Page 79 of Reckless

I’m still snickering when my sister wiggles as much as her giant belly lets her and claps her hands. “I can’t wait anymore. Let’s talk about Ethan! I want all thedetails!”

“That’s my cue to leave,” Brady says, taking his daughter’s hand and heading out thedoor.

He can act disinterested, but I know for a fact Kat tells him everything. They’re the worst matchmakers Iknow.

I can’t feel embarrassed. Why bother? They’ve seen me at my lowest. Dating Ethan is awesome, and I’m not going to pretendotherwise.

I already told Kat about the night we spent in his truck and that there was plenty brewing between us, but I haven’t told her about the recent developments and the spider from hell that dropped down onto my unsuspecting nakedass.

So I fill her in on some of the juicy details. Nothing too graphic. Don’t want to upset her delicatesensibilities.

When I’m done, she smacks me in the shoulder. “How could you not call me immediately and give me thescoop?”

It crossed my mind, but I wasn’t ready to share it with anyone. “I guess I wanted to see how things went. If he really meant what he said about us beingofficial.”

Ateenypart of me was afraid he’d wake up the next day and regret it. Or that he’d want to backtrack. Reel things in before they got tooserious.

Typical manreasons.

Not that he’s given me reasons to doubt him, but I worried the stress of his pending court date would affect how he’d view us. Like maybe he’d see me as another kind ofpressure.

She nods knowingly and grabs my hand. “You’ve dated some huge jerks, but Ethan is the real deal. When he says something, he means it.” With a sniffle, she pulls me into a hug. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there thatday.”

I laugh and hug her back. “That’s okay. I’m pretty sure I prefer Ethan saving me from that shower spider than you, nooffense.”

“That’s not what Imean.”

Oh.She means the first time I had a run-in withspiders.

Lamely, I pat her shoulder. “Wasn’t your fault you couldn’t bethere.”

“I hate that I missed out so much when you were little. I never thought much about it until recently, but it had to suck to not have Mom and Dad around like I did. And thenAbuelitadied, and I know she meant the world toyou.”

At the mention of my grandmother, I tear up and decide we cannot continue talking about this. There’s no need to make her feel worse when she was a kid herself at the time. “Don’t beat yourself up,hermana. You’re already my hero.” Truly, she’s everything I want to be when I grow up someday.

Wanting to change the subject, I blurt out something that’s been on my mind before we both need therapy for ourchildhood.

“Can we get back to Ethan?” I can’t believe I haven’t asked her this before. “What was he like with his wife? Did you knowAllison?”

She sits back and hums thoughtfully. “Not well. They came over a couple of times when we had our farmers’ fair, but she was always distant. Even with him. Definitely with the children. She never struck me as being particularly maternal. Not that someone can’t grow into the role of being a mom, but she always looked so irritated. Made me sad for Ethan and the kids. But when we’d invite them for dinner, he came by himself. And you could see he was trying to make her happy, but nothing seemed to please thatwoman.”

Twin vines of relief and jealousy sprout in me. Not that I wish Ethan or his children any pain, but it’s hard to think of him with his wife. Though it’s silly of me to want any of his firsts. He married her first. Had kids with her first. Lived his life with her first.Loved her first.My heart wallows in thatthought.

If there’s any silver lining, it’s that they didn’t complement each other well. “So you weren’t surprised they were getting adivorce?”

“No way. I thought the writing was on the wall long before he told us she lefthim.”

Wait.What?

Hold up. Hold the fuckup.

She lefthim?

Why was I thinkinghehad filed for divorce? Especially after how she treatedhim?

“Are you sure?Shelefthim?”

“Oh, yeah. He tried to get her to reconsider for months. Maybe that’s why it took so long to finalize thedivorce.”

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