellie opens the door, my breath catches in my throat. She's stunning, more beautiful than I ever imagined. Her hair cascades in loose waves around her shoulders, and her eyes sparkle like emeralds in the dim light. She’s wearing a little black dress that hugs her curves perfectly.

Maybe we shouldn’t go out in public.

I should grab her in a kiss right now and take her to the bedroom.

"Hey, Ethan," she says, her voice soft and breathy. "You clean up pretty nicely."

I grin, feeling a surge of pride at her compliment. "You look absolutely breathtaking, Ellie," I reply, meaning every word.

She blushes, a delicate pink tinting her cheeks. "Thanks," she murmurs, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

I offer her my arm, feeling a rush of excitement as she links hers through mine. That same spark is still there, strong as ever.

I open the car door for her and help her inside my Camaro. I look back at her sitting in the passenger seat as I cross over to the driver’s side.

I’ve always imagined her sitting in that seat from the day that I first bought it.

"So, what did you want to discuss about work?" she asks, getting straight to the point as soon as I am in the car with her.

I lean back in my seat, taking a moment to gather my thoughts and start the car. "Well, it's no secret that my public image could use a little... polishing," I say, choosing my words carefully. "And I was thinking, maybe going on a date with you could help with that."

Ellie raises an eyebrow, a hint of skepticism in her expression. "Oh, really? And how exactly would going on a date with me improve your public image?"

I pull out of the driveway and steer toward the restaurant. "Well, I've heard that being seen with a beautiful and intelligent woman like you can do wonders for a man's reputation," I reply, laying on the charm thick.

She sighs, shaking her head in amusement. "Ethan, that's not how this works," she says, her tone gentle but firm.

I deflate slightly, realizing that my attempt at humor may have missed the mark. "I know, I know," I say, running a hand through my hair in frustration. "But I've seen it happen before, you know? A guy has a bad boy image, but then he meets the love of his life and suddenly he's all over the tabloids as a changed man."

“Love of your life?” she mutters under her breath as she stares down at the floorboard.

“You've got to admit, I'm pretty charming."

"You're definitely something, Ethan," she replies.

"So, what do you think? Can a date with you really help improve my public image?"

"I think you've done too much damage for someone no one knows or cares about to rescue your image," she says gently.

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, I'm at a loss for words. But then I nod, accepting her assessment with a heavy heart.

"Fair enough," I say, trying to keep my tone light. "Guess I'll just have to rely on my natural charm, then."

“Is that what this was tonight? A tactic to be seen with me so that the media thinks you’ve changed?”

“No, this is me trying to spend time with you in whatever way that I can. I’ve missed you, El.”

I steal a glance at Ellie whenever I think she isn't looking, drinking in the sight of her like a man dying of thirst.

She’s staring out the window, her body tense as she fidgets nervously with the hem of her dress. I reach over and cover her hand with mine.

She doesn’t move. She doesn’t say anything and neither do I.

When we arrive at the restaurant, I feel a swell of pride at the look of awe on Ellie's face. The place is exquisite, all sparkling chandeliers and plush velvet chairs. A string quartet plays softly in the corner, adding to the ambiance of elegance and sophistication.

As we're seated at our table, I reach across the table to take Ellie's hand in mine again. Her fingers are warm and soft against mine, and the electric jolt races through me again.

That doesn’t happen with just anyone.

It’s never happened when I touched any other woman.

“I don’t like how you tricked me into this,” she sighs once the waiter takes our orders.

“That’s not…” I stop and blow out a breath before I look directly into her eyes. “I apologize for saying this had to do with work. I didn’t think you’d come if I told you I wanted it to be a date.”

“Part of the reason we’re no longer together is your inability to be truthful.”

“I understand. We can leave right now, if you’d like. I don't want to mislead you, El. I just… I’m not used to this hard side of you.”

“Hard?”

“I’m used to the woman who adored me, who loved me unconditionally, who thought I was cute and funny. I understand why I’m getting this side of you and I’ll work to get the other version of you back.”

“I’m not the same person you knew six years ago, Ethan.”

“And I’m not that same guy either. Can’t we get to know each other again?”

She sighs and looks down at our intertwined hands as if she’s only just now realizing that we’re touching.

“I guess since I’m your employee, it’s necessary.”

“Thank you,” I grin back at her.

The waiter starts bringing out our food. The meal is a whirlwind of decadence, each course more exquisite than the last. We sample delicacies I can barely pronounce, savoring each bite as if it were our last. The wine flows freely, warming us from the inside out and loosening our inhibitions.

“Did you learn anything about the bags you found?” I ask her.

“Not really. I took them to the house so they’d be safe. Grams kind of freaked out when I told her about them.”

“What do you mean?”

“She got angry and asked why I was digging into things I had no business digging into. She asked what else I found and I told her that was it.”

“That’s weird.”

“Daniel says it happens a lot with dementia. She gets angry sometimes, especially if she doesn’t remember something.”

“That makes sense.”

“I need to excuse myself to go to the restroom.”

I nod as she stands up and walks away. My phone vibrates with a text message from Keeley.

It’s a good thing your friends brought in backup. I didn’t realize the upstairs was in the condition it was in. We found an attic full of Grams designs too. This is insane.

Do you need more help?

No, I think we’re covered. Ellie is going to be floored when she comes in tomorrow. The place is already looking like a different store.

Thanks for doing this Keeley.

Don’t thank me, your friends are doing the brunt of the work.

I put my phone down when I see Elena coming back to the table.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah. I’m here with you, that’s all that matters.”

“This was great, thanks for dinner.”

As we step out of the restaurant, the cool night air wraps around us like a comforting embrace. I glance at Ellie, a mischievous glint in my eye as I hold out my hand to her.

"Come on, Ellie, I've got one more surprise for you," I say, my voice tinged with excitement.

She quirks an eyebrow, but takes my hand nonetheless. "And what might that be?"

I flash her a grin, feeling like a kid on Christmas morning. "You'll see," I reply cryptically, leading her toward the waiting car.

As we drive to the hockey rink, memories of our time together flood my mind. I remember the countless hours we spent on the ice, skating and laughing until our cheeks were flushed and our lungs burned with exertion. It's one of my favorite memories of us, a time when everything felt simple and carefree.

When we arrive at the rink, I feel a surge of nostalgia as we pull into the parking lot.

Ellie looks around, confusion written on her face. "What are we doing here, Ethan?"

I grin, reaching behind my seat to grab a bag I'd stashed earlier. "We're going ice skating," I reply, pulling out a duffel bag.

"I haven't gone skating in ages," she says, her voice filled with anticipation.

We walk into the rink together, it’s dark except for the emergency lights that are on. I use my flashlight on my phone, taking Ellie’s hand in mine, as we make our way to the breaker box.

I can’t wait to show her what I’ve planned for her.

I flip on a few of the breakers. The fairy lights that I had maintenance string across the ice light up.

Ellie’s eyes light up as she takes in the sight. She grins and it’s like we’re transported back in time. Back to the moments when she loved me with everything she had and there was no pain between us.

“I brought some things for you,” I tell her as I drop the duffel bag onto the ground.

I unzip the bag and pull out the pair of ice skates she’d left at our apartment six years ago. “I think these should still fit.”

“You still have these?”

“Of course.”

I pull out a pair of my sweatpants, to be exact my Frostwood Falls warm up pants, a thick hoodie with my last name stitched into the back, gloves, and a scarf as well and hand them all to her.

“What’s this?”

"I don't want you to be cold out there.”

"Always the caretaker, huh?"

I help her slip into the warm clothing. My fingers brush against her skin, sending a familiar warmth through me. Once she is bundled up, I lead her to a bench where a bouquet of roses await her. Next to the roses, a small table is set up with an assortment of our favorite desserts and snacks from our past, a true trip down memory lane.

“Oh my goodness, you remembered the Nerds ropes.”

“Of course I did. There’s dippin’ dots in that cooler too.”

“Ethan,” she breathes as she digs through the various collections of snacks. “This is incredible. I can’t believe you remembered all of this.”

I grin back at her. I pull out my phone and connect it to a nearby Bluetooth speaker. ‘One Kiss’ by Calving Harris and Dua Lipa starts playing. She gasps and giggles.

"Remember this one?" I ask.

"How could I forget? How many times did we play this on repeat. Man, our road trips were the best.”

“Daniel used to complain so much when you were in charge of the radio.”

“He secretly loved it,” she laughs.

She begins singing along to the words, lost in the memories.

She’s so damn beautiful right now.

It’s a rare sight for her to sing in public and I always loved that she felt safe enough with me to do so.

I step behind her as I grab the next thing that I’ve been saving for her.

"This… this is from my first professional game. I held onto it just for you. It means so much to me, Ellie. I wished things were different back then... I wished you could have been there."

She takes the jersey, her fingers tracing the fabric. Tears well up in her eyes as she looks up at me.

"I was there. I didn't tell anyone, but I went to that game to watch you. I thought it was silly that I went and… I figured Daniel and anyone else would think I was being a stalker or something. It hurt so much, seeing you out there, knowing we weren't together. That's why I didn't go to any others or tell anyone else.”

"You were there? All this time, I thought... Ellie, I'm so sorry for everything. I've missed you so much. I did all of this because I want you back in my life. I love you, Ellie. I always have."

She looks around the rink, taking in the effort I put into recreating our shared past. The music, the roses, the snacks, the memories. She steps closer to me, my heart pounding.

“This is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me. I can't believe you remembered all of this."

"I remember everything about you, El. And I'll do anything to prove to you that I still love you, that I want us to have a future together."

“You've brought back so many memories tonight, and I realize now that I've never stopped loving you either."

I nod, lacing up my skates. "Well, then let’s remind you a little more.”

She puts her skates on and I reach my hand out to her.

Together, we glide out onto the ice, the familiar sensation sending a thrill of exhilaration through me. We start off slow, getting used to the feel of the ice beneath our feet once again.

But soon, we're flying across the ice, our laughter echoing off the walls of the empty rink. We race each other, weaving in and out of each other's paths with practiced ease.

The playlist from our high school and college days surrounds us like a cocoon. The two of us are laughing and reminding each other of what different songs meant to us.

“Do you remember how much Daniel hated the music we listened to?”

“Yes, which only made us listen to it more.”

“He only wanted to listen to screamo and metal.”

“He hated that you introduced me to an entire world of music,” I laugh.

"Hey, Ethan, remember that time you wiped out trying to do a triple axel?" Ellie calls out, a playful grin on her face.

I mock glare at her, feigning offense. "I seem to recall you wiping out just as spectacularly," I retort, a playful glint in my eye.

We continue to skate and play, the hours slipping away unnoticed as we lose ourselves in the joy of the moment.

Ellie loses her balance, her feet slipping out from under her. I reach out instinctively, catching her in my arms before she can hit the ice.

She looks up at me, her eyes wide with surprise, and for a moment, we're frozen in time. And then, slowly, she starts to laugh, the sound like music to my ears.

"Thanks, Ethan," she says, her voice soft and filled with gratitude.

I smile down at her, feeling a warmth spread through me at the sight of her smile. "Anytime, El," I reply, my heart pounding in my chest. And as we stand there together, lost in each other's eyes, I know that this is a moment I'll never forget.

As she lays dipped back in my arms I lean forward and kiss her hungrily.

I can’t help myself.

I need more.