Hidden Flames..

Chapter 6

As they drove through town, Jake eventually broke the silence, glancing over at Ethan. “So, what’s your plan for the rest of the day? Are you sticking around, or heading back to the city?”

Ethan hesitated, his thoughts still on Lily. “I think I’ll stick around for a bit. It’s been a while since I’ve had time to just relax here. Maybe I’ll take you and Lily out for dinner later, catch up properly.”

Jake grinned, clearly pleased with the idea. “Sounds good to me. It’ll be nice to have all three of us together again. Just like old times.”

Evening arrived, and Lily returned home after a long day of classes. As she stepped through the front door, she called out, “I’m home!” She made her way to the kitchen, grabbing a water bottle and taking a long drink, trying to shake off the lingering thoughts of Ethan that had been with her all day.

Jake heard her and came downstairs, catching her mid-sip. “Hey, Lil,” he said, leaning casually against the counter. “We’re going out for dinner with Ethan tonight. He asked, and I figured why not—just like old times.”

Lily’s reaction was immediate. She choked on her water, coughing as she tried to process what Jake had just said. “Wh—wha—what?” she managed to sputter, eyes wide in surprise.

Jake frowned, confused by her reaction. “Is there anything wrong?”

Lily’s mind was racing. *Wrong?* she thought. *You have no idea how hard it is to keep my emotions in check around him.* But she couldn’t say that out loud. She quickly tried to compose herself, though her thoughts were still spinning.

Jake, still puzzled, waved a hand in front of her face. “Lily, you okay? I’m asking you something.”

Snapping out of her thoughts, Lily forced a smile. “No, nothing’s wrong,” she said, her voice a little too bright. “I’ll just go get ready for it.”

As she hurried upstairs, her heart pounded with a mix of excitement and anxiety. Dinner with Ethan. It felt like a casual evening, but to her, it was anything but. She knew she needed to keep her emotions under control, but the thought of spending more time with him—just the three of them—made that feel like an impossible task.

As she rummaged through her closet, trying to find the perfect outfit, her mind kept drifting back to how Ethan had looked at her earlier that day. There was something different in his eyes, something that made her hope—despite all her efforts to the contrary—that maybe, just maybe, he didn’t see her as a little sister anymore.