Chapter 15
Ethan was true to his word.
He waited.
No pressure.
No pushing.
No ultimatums.
We went on more dates.
Dinner.
Movies.
Long walks along the lake.
He met my family.
Sunday dinner at my parents’ house.
Dad interrogated him for forty-five minutes straight.
Grilled him about his background.
His finances.
His intentions.
Ethan took it all in stride.
Answered every question honestly.
Respectfully.
By the end of the night, Dad was clapping him on the back.
Mom was pressing leftovers on him.
Abuela was already planning our wedding.
I rolled my eyes.
But inside, I was glowing.
He met my friends.
My clients.
Everyone loved him.
How could they not?
He was everything Michael had never been.
Kind.
Honest.
Hardworking.
Supportive.
He never tried to compete with me.
Never felt threatened by my success.
He celebrated it.
Three months after our first date, we were walking along the lake at sunset.
The sky was pink and orange.
The waves were gentle.
He stopped.
Turned to me.
“Mari, I need to tell you something.”
My stomach dropped.
This was it.
He was tired of waiting.
Tired of my walls.
Tired of taking it slow.
He was going to leave.
“I love you,” he said.
I froze.
“I know you’re not ready to say it back. And that’s okay. I don’t expect you to. I just needed you to know. I love you. Exactly as you are. Scars and all. Walls and all. I’m not going anywhere. Not now. Not ever.”
The tears came before I could stop them.
No one had ever said that to me.
Not even Michael.
Not really.
Michael had loved what I could give him.
My money.
My status.
My house.
Ethan loved me.
Just me.
I reached up.
Touched his face.
And for the first time in over a year…
I kissed him.
It was soft.
Gentle.
Everything a first kiss should be.
When we pulled apart, he was smiling.
“Took you long enough.”
I laughed through my tears.
“Shut up and kiss me again.”
And he did.
That night, he stayed.
Not for sex.
Not for anything but to hold me.
We lay in my bed.
His arms around me.
His heartbeat against my back.
For the first time since Michael had left…
I felt completely safe.
Completely protected.
Completely loved.
I woke up the next morning to the smell of coffee and pancakes.
Ethan was in my kitchen.
Wearing nothing but his jeans.
Cooking breakfast.
Whistling.
I leaned against the doorway.
Watched him.
This was what normal felt like.
What happy felt like.
What love was supposed to be.
He turned.
Saw me.
Smiled.
“Morning. Pancakes are almost ready. Blueberry. Your favorite. Sarah told me.”
Of course she had.
I walked over.
Wrapped my arms around him from behind.
Rest my head on his back.
“I love you too, Ethan.”
He froze.
Then turned slowly.
Looked into my eyes.
“Really?”
“Really.”
He lifted me up.
Spun me around.
Kissed me like he’d never get another chance.
And in that moment…
I knew.
Everything I’d been through.
Every tear.
Every betrayal.
Every sleepless night.
It had all led me here.
To this man.
To this kitchen.
May you like
To this perfect, ordinary, wonderful morning.
And I wouldn’t have changed a single thing.
