Page 118 of Return To You

“Thanks for the conversation,” I answer sarcastically, then soften my words with a smile and squeeze his arm before he jumps out of the car. I love my brother to death, and what he said rattles me.

Driving back toward the spa, I run through my mind what Ethan said to me about Colton being caught in the middle, back then. Threatened by Dad. Protecting his friend. So why is he saying these things now?

Needing to calm my nerves, I call Kyle from the car.

“Hi, honey.”

“Hey.”

“Tell me everything.”

And I tell Kyle everything. And I end on, “So, what do you think?”

“I think Colton and your dad love you very much. I always knew that. They’ve always tried to protect you.”

“And about…”

“Ethan?”

“Yeah,” I breathe out.

He clears his throat. “Knowing you, I don’t think you could love an asshole. Give him a little time. He’s sorting his shit out. He can’t just tell the Air Force to go fuck themselves. That’s not how it works.”

“Right.” He’s right. Absolutely. “Thank you. I needed to hear that.”

“However, I’m with Colton and Dennis.”

What? Why did I think calling Kyle was going to help? Of course he’s going to side with the macho men in my family. He just doesn’t underst—

“He didn’t think he’d fall for you again, hell, he didn’t even think he’d see you this time around,” he says, interrupting my thoughts. “The guy is figuring things out. Give him… give him a few months, honey.”

“For what?”

“To get his life sorted out. Look, and again, I don’t know him. But if he’s halfway decent, and you guys, you know, went all the way… I mean he must know what this means.”

“I don’t want Ethan to leave the Air Force for me. You guys are crazy!” There’s no way I can expect, or ask, Ethan to let go of his dream job for me. That would be petty of me. Selfish. That would demonstrate utter misunderstanding of the man I love. He’s chosen to make the world a safer place, and I’m not expecting him to change that for me. Just because we fell back together doesn’t erase the ten years that drew us apart.

“What do you really want, Grace? And you don’t have to answer me, but really—answer yourself. Is this what you want? Being with a man who isn’t by your side?”

I don’t know how to answer this, even to myself. Think about it, there’s a part of me that wishes Ethan had never come back. And another part that wishes he hadn’t left this morning. But the sane part of me knows I must accept what I can’t change. It’s the only true path to happiness. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying, I’m with Colton, but with a little more patience.”

I stifle a huff.

Kyle continues. “I don’t want to see you alone, Grace. You deserve better.”

I swallow my tears.

“You better believe me.”

“Thank you, hun,” I manage to say.

“Bye, honey. It’ll figure itself out. I’ll call you ’round Christmas.”

I hang up, feeling worse, which was not the outcome I was hoping for. I wanted validation.

Kyle always knew what I needed, and he knew it wasn’t him. He knew about Ethan before my first date with him. He knew about Ethan the whole time we were together. He knows what I’m going through. Why couldn’t he just tell me what I needed to hear?

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