Page 50 of My Silver Fox Savior

“Of course not,” Mom whispers.

“We have to go. Come on.”

I take her hand, and we leave the apartment and go to the main entrance together. Ethan is tall and wide, built similarly to Landon, except he looks a little slicker, a little less genuine somehow. Perhaps a bit morecorporate, but he’s here, helping us, so I should probably stop judging.

“Lily?” he says. “And Vivian?”

“Yes, hello.” Mom steps forward and offers her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“And you,” Ethan says. “I wish it could be under different circumstances. I hear you are staying with me for a couple of days?”

“If that’s okay?—”

“You’re more than welcome. Let’s go. Mind if I drive?”

I know why he’s saying that—extra precautions. They don’t want Damon to be able to track us. Ethan leads us across the street to a sleek black sedan, precisely the car I’d imagine him driving. We put our bags in the trunk, and then Mom and I get into the backseat.

“Is Landon okay?” I ask as Ethan starts the engine.

“He’s safe,” Ethan replies, “but I don’t know much. He just told me I had to come and get you, so that’s what I did. I asked if he was safe. He said he was, but that’s all the information he’d give me. He’s been acting strange since …”

“I know about his diagnosis,” I mutter.

“He hasn’t been himself,” Ethan says. “Or, maybe, hehasbeen himself.”

“Huh?” I say.

Ethan shakes his head slowly. “I don’t know. Sometimes, I wonder if Landon even really knows whoheis. Sometimes, I think he went from dedicating his life to the pro bono work to our business because …”

“You helped him,” I say. “He told me.”

Ethan flinches. “He talked to you aboutthat?”

“Yeah,” I say, glancing at Mom. “Sorry, Mom. I can’t say.”

Mom waves a hand. “This is all crazy enough without adding more madness on top of it.”

Ethan takes a corner, running his other hand through his hair. “I helped him, so he decided to help me with the business. The thing with Landon is—or was—that he doesn’t place much stock on his happiness. He performs. He rises to the occasion. He’s become richer than God, but I think he didn’t stop to think if it was what hetrulywanted. Since it was whatIwanted, maybe he just went along with it.”

Ethan sighs. “Sorry, ladies. I didn’t mean to unload.”

“Don’t be sorry,” I say quickly. “I should be sayingthank youfor this insight into Landon.”

“Since his diagnosis, and since …” He glances in the rearview.

“What?” I whisper.

“Since he ran into you again, Lily, he’s finally thinking about what he wants. You’ve helped him discover himself more in a few days than anyone else could have inyears.That’s why he’s doing this. That’s why he finds our work hollow now. I can’t even blame him for it. I want him to be happy with whatever time he has left.”

The last bit makes me wrap my arms across my middle. I feel tired, drawn out, and achingly emotional. Mom reaches across and touches my hand. I’m shocked she’d offer support when it comes to this.

“Ethan,” Mom says.

“Yes?”

“Tell us about Landon’s girlfriends.”

That gets a rueful laugh from him. “His what?”

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