with my index finger. “I mean, all of me,” I clarified. “Not just the successful, medical practice-owning pediatrician, but the kid who grew up in poverty and was born from a single-mother that’s now in prison. The kid whose biological father is most likely an ex-pimp, drug dealer, or both.”
I’d expected for her to take a few minutes to mull over the question, but her response was swift.
“No.”
“No? And you’re sure about that?”
“I’m one-hundred percent certain, Ethan.”
Disappointment crushed me like a weight. Although I hadn’t known quite what to expect, I hadn’t been expecting such a definitive answer. Spending the day with Gia and Elliott had left me feeling as though I could possibly fit into at least part of her family, and that maybe if Alexandra and I eventually did pursue a relationship, it would not be at the expense of her losing her family. That wasn’t the life that I wanted for her. I wanted to give her things, not be the cause of the foundation of her existence to be taken away.
“Oh.”
“But,” she weaved our fingers together, “they wouldn’t accept a swearing, independent decision-making, gypsy skirt-wearing, maybe I want to own a bakery instead of working with medical offices, Alexandra. Yet, I’m trying to make sure that knowing that doesn’t stop me from being that version of myself, if that’s who I want to be.”
“But, hypothetically speaking,” I went on. “If we were to try pursuing a relationship, you would lose them.”
She shook her head. “No, Ethan. They would lose me. If it’s their choice to let their daughter go because she wanted to be with the person of her choice, then that’s on them.”
“But wouldn’t that be asking a lot? I mean, it would be a lot to give up just for me. Hypothetically speaking, of course.”
She laughed. “Maybe, but look at what I’d be gaining.”
Her answer reverberated all the way to the soles of my feet, and I leaned over and trapped her lips as though they would otherwise float right off of her face. In that instant, I knew exactly what was supposed to happen next. What I wanted.
“Wait,” I leaned back, “did you say that you wanted to stop working with the practice and open a bakery? You want to leave me?”
It took her a few seconds, but she managed to get her hand up to the back of my neck to run her fingers through my hair. Her eyes slowly moved between my eyes and mouth. Then, her gaze fixed with mine.
“No,” she replied. “Never.”
-----
Alexandra
I’m in love with Ethan Michael Stewart.
It was all moving so fast — too fast — but I couldn’t slow it down even if I tried. My heart was bursting with love for this man and the realization was so heavy that it shook me. It had taken no time at all. I’d assumed that love took months and months to develop, but I’d cut my feelings off at the pass. It was here, raw and bold.
I managed to slip out of his sleeping grasp and off of the bed although every muscle in my body pleaded with me to stop moving. I stood there watching him sleep for a moment, wondering how it was possible to find his masculine face both handsome and adorable.
I searched around in the dark for my cell phone and crept to the bathroom. As expected, I had missed calls from both my father and Roderick. I decided to call Roderick first.
“Hey, Rick,” I greeted.
“When will you be back?” he asked. From the sternness in his voice, I wouldn’t need to call my father back.
“Our final presentation is tomorrow, and I’ll be getting on a flight the day after,” I reminded. “Remember? I sent you all of the details.”
“And why can’t you come after the presentation tomorrow?”
“You miss me that much?”
“Alexandra, stop it.”
Those replies actually never surprised me. I could never even get a simple term of endearment out of the man.
“While you’re there, are you working on the fundraiser details?” he asked. “I need to be
I’d expected for her to take a few minutes to mull over the question, but her response was swift.
“No.”
“No? And you’re sure about that?”
“I’m one-hundred percent certain, Ethan.”
Disappointment crushed me like a weight. Although I hadn’t known quite what to expect, I hadn’t been expecting such a definitive answer. Spending the day with Gia and Elliott had left me feeling as though I could possibly fit into at least part of her family, and that maybe if Alexandra and I eventually did pursue a relationship, it would not be at the expense of her losing her family. That wasn’t the life that I wanted for her. I wanted to give her things, not be the cause of the foundation of her existence to be taken away.
“Oh.”
“But,” she weaved our fingers together, “they wouldn’t accept a swearing, independent decision-making, gypsy skirt-wearing, maybe I want to own a bakery instead of working with medical offices, Alexandra. Yet, I’m trying to make sure that knowing that doesn’t stop me from being that version of myself, if that’s who I want to be.”
“But, hypothetically speaking,” I went on. “If we were to try pursuing a relationship, you would lose them.”
She shook her head. “No, Ethan. They would lose me. If it’s their choice to let their daughter go because she wanted to be with the person of her choice, then that’s on them.”
“But wouldn’t that be asking a lot? I mean, it would be a lot to give up just for me. Hypothetically speaking, of course.”
She laughed. “Maybe, but look at what I’d be gaining.”
Her answer reverberated all the way to the soles of my feet, and I leaned over and trapped her lips as though they would otherwise float right off of her face. In that instant, I knew exactly what was supposed to happen next. What I wanted.
“Wait,” I leaned back, “did you say that you wanted to stop working with the practice and open a bakery? You want to leave me?”
It took her a few seconds, but she managed to get her hand up to the back of my neck to run her fingers through my hair. Her eyes slowly moved between my eyes and mouth. Then, her gaze fixed with mine.
“No,” she replied. “Never.”
-----
Alexandra
I’m in love with Ethan Michael Stewart.
It was all moving so fast — too fast — but I couldn’t slow it down even if I tried. My heart was bursting with love for this man and the realization was so heavy that it shook me. It had taken no time at all. I’d assumed that love took months and months to develop, but I’d cut my feelings off at the pass. It was here, raw and bold.
I managed to slip out of his sleeping grasp and off of the bed although every muscle in my body pleaded with me to stop moving. I stood there watching him sleep for a moment, wondering how it was possible to find his masculine face both handsome and adorable.
I searched around in the dark for my cell phone and crept to the bathroom. As expected, I had missed calls from both my father and Roderick. I decided to call Roderick first.
“Hey, Rick,” I greeted.
“When will you be back?” he asked. From the sternness in his voice, I wouldn’t need to call my father back.
“Our final presentation is tomorrow, and I’ll be getting on a flight the day after,” I reminded. “Remember? I sent you all of the details.”
“And why can’t you come after the presentation tomorrow?”
“You miss me that much?”
“Alexandra, stop it.”
Those replies actually never surprised me. I could never even get a simple term of endearment out of the man.
“While you’re there, are you working on the fundraiser details?” he asked. “I need to be
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