LOGINEthan POV This move has been difficult, to say the least. Packing all of our things into boxes became a challenge when we realised how much shit we have. I was able to get rid of a lot of my older items, but wanting to hoard everything we own is an inviting option at this point."Phoebe, do you still want this?" I ask the little girl sitting in front of me with the pile of toys we have collected over the last few years."Yes." She says with a small smile, going to grab the stuffed penguin in my hand."Baby, you haven't even touched this little guy in forever. Are you sure you want to keep him?" I ask with a sigh. Phoebe has proven herself to be the most challenging one in our family when it comes to donating items."But he'll get sad if he's away from his friends." She says, hugging him close to her body and then adding him to the pile of things that she wants to keep. This pile has grown and is continuing to grow with each item I ask her about."How's it going in here?" Anna asks, w
Ethan POV "I'm going to go ahead and step down to allow Evan to share some words and announce our first round of awards for the night. Thank you all." I say as I hand Evan the envelope with all of the employee's names and then leave the stage.Everyone began whispering, and I looked over to see my dad completely furious. My mom is trying to keep him calm, but there isn't anything I have to say to either one of them at this moment. The entire situation with my mom is still too fresh, and I don't know where any of us stand right now. I walk over to Anna nervously. I try my best to keep a straight face, but I can't manage to hide how shocked I am by all of this."Anna," I say, reaching my hand out to take hers."Ethan, I can't believe…I had no idea...I-" She stutters"Anna, I love you. I fucking love you. I am in love with you. I could say it a billion times and it still wouldn't explain how much I do love you. I just...I can't be in Seattle knowing that you can't be with me. I was a f
Ethan POV I'm nervous about this. I'm fucking terrified right now. I think the worst part is that I don't know what Anna is going to think about any of this. There's a chance that she won't even want me to move back to Vancouver. That is my worst fear in all of this. There's also a chance Evan won't even accept this job. My dad is going to freak out when he hears about this. As I walk onto the stage, everyone falls silent. Great."Uh, hey everyone. Thank you so much for being here. Is everyone having a good time? Is this something we should do more often?" I ask with a laugh, earning a roar of applause.I hate public speaking. I hate it more than anything, which I never understand why. I should have made Frailey make this announcement. But with everything being my idea, I have no choice but to do this."Good, good. So, I told you all I had a big announcement at the end of the night, and we will get to it, I promise. I wanted to touch on a few subjects first. To start, I would like to
Ethan POV Am a bit surprised when my dad calls me only a few hours before the holiday party. Whatever he has to say could have waited, I'm sure."Hello?" I ask into the phone as I help Melissa hang streamers from each one of our tables."Ethan, I'm glad you answered." He tells me."Yeah, what's up?" I ask, rolling my eyes impatiently. It's not that I don't want to talk to my dad, but he should be here to help me set everything up. "Your mother and I are going to be at the party a few minutes late." He informs me."Okay. Mom is coming too?" I ask with uncertainty laced in my tone."Yeah, is that a problem?" He asks."No. I mean, I don't have anything to say to her right now but it's not a problem." I admit."Ethan." He groans."I'm not letting up on this one, Dad. It's fucked up. I don't want to talk about it right now, either. I just...I have more pressing issues to deal with first. We'll all have to discuss it later, but you two need to settle it first." I told him."I understand tha
Ethan POV "Do you have everything worked out for tonight?" I ask Evan."Yeah, we're having all of the food delivered around six or so. Melissa said she was going to start decorating around five. Clarissa and Melissa have it all planned out. I'm just kind of doing what they ask me to do." He says with a laugh."Yeah, it's probably better that way." I laugh. "So I have a question for you." I begin."What's up?" He asks as he jots some notes down at the top of the catering receipts."What are you and Clarissa going to do once you leave?" I ask."I honestly have no idea." He sighs, setting his pen on the desk."Are you two together now? Officially?" I ask."Well, yeah. Kind of. I call her my girlfriend and she calls me her boyfriend, but nothing is too official yet. I mean, how official can it be? I'm leaving in like...a few days. It's going to be different once I leave and we both know it.""Would she go to Russia?" I ask. He gives me a look that tells me that I already know the answer.
Ethan POV "You're kidding, right?" Frailey asks with a laugh."Not even the slightest bit," I reply."You're fucking insane, you know that?" He asks."Why? This is a good idea." I told him."We don't even know this guy." He argues."I've been working side by side with him for the last month. Evan is more than qualified for something like this." I counter."Okay, but we don't even know him. A month isn't very long at all. What if...I don't know. He seems cool and all, don't get me wrong. But this is the company we're talking about. I just don't know if we can afford to gamble on something like this." He says, shaking his head."I think we need to give it a chance.""So what, he's just going to completely be in charge of the Seattle building during this time? Or he's coming over and working with me?" Frailey asks, still not convinced by anything that I'm saying."No. He would stay here and I would go over to Vancouver. It would be just like before. Look, he knows what he's doing. He is
Ethan's POV"I should probably go into the other room now." She says, leaning up and uncovering herself from the white comforter."Wait, don't go." "No, this was a bad idea. I should get back into the other room. Phoebe is probably—""Phoebe is fine. She knows where we are. Please, Anna," I beg, s
Ethan's POV Anna is sleeping soundly in my arms, and I can't even find it in me to fall asleep. If I fall asleep right now, I won't fully be aware of the fact that she is this close to me. When we wake up, I know things will be different. She'll go back to being distant and cold, and she has every
Ethan POV"Okay, but I'm just as guilty as she is! I'm the one who had a girlfriend! I'm the one who cheated! She doesn't have any obligation like that. She is single." I add."Yeah, and now you are too. Look, cut Haley off because she is nothing but trouble. She fucked you over. Do I have to remin
Anna POVAs I began to wipe down the tables, I thought about what Pam said and how she might have a point. Ethan might have just had a moment of weakness. He was just too deep in his own emotions to think about what he was doing. I mean...he stopped her, didn't he? He stopped her because of me. He







