I’ve ever heard him talk about his mother’s death. When he first came to live with Sal and me, he didn’t speak a word for weeks. I sent him to a therapist, but he wouldn’t talk to her either. So sad. It’s not healthy for him to keep all of that bottled up inside. Don’t feel bad if he doesn’t discuss it with you. I guarantee he’s never told a girlfriend about his father.”
“I’m … just a friend.”
“Well, obviously a good one, since he brought you here.”
He’d had no choice but to bring her. Yet, she wished it had been his choice. Despite Ethan distancing himself from her, emotionally and physically, she suddenly felt closer to him. A bit too close. Too bad their common bond was that their dads had both been criminals. Although for the last twenty-four years Olivia had been clueless about her past, whereas Ethan had been haunted by his for decades.
Could they possibly help each other lay their ghosts to rest and move beyond the anger and pain that could potentially destroy them?
Chapter Nine
Dusk was settling in as they reached a point just north of Madison, Wisconsin. Ethan had spent the flight catching up on sleep. The only thing he’d said to Olivia since leaving the airport in Chicago a little over two hours ago was “What do you want?” when they’d gone through a McDonald’s drive-thru. He was obviously still upset about his dad’s hearing and that she’d witnessed a vulnerable side of him. He likely viewed his emotional outpouring as a sign of weakness. Instead, she found it incredibly sexy.
She slid a sideways glance in Ethan’s direction, eyeing the scar on his cheek, obsessed with wanting to touch it. As if touching it would help take away some of the emotional pain it had caused. He glanced over at her, and she met his gaze. He held her gaze for a moment before looking back at the road. She turned and blew a frustrated sigh against the window, counting farm number one hundred and eighty-three. She popped a Gummy Bear in her mouth. Even her comfort food wasn’t putting her at ease. Her stomach was in knots. In less than an hour she’d be meeting her grandparents and changing her life forever.
Ethan’s phone rang, and he answered it.
“Hey Gwen, how’s it going?” Glancing at Olivia out of the corner of his eye, he shifted in his seat, looking a tad uncomfortable talking in front of her.
Who was Gwen? If she was a girlfriend, it must drive her insane when Ethan took off, especially if he couldn’t say where he was going. Did she even know what he did for a living? Olivia could never trust a guy to that extent. That was another reason she and Luc could never have pursued a long-distance relationship once he’d returned to Paris. Distance didn’t make her heart grow fonder, it made her trust grow even weaker.
“Uh-huh. Okay. How’s he doing? Yeah. I’ll stop by as soon as I get back. Take care.” He disconnected.
No
I love you
? Did that mean he didn’t love this woman or was just too macho to say it in front of Olivia?
He glanced out at a cornfield. “Sure are a lot of farms around here.”
Suddenly he wanted to talk? Undoubtedly to avoid awkward questions about his phone conversation.
“One hundred and eighty-seven so far. Mostly red barns, but three white, and one yellow.”
He quirked a curious brow. “Good memory.”
“Just a tad bored. Is Gwen your girlfriend?” She couldn’t believe she’d just asked him that. It was none of her business. Yet, she wanted to know.
“Her husband’s a relocated witness and she’s having family problems.” He glanced over at her. “I can’t discuss witnesses. I shouldn’t even have just told you that much or her name.”
Fine. She didn’t care about discussing witnesses. But for some reason a part of her did care that Gwen wasn’t a girlfriend.
“And I don’t have a girlfriend.”
Interesting that he felt the need to clarify that.
He went back to staring straight ahead at the road.
“Gummy
“I’m … just a friend.”
“Well, obviously a good one, since he brought you here.”
He’d had no choice but to bring her. Yet, she wished it had been his choice. Despite Ethan distancing himself from her, emotionally and physically, she suddenly felt closer to him. A bit too close. Too bad their common bond was that their dads had both been criminals. Although for the last twenty-four years Olivia had been clueless about her past, whereas Ethan had been haunted by his for decades.
Could they possibly help each other lay their ghosts to rest and move beyond the anger and pain that could potentially destroy them?
Chapter Nine
Dusk was settling in as they reached a point just north of Madison, Wisconsin. Ethan had spent the flight catching up on sleep. The only thing he’d said to Olivia since leaving the airport in Chicago a little over two hours ago was “What do you want?” when they’d gone through a McDonald’s drive-thru. He was obviously still upset about his dad’s hearing and that she’d witnessed a vulnerable side of him. He likely viewed his emotional outpouring as a sign of weakness. Instead, she found it incredibly sexy.
She slid a sideways glance in Ethan’s direction, eyeing the scar on his cheek, obsessed with wanting to touch it. As if touching it would help take away some of the emotional pain it had caused. He glanced over at her, and she met his gaze. He held her gaze for a moment before looking back at the road. She turned and blew a frustrated sigh against the window, counting farm number one hundred and eighty-three. She popped a Gummy Bear in her mouth. Even her comfort food wasn’t putting her at ease. Her stomach was in knots. In less than an hour she’d be meeting her grandparents and changing her life forever.
Ethan’s phone rang, and he answered it.
“Hey Gwen, how’s it going?” Glancing at Olivia out of the corner of his eye, he shifted in his seat, looking a tad uncomfortable talking in front of her.
Who was Gwen? If she was a girlfriend, it must drive her insane when Ethan took off, especially if he couldn’t say where he was going. Did she even know what he did for a living? Olivia could never trust a guy to that extent. That was another reason she and Luc could never have pursued a long-distance relationship once he’d returned to Paris. Distance didn’t make her heart grow fonder, it made her trust grow even weaker.
“Uh-huh. Okay. How’s he doing? Yeah. I’ll stop by as soon as I get back. Take care.” He disconnected.
No
I love you
? Did that mean he didn’t love this woman or was just too macho to say it in front of Olivia?
He glanced out at a cornfield. “Sure are a lot of farms around here.”
Suddenly he wanted to talk? Undoubtedly to avoid awkward questions about his phone conversation.
“One hundred and eighty-seven so far. Mostly red barns, but three white, and one yellow.”
He quirked a curious brow. “Good memory.”
“Just a tad bored. Is Gwen your girlfriend?” She couldn’t believe she’d just asked him that. It was none of her business. Yet, she wanted to know.
“Her husband’s a relocated witness and she’s having family problems.” He glanced over at her. “I can’t discuss witnesses. I shouldn’t even have just told you that much or her name.”
Fine. She didn’t care about discussing witnesses. But for some reason a part of her did care that Gwen wasn’t a girlfriend.
“And I don’t have a girlfriend.”
Interesting that he felt the need to clarify that.
He went back to staring straight ahead at the road.
“Gummy
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