Page 221 of Mountain Grump
Then I tell myself to stop overthinking it. Ethan and I clearly have a good time together. If he didn’t like hanging out, he wouldn’t have brought extra clothes to leave here.
Only a few seconds pass before he replies, and that mollifies the rest of my anxiety.
Duck Whisperer: I have to go to the gym after work.
Me: To work out?
I roll my eyes at myself.Obviously. What other reason would he go to the gym?
Me: Ignore that question.
Duck Whisperer: What question?
I grin, glad I married a clever man.
Duck Whisperer: I do plan to lift some weights while I’m there. But I really just need to go check on things. Make sure it’s good.
I make a face at the phone.
Huh?
Me: I have no idea what you mean.
Duck Whisperer: I have a cleaning team, but I need to make sure the cameras and stuff are running correctly.
Me: Hi, whoever you are. Can you put Ethan on the phone?
Duck Whisperer: I hope you’re happy. I just laughed, and now Liza is looking at me like I ate the fly off the windowsill.
I almost gag.
Me: What. The. Fuck.
Me: Did you eat a fly?
Me: Ethan. Answer me.
I press a hand to the base of my throat, feeling literally sick at the idea.
My phone lights up with a call.
I answer. And laughter greets me.
The hand on my throat drops, and my disgusted frown disappears.
Ethan’s laugh is one of my most favorite sounds.
“Starlight.” He’s still chuckling. “You’re killing me.”
“You’re the one who said you ate a fly.”
His exhale scratches over the line. “I said she was looking at melikeI ate the fly.”
“It was a very specific thing to say.”
“Dammit, woman.” I can picture him shaking his head. And I can hear the smile in his voice. “I needed that.”
My brows furrow. “What? Why? Did something happen?”
