Page 52 of Eternal Hoptimist

The city council meeting hadn’t boded well for Rosie’s chances. We were the only ones not on board with the new development, and I sensed the developers would resort to some dirty tricks if need be. Rezoning had been tossed around a few times.God forbid we stand between people and a new Cracker Barrel.

I was glad I’d invited myself to join Ethan because it gave me new ideas about how I could help Rosie. The woman was a spitfire. We’d only been able to chat after our rideshare from the airport dropped us at her place a couple of hours ago and on the way to the meeting, but it was long enough to understand Ethan’s fierce devotion to her. She’d immediately hugged me and thanked me for helping her. When I’d offered to sleep on the couch, she insisted Ethan had no business hogging the comfortable guest bed. I liked her already and couldn’t wait to get to know her better over the long weekend.

Seeing the land we were fighting for helped too. It was no longer an abstract idea but a real, tangible place filled with trees, fields, a creek, and a beautiful old home. I could imagine young Ethan running all over the property and exploring while trying to catch bugs. Maybe if I could help Rosie keep the land, it would be Ethan’s one day. A retreat for when things got too stressful in Dahlia Springs. Sitting on the back porch and enjoying morning coffee while watching the sun rise over the trees, listening to the birds sing, and talking about our plans for the day.Since when did I become part of his future?

I found a bench outside of city hall and called Hector after some polite nods and concerned stares from the developers and their lawyers. The suit I’d worn, giving a “Rosie’s representation” vibe, might’ve had something to do with it.

“Hey, boss. Aren’t you on vacation? Do you miss me so much that you couldn’t go a day without hearing my voice?”

“Yes and yes.” I’d earned the laugh I wanted. “Just because I’m on vacation doesn’t mean I’m not working.”

He groaned. “That’sliterallythe definition, though. They’re turning you into a robot. How’d the city council meeting go?”

I was glad I’d told Hector about my helping Ethan with Rosie. The more truth I shared, the easier it would be to keep it all straight. Given how briefly I’d known Ethan, Hector would’ve been suspicious if I flew to meet the fam after a month. The man knew everything I did, shy of my bowel movements. Hell, he’d probably learned my schedule for those too. The world’s best and most attentive assistant, for better or worse.

“Have you asked Ethan’s parents for their blessing?”

“Knock it off with that bullshit.”

“So you’re not checking out real estate in Kansas? Planning to move out there and raise a bunch of tiny lawyers on a ranch?”

“How about we talk about work, and you leave me alone about Ethan?”

I could practically hear his grin. “It’s boring without you here to bother. You’re my entertainment.”

“That’s not something an assistant should say to their boss.”

“Your verbal hand slap would hold weight if you could survive without me. You love my attentiveness.”

I snorted. “That’s one way to put it.”

Hector’s easy laugh soothed some of my anxiety about Rosie. We ran through notes he took in the meetings he’d attended on my behalf while I’d sat on a plane smiling as a sleeping Ethan rested his head on my shoulder. We talked through some things I needed him to do before I returned on Monday. Before I knew it, twenty minutes passed as people steadily spilled out of the city hall building.

“We done? You going to keep ignoring Ethan and his family?”

“I’m not ignoring them. I’m checking in so I don’t have to worry about work the rest of the week.”

“You? Not worry about work? Is the apocalypse nigh? What you should do is make a ‘you want me as your son-in-law’ impression on his family while you’re saving sweet little ole ladies from big bad developers like our clients. If anyone can help her, it’s you. I’ve got this covered for the rest of the day and tomorrow. I’ll call you if there’re any emergencies. Otherwise, we’ll pick everything up on Monday. All right?”

I smiled as my shoulders relaxed. “Yes, boss.”

After we hung up, I returned to the council chambers to find Ethan and Rosie. Hector’s words about making a good impression stuck with me. He was right. I wanted his family to like me despite there not being any reason for it since we weren’t a real couple.

A growing part of me hoped we would date eventually. Getting his family to welcome me now was an investment in a future I wanted. In the meantime, until my dream hopefully came true, I would respect Ethan’s wishes. But,damn, the more time I spent with him, the harder it was to convince myself that it was all fake—at least on my side. I could compartmentalize with the best of them, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t have genuine feelings for Ethan.

I spotted Rosie holding court with some people while Ethan lovingly watched her and stood attentively at her side, holding a purse bigger than her head.What if I could have this for real?After I got partner, I might have more time for a relationship because seniority must come with flexibility, right? By then, Ethan might’ve had enough time away from dating to take a chance on me.

I’m kidding myself.Becoming a partner meant more responsibility and likely longer hours. Not to mention our conflicting work schedules and the distance between our homes. On paper, an hour didn’t appear far, but there were too many circumstantial factors stacked against us.

The last thing I wanted to do was hurt Ethan or myself, and the facts were indisputable. I’d seen half of the partners get divorced after their promotions, which made it even more infuriating how hell-bent the firm was on their bullshit family values rhetoric.

Ethan caught my eye and walked over to join me at the back of the room. “You all right? You seem tense.”

A minor stress reaction to thinking about my job. Don’t worry. If I get an ulcer, I’ll name it Sullivan. “Just some stuff going on at work.”

His eyebrows drew together. “If you need to take care of it, that’s totally fine. We can drop you off at Rosie’s before going out to dinner.”

I’d been in this situation many times—declining invitations or canceling plans in favor of work. I couldn’t do it to Ethan. Didn’twantto. “Hector’s got everything under control. He could run that place.”

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