Chapter 10 – Days of Discovery

In the days that followed, Ethan and I spent more time together and honestly, I was enjoying it – a lot! Sure, the boot on my foot limited what I could do physically, but I wasn’t on vacation with a ticking clock to get back home – no, no, no, this was home. I had all the time in the world to look forward to hiking up these beautiful mountains, going river rafting which Ethan swore we would do when I’ve recovered, and mountain biking.

                     

Gosh, I couldn’t wait, but in the meantime, Ethan was making sure I didn’t miss out on fun. He took me to different museums, picnicked in some reserves and he was just so darn awesome that I found myself growing more fond of him, that I was kind of relieved that my parents Inn wasn’t ready for moving in just yet. Yeah, it was only 30 minutes away but after a week and a half, I've gotten used to seeing Ethan every day so I wasn’t looking forward to not having him around when we moved out of his Inn.

“Yo, Hop-along! We’re hitting the lake!” Ethan declared as he barged into my room, practically bouncing on his feet.

I narrowed my eyes, clearly unimpressed. “Not a chance, buddy.”

He blinked, taken aback by the lack of enthusiasm. “Why? It’s a beautiful day! The lake’s practically begging for us. Not to swim, of course, but to—uh—admire it. From a very dry distance.”

I tilted my head, arms crossed. “There’s another get-together, isn’t there?” My eyebrow raised in suspicion, daring him to confirm what I already knew.

Ethan froze for a second, a sheepish smile creeping across his face. “...Yes,” he muttered, eyes glued to the floor like a guilty puppy.

“Mm-hmm,” I sighed, folding my arms tighter. “And how exactly do I fit into this? Because I’m pretty sure my idea of fun doesn’t include being the only sane person in a crowd of drunken maniacs.”

“You won’t be the only sane one!” he said quickly, rushing over and flopping dramatically onto the bed next to me. “I’ll be there too. Sober as a judge. Plus, no Luca this time. It’ll just be me, you, and a bunch of harmless people who are absolutely dying to see you again.”

I stared at him. “Are they though?”

“Yes! They’re all like, ‘When’s Quinn coming back? We need her sarcastic energy to balance out Ethan’s hyperactivity!’” He grinned, placing a hand over his heart in mock sincerity.

I snorted. “Is that what they said? Word for word?”

“Okay, maybe I’m paraphrasing,” he admitted with a shrug. “But they loved you. Seriously. You were the star of the last event. Come on, how could you let down all your adoring fans?”

I rolled my eyes, fighting a smile. “Ethan…”

He sat up, leaning closer, his voice softening. “Look, I’ll be honest. I kinda... want you there with me. As my plus one. It won’t be the same without you.” Just after he said that, his gaze met mine, and there was something genuine in his expression that caught me off guard. For a moment, the room felt a little smaller, and my pulse quickened.

“Fine. But if I end up regretting this, I’m holding you personally responsible,” I sighed, giving in.

Ethan’s face lit up, and he jumped off the bed like a kid on Christmas morning. “You won’t regret it, promise!”

The lake was glowing under the evening sunset when we arrived, the sky blending into soft pinks and oranges. A small bonfire had been set up, and a handful of people were lounging on blankets, laughing and chatting. Ethan wasn’t kidding—everyone greeted me like I was some kind of local celebrity especially Nick and his sister Kimmy practically jumped into my arms giving me a big hug.

“Quinn! You made it!” Nick exclaimed, giving me a friendly nudge. “It’s about time we had some fun!”

“See? They love you,” he whispered, winking.

The party was surprisingly mellow. People were sipping drinks, grilling burgers, and playing music by the fire. It wasn’t the wild event I had expected, and I found myself relaxing, even enjoying it. Ethan stayed close, constantly checking in with me, making jokes, and keeping the mood light.

As the night wore on, we sat by the fire, and the group around us started to quietly soften down having their own discussions and some couples were already making out in low-lit areas nearby. Ethan and I were watching the flames dance in the cool night air. The soft conversations around us and the crackling of the fire filled the silence between us, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. In fact, every time our eyes met, there was something... more. Our gazes lingered just a little longer than they should have.

I caught him staring at me a few times, and each time I looked back, he didn’t look away. It was like we were having a conversation without words, something unspoken simmering beneath the surface.

“Hey,” he said softly after a long silence, leaning in just slightly. “Thanks for coming tonight.”

“Yeah, well... you’re lucky I didn’t make you come up with a ten-page motivational essay, ” I smirked, feeling a strange warmth in my chest.

“I would've written it...in crayon, if I had to," he laughed.

We both chuckled but our laughter faded because suddenly, we were just inches apart and the fire cast soft shadows across his face as his hand brushed against mine, and I didn’t pull away. Instead, I let it stay, feeling the warmth of his skin.

We were both leaning in as if some invisible force was pulling us together making my heart raced, and without thinking, our lips met. It was soft, sweet and magical and my breath hitched as his hand gently cupped the side of my face. When he looked into my eyes, for a brief moment, it felt like it was just us under the stars, sitting by the lake, with nothing but the crackling fire around us, and everyone else just faded in the background.

“So... I’m guessing you’re not regretting this after all?” he asked, smiling softly as he pulled away, resting his forehead rested against mine.

I smirked, my heart still fluttering. “Not even a little.”