Chapter 11 - THE FIRST PANCAKE
Three days later, Ethan sat in a diner at seven in the morning wearing a baseball cap and a jacket that cost more than the waitress’s car.
Lily stared at him across the table.
“You’re bad at pancakes.”
Ethan looked down at the misshapen pancake he had attempted to cut into a heart.
“It’s abstract.”
“What’s abstract?”
“Something rich people say when art looks weird.”
Rosa snorted into her coffee.
Ethan smiled.
It had taken three days for her to agree to breakfast.
No photographers.
No lawyers.
No private dining room.
Just a small diner near Rosa’s apartment.
Lily dipped a blueberry into syrup.
“Do you have a house?”
“Yes.”
“Big?”
“Too big.”
“Do you have a dog?”
“No.”
Lily looked disappointed.
Ethan glanced at Rosa.
“Can that be negotiated?”
“No.”
“Understood.”
Lily giggled.
It was the best sound he had heard in years.
Rosa studied him.
“You don’t have to perform.”
“I’m not.”
“You’ve been here forty minutes and checked your phone once.”
“I turned it off.”
“You never turn it off.”
“I’ve missed enough.”
Rosa looked away.
That answer landed.
Ethan didn’t push.
He was learning.
After breakfast, Lily asked if he could walk them to preschool.
Rosa hesitated.
Then nodded.
Outside, the cold air hit them.
Lily walked between them.
For two blocks, nobody said much.
Then Lily reached up.
One hand grabbed Rosa’s.
The other reached for Ethan.
He froze.
Rosa saw it.
“Take it.”
He did.
Lily swung their arms.
Ethan had closed billion-dollar deals without blinking.
Now his eyes filled because a three-year-old held his hand crossing a street.
At the school entrance, Lily hugged Rosa.
Then she looked at Ethan awkwardly.
“Do I hug you?”
He crouched.
“Only if you want.”
She thought.
Then threw her arms around his neck.
Ethan closed his eyes.
Too tight.
Too long.
He didn’t care.
“See you tomorrow?”
Lily asked.
Ethan looked at Rosa.
Rosa gave a tiny nod.
“Tomorrow.”
Lily ran inside.
Ethan stayed crouched for another second.
When he stood, Rosa was watching him.
“She likes you.”
“I like her.”
“That’s the easy part.”
“I know.”
He looked at her.
“Rosa.”
“No.”
“I haven’t said anything.”
“You were going to.”
He smiled faintly.
She almost smiled back.
Then a black SUV pulled up.
Marcus stepped out.
His face was tense.
“Ethan, we have a problem.”
Ethan sighed.
“What?”
Marcus looked at Rosa, then back at him.
“Victoria filed for an emergency injunction.”
“Against what?”
May you like
Marcus swallowed.
“Against you seeing Lily.”
