Page 44 of Since the Day We Kissed

Kara noticed a faint scar on Ethan’s forearm. Without thinking, she reached out, her fingers hovering above his skin. “Is that from—?”

“Yeah, from my time in the service.” Ethan glanced down, tracing an invisible line around the wound. “It’s all healed up now, though.”

Kara nodded, withdrawing her hand. “I saw about the Silver Star in the paper.”

Ethan shrugged. “Just did what needed to be done,” he murmured. “What about you? Have you been in Hadley Cove this whole time?”

Kara let out a soft, wistful laugh. “You mean for the past two decades? Yeah, I’ve been here. Never saw a reason to leave, you know? And then with the rescue. Well, it kept me here.” She paused. “Plus, with Charlotte, I figured a place like this would be good for her. Stable, you know?”

“Well, it seems like you raised her right. She’s a good kid.”

Kara chewed on her bottom lip. “She is—she’s wonderful.”

The words hung in the air, and Kara felt the weight of her unspoken truth pressing down on her. Her heart raced as she imagined the possible outcomes.

What if he storms out, and I never see him again?

Or what if ... What if he wants to be part of our lives?

What if he says he wants to, but never calls?

Kara took a deep breath, the conflicting scenarios swirling in her mind.

I have to tell him. Both of them. Soon. But how?

“Kara?”

Stumbling out of her thoughts, Kara looked up. “Yeah? Sorry, I was just—yeah, what’s up?”

Ethan’s voice pulled her back. “Were you gonna mop these kennels?” he asked, reaching for the mop. “Because if not, I can do it.”

“Of course! Sorry.” She looked up at him and smiled. “I can do it—I don’t mind.”

“Sure.” Ethan’s fingers lingered on the mop handle before he let go, and Kara took a second to gather herself, pushing away the small knot of nerves in her stomach.

Relax, it’s just Ethan. Like old times ... Sort of.

Ethan smirked. “You know, this brings back memories.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, like closing up shop at the pharmacy, remember?”

Kara laughed. “You mean when you always made me mop the floor? I don’t think I remember you doing it even once!”

“That was wrong of me,” he admitted. Then, with a playful glint in his eye, he added, “but to be fair, I did have to take the trash out every night. You wouldn’t even touch the bins.”

Kara rolled her eyes. “Well, trash was clearly a man’s job, wasn’t it?”

“And I guess mopping was a woman’s job.” Ethan pulled the mop out of her hands. “Thankfully I don’t share that same narrow-minded view of my yesteryears.”

Kara snorted. “Yesteryears? Who are you, my grandpa?”

Ethan leaned dramatically on the mop, hunching over. “Get off my lawn, you whippersnapper!”

Laughter filled the space as Charlotte walked back inside. “What’d I miss?”

Kara waved her hand dismissively, still grinning. “Just old people talk, honey. How are the dogs doing?”

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