Friendly Dating - Kira

Chapter 48 - Laying it All Out

James and I hadn't been sitting in our spot under the umbrella long when Ethan comes striding over, cracking jokes with passers-by while eating the loaded fries in the container in his hands as if nothing strange had happened at all.

"Want some?" he asks us when he plops down next to me, and rising from his comfortable slouch, James takes the fork from Ethan to have a mouthful of fries covered in cheesy chilli mince. 

"No, thank you," I decline his offer when Ethan holds the container out to me. Though I know how good these loaded fries are, I wouldn't be able to eat anything now, even if I had an appetite, which I don't. My guts are all twisted in knots.

I was acting brave, trying to voice the trust I was fighting very hard to feel when I told Burlap that I knew the scene between Ethan and Amber was nothing. My brain tells me that Ethan is a man of his word, and my heart tells me that he would never go back on that word, but the rest of me is a hot mess of doubt, fear and jealousy.

I really need an explanation. I would believe that explanation since it's Ethan, but I still need to hear it to unlace these twisted bands of dread in the pit of my stomach.

"Thanks, Kicks," he grins, taking the orange slush I bought for him, and I smile, silently watching him take sips with the thick straw sticking out of the lid of the cup. When exactly did Ethan become the most beautiful person in the world to me? He is positively breathtaking when the sun flares golden in his fair hair, and his long dark lashes cast shadows over his azure eyes.

He becomes aware of me watching him, and those soulful eyes narrow, alert to my change of mood. I try really hard to smile his concern away, but it is a battle I am sorely losing.

"What?"

"Nothing," I chirp and, lifting my glass, take the straw between my lips to suck some courage from the cold orangy mess.

"Is Amber all right?" James asks the question that might bring me the answers that I suddenly don't want to hear. I just want to sit here in the semi-shade cast by the umbrellas and watch Ethan wolf down his fries, at intervals handing James the fork and sipping his orange juice.

"She'll be fine," Ethan says, taking another huge fork full of saucy fries into his mouth. He chews, his eyebrows drawing together when he realises that both James and I are looking at him expectantly. I'm sitting cross-legged next to him, and James is reclining on his side in front of us, supporting his upper body on his elbow.

Ethan swallows his food and takes another sip from his glass, and then he shrugs. "Gibbs was getting a bit rough with her there near the food court, so I explained to him that though she can be seriously annoying, he shouldn't get violent with her; he should rather fight with someone strong enough to fight back."

"I bet he loved that," James scoffs, glancing at me and giving me an encouraging smile. He is really invested in the success of this relationship experiment I'm having with Ethan. I shouldn't be surprised; the guys are always rooting for each other, and he obviously wants this to be a success and help Ethan get what he wants. Still, it's a bit weird that he cares what I think about Ethan and Amber's interaction because, even if there was something romantic going on between them, it shouldn't matter that much. If Ethy and I break up, I'll be the only one suffering a broken heart. His buddy will be just fine. I'm pretty sure that Grandpa Alistair was just testing him. The man adores his grandson; he wants to give him the car, and I'm sure that he will.

"Yeah, he really took it to heart," Ethan grins. "And to his face when he decided to take my advice by attacking me instead. I stepped out of the way, and he crashed into one of the legs of the big billboard."

Both of the boys are laughing now, enjoying the story, and I suppose it is rather amusing. So, Marshall was beaten up by a billboard, and not just any billboard. The one Ethan is referring to becomes the subject of debate at every town meeting. One section of town wants it moved to a less prominent position, saying it destroys the harmonious lines of the sidewalk and the beach beyond it, while others feel that it should not exist at all since there's no need to advertise anything on that scale in a small town like Egret's Rest where everybody knows everything by word of mouth anyway. There is a third group who really couldn't care less one way or the other. These groups all have more or less the same number of members; the debate is, therefore, never-ending.