Page 40 of Accidentally Yours
Paige joined him, coming up by his side. “So . . . we’ve got a hundred different possibilities and no idea where to start.”
“Exactly,” he groaned, trying to think which book to pull first. “I was hoping the riddle would be more specific.”
Paige went to her tiptoes, and their shoulders brushed. The simple touch sent a warm thrum through his chest, and he immediately wanted to pull her close. He squelched the tempting urge as she ran her fingers over a few spines, stopping on a thick hardback.
“May I?” she asked.
He nodded, and she gently pulled National Geographic’sDestinations of a Lifetimefrom the shelf. It was a hardcover coffee-table book full of beautiful images and stories from amazing locations across the globe.
He grinned. “My grandpa used to read that to me at bedtime.” He could still recite lines and facts from his favorite places. “Instead of fairytales.”
Paige’s lips curled softly. “I love that.” She glanced up at him. “Your grandparents traveled a ton.”
He nodded. “Everywhere.”
“Did they have a favorite spot?”
He smiled, knowing the answer. “Together. They always used to say that.”
Her gaze lingered on his for a beat longer, something tender flickering in her expression. Then she opened the book and slowly turned the pages, as if she were drinking in the photography. Watching her there—bathed in soft lamplight, wrapped in his world—it was hard not to imagine this moment as something more.
“I always wanted to see the world like they did,” he admitted, voice low. “To explore. To find hidden stories in quaint villages. To stumble onto big adventures.”
“You haven’t traveled?”
“Not like they did. But traveling is why I started working for Obsidian Oak.” He leaned a shoulder against the bookshelf.
“Obsidian Oak . . .” Paige’s voice slowed as she tested the name, like she was tasting something rich. “Wait . . . is that the restaurant that charcoal grills everything, and the wait staff wears fedoras and leather aprons?”
Ethan laughed, then recited the company’s tagline with mock seriousness. “‘Where fire meets forest. Modern American dining with foraged and fire-roasted elements, rooted in seasonality and regional sourcing.’”
“Wow.” Paige cocked a brow. Ethan couldn’t tell if she was impressed or concerned. “I’ve been to the one in Chicago. Amazing food, but a bit on the pretentious side.”
“A little,” he agreed.
“A lot.” Paige grinned. “I had their signature cocktail. It came with a hand-carved glacier-water ice cube and edible moss. It was like forty dollars.”
Ethan chuckled. “Okay, a lot pretentious. But the food is amazing. I ate a lot of it while I worked there,” he explained, and she tilted her head, looking curious.
“What did you do for the restaurant that allowed you to travel?”
“I was the director of openings and operations. Traveled to each new location, made sure the build-outs were complete, trained the staff, smoothed out logistics, ensured every recipe was up to company standard. Even the glacier ice cubes.” They shared a grin. “I started the one in Chicago. And New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Miami.”
“Impressive. I’ve only ever lived in Chicago.” Her rich coffee eyes went thoughtful. “How long were you in each place?”
“About a year,” he replied. “I loved exploring each city, but it got lonely. Plus, Chicago has always been home base. The place I came back to.”
Paige accessed him, something clicking behind her gaze. “That’s why they introduced you onSurvivoras the ‘Hoity-Toity Food Startup Guru.’ Now I get it.” She looked utterly pleased with herself for figuring that out, but Ethan blinked back surprise.
“You watched me onSurvivor?”
A flicker of unease passed over her face. “Yeah.” She looked sheepish at the admission, and Ethan was surprised she hadn’t said anything about the show until now. “Gigi, Alice, and I watched the whole season. I was rooting for you until you broke your alliance with Tatianna.”
Ethan froze, smile twitching.Of course. That was what most people remembered. The moment he was edited into the villain.
Of all the things she could’ve said, why did that one sting the most?
He forced a casual shrug, but inside, something pulled tight. Did she think that was the real him? The guy who played dirty to win? He wanted to explain, wanted her to know the truth behind the camera cuts and dramatic conclusion.
