Page 68 of Safe With You

Gathering as much optimism as she possessed, she turned to him with a smile. “Thanks for inviting me. It was a lovely evening.” And it was, right up until she’d let herself feel things she’d never felt before.

His comfortable answering smile helped soothe a little of the fear swirling inside her. “I’m glad you came. I’ll see you in the morning.”

She nodded and let herself out of the truck. Once she was inside and he had driven away, she breathed a huge sigh, feeling as if the entire world had shifted.

Ethan pulled up to the cabin and just sat there, staring off into the trees barely illuminated by his porch light. He didn’t know what to think of what had happened. Something had, but what? He’d gone over and over the dance in his mind. The natural way she’d fit in his arms. The moment he’d let himself imagine what it would be like to share his life with her. He’d been so dangerously close to confessing everything. To telling her that every poignant lyric of that song was how he felt about her.

But as soon as the music had ended, the spell had broken. Everything had shifted after that, creating the awkwardness he’d always feared. His actions had likely spoken louder than any words and revealed the truth he’d been hiding for so long. A truth that could ruin everything.

He ran his hand through his hair. He should have done a better job of keeping his feelings in check. He’d let his guard down, and now both he and Katie might pay for it.

His phone dinged, the screen lighting up the cab. He grabbed it and saw a text from Becca.

I made decaf if you want to join me for a late night coffee.

The text brought a slight smile to his face. He could use a coffee and time to let his racing thoughts settle before bed. After changing into a more comfortable pair of shorts and sweatshirt, he headed to the house. Becca waited on the porch with a mug all prepared for him.

Sinking into the seat beside her with a sigh, he sipped the coffee. “Thanks.”

He studied her face in the warm glow of the lights strung along the porch. She looked tired. Not that he could blame her after the eventful evening, but it was deeper than that. This had been the first big family event they’d attended since she’d come home from Duluth. He’d been so caught up with everything involving Katie he hadn’t thought about how anxious she must have felt leading up to the wedding.

“Were you able to enjoy tonight?”

She smiled and nodded. “More than I thought I would. I was nervous about it, but it turned out all right.”

“Did anyone say anything?”

“A couple of people asked me how I was doing, but I think most were reluctant to bring it up. Sometimes, it’s the avoidance that’s the worst, though. They all know what happened, but if they don’t say anything, then I have no way of knowing what they’re thinking. Most of the family is very gracious and understanding, but there are always a few you can’t quite tell.”

He gave her a knowing look. “Like Great Aunt Florence.”

She smirked. “Like Great Aunt Florence. I think she was the only one not having any fun tonight.”

“Her loss.”

Becca stared at him for a long moment—long enough for him to squirm because he knew the direction this conversation was heading.

“It looked like you and Katie had fun.”

“We did.”

“And?”

Ethan sighed, exhaustion suddenly settling. “You already know my feelings and that Katie is my friend.”

“Just friends don’t dance like you two did tonight.”

“I don’t think Katie saw it that way.”

Becca didn’t look at all convinced. “It’s not like you were forcing her to lean into you like she was. She looked pretty comfortable to me.”

For the hundredth time tonight, he replayed those moments. Did he dare hope Katie shared his feelings? It was a dangerous hope. If he opened his heart to the possibility now and was wrong, he wasn’t sure he’d ever fully recover from it. No, he couldn’t let himself hope. Especially not with the awkward way they’d left things. The dance may have said one thing, but Katie’s behavior afterward said another. Perhaps she’d just gotten caught up in the moment and regretted it afterward, in which case, he felt at fault for putting her in that position. After all, he should never have been slow dancing with another man’s girlfriend.

Chapter Thirty

Katie’s stomach gurgled fitfully as she got ready for church in the morning. The temptation to stay home tugged at her, but that would only make things worse. After all, she didn’t have a legitimate excuse to give.

Waiting until the very last minute, she walked over to the Harts’ like she did every Sunday, weather permitting. Ethan met her as he came down the porch steps, his parents and Becca behind him. He greeted her with a smile, and she could almost convince herself that everything was fine, but she still sensed a weird vibe between them.

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