Page 37 of Off Season

“For being here,” I whisper.

“You’re welcome.” Jacob smiles before adding, “I heard what he said. You’re not hard to love, Ethan. In fact, you’re quite the opposite.”

Chapter Twelve

Jacob

“Ethan, can you try and look like you’re at least enjoying yourself a little bit?” Jennifer chuckles.

He grunts, scowling at her from beneath his dark, furrowed brows. He definitely has that stoic, stern expression down to a T. “I wish people would stop telling me to cheer the fuck up.”

“Language.”

He rolls his eyes. “I don’t understand the point of all of this. It’s so pompous, and what the hell is up with the tiny portions? We’re eating meals so small and pointless it wouldn’t even satisfy a mouse.”

I snort a laugh into my wine glass.

He has been grumbling since the cup of soup landed in front of him. He turned to me and asked if he was supposed to take it like a shot of tequila. I’ll admit—it’s incredibly over the top and pretentious, but from what Jennifer hasbeen telling me, the groom’s family are quite wealthy, and this is the norm for them.

“I eat over six thousand calories a day. I’m so fucking hungry right now that I could eat this tablecloth, so no, I won’t pretend I’m enjoying myself. I’m hungry, and I want to go home,” Ethan grumbles, rubbing his hand over his stomach.

Jennifer rolls her lips, suppressing a laugh. “You’re as stubborn as a mule.”

“Could eat one of them, too,” he grunts.

I’ve kept a close eye on Ethan throughout the night. Ian was lucky I didn’t throw my wine in his face for the awful words he said, and while I’m not a violent person, I was wishing he’d refuse to go so I could make him.

But the wine is too good to waste on an asshole like him.

Still, I caught every word, and although Ethan was trying to hide it, I could see the pain Ian caused.

It made all the Ethan-sized puzzle pieces fall into place. He’s had his heart broken by two significant people in his life—his father and ex-fiancé—so he doesn’t let anyone get close. He only allows himself to care from a distance, so when they ultimately leave, he won’t get hurt.

Whereas I’m the opposite. I love and care fiercely and openly because I’m scared that one day I’ll wake up and they’ll be gone, taking away my chance to tell them I love them.

Luckily, Ian stayed away for the rest of the evening, but I still kept my hand on Ethan’s thigh over his black dress pants, massaging my thumb into the firm muscle. Loving that my touch eased the tension slowly from his shoulders.

I turn my head to face him, watching as he frowns as helooks around the room. When his eyes land on me, that frown is replaced with a relaxed smile.

Ethan props his arm on the back of my chair, his fingers toying with the short hair at the nape of my neck. “Want to get some fresh air?”

“I think we’d better. You’re getting a little hangry.”

He smiles briefly at that, and I place my napkin on the table before taking his hand and following him outside. Ethan leads me down a pebbled path, coming to a stop in front of a pond. We take a seat on a bench. It’s silent, apart from the faint beat coming from the music playing inside.

The entire property is exquisite. It looks like it could be the set of a regency drama. It could have been the home of royalty or an insanely wealthy family where they wore buttoned waistcoats, tightly fitted pants, and top hats.

I can see it in my head. The Lord and the stable hand spending their summers here in the garden, stealing forbidden moments together. It’s very romantic.

Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I want to bring up Ian and what he said, but there’s no need as Ethan beats me to it.

“I had a feeling it was about my job,” he begins, his gaze locked on something in the distance. “He was so supportive of me in the beginning. Excited when I was drafted, and whenever I had games while he was in England, he would stay up late to watch.”

I angle my body toward him, resting my arm on the back of the bench and propping my head up with my fist, giving him my undivided attention. “You mentioned before that it started to feel strained once he moved out to Chicago.”

He nods, his fingers absently toying with the scruff on his chin. “Yeah. He would get angry all the time, but I never saw the signs that he was lonely.”

“But that's not on you, Ethan. He’s a grown-ass adult. Yeah, making friends when you’re an adult can be hard, but it was his choice to move out and live with you. He knew who you were and what you did, right?”

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