Embers of Us

A Life Caught in the Gears

Ethan leaned back in the chair, eyes closed, the steady hum of the garage surrounding him. It had been a long day, his hands stained with oil and grease from working on car engines that belonged to people who didn't give a damn about him. He sighed, rubbing his palms over his face, feeling the familiar sting of exhaustion.

Larkspur Hollow had become a kind of prison for him—a town that chewed up and spit out those who didn't fit its mold. And Ethan knew all too well that he didn't. Never had. Growing up, he had always been the quiet kid who didn't care about school or popularity. The only place he ever felt remotely like himself was the woodshop, surrounded by tools and pieces of wood waiting to be shaped into something better.

Then Lexi happened.

He opened his eyes, blinking against the fluorescent lights of the garage as the memory of the stoplight encounter washed over him. Seeing her again, out of the blue, had flipped his world upside down. That wild laugh he'd let out at the sight of her—that wasn't part of the plan. He wasn't even sure why he'd reacted like that. All he knew was that his heart had leaped into his throat the second their eyes met.

"Yo, Monroe!" Tyler's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, grating and filled with its usual impatience. Ethan turned his head to see his so-called friend leaning against the garage door, a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. "You done daydreaming, or do I need to start charging you rent for occupying that chair?"

Ethan scowled, swinging his legs down and standing up. "Shut it, Tyler," he muttered, heading back to the car he'd been working on. "What do you want?"

Tyler grinned, taking a slow drag before exhaling the smoke in a lazy cloud. "Just making sure you're not slacking off. We've got two more cars lined up, and I'd like to get 'em out of here by tomorrow."

Ethan glanced at the pile of work orders sitting on the counter, his chest tightening. More work. More hours bent over engines, turning wrenches for people who paid barely enough to keep the lights on. This wasn't the life he'd imagined, but somewhere along the way, he'd gotten trapped in it. And Tyler—well, Tyler was the kind of guy who knew how to exploit someone else's bad luck.

"Yeah, I got it," Ethan replied tersely, picking up a rag to wipe his hands. His mind, however, was far from the garage. It was still on Lexi, on the way she'd looked at him—like she was searching for something familiar in a sea of forgotten memories.

He hadn't expected to see her again, not in this lifetime. After she'd left for the military, he'd tried to move on, burying himself in cars and the familiar rhythm of engines. But every now and then, he'd catch himself asking Aaron about her, trying to find out where she was, how she was doing. And Aaron, with his sharp, knowing eyes, would just tell him, "Why don't you go and find out for yourself?"

Ethan had never worked up the nerve to do that. Until now.

Later that evening, after the garage had finally emptied out, Ethan found himself standing outside Aaron's auto shop. It was quieter here, tucked away from the main streets, a small haven where Ethan had spent countless hours learning everything he knew about engines and machines.

He pushed the door open, the faint sound of music and the scent of oil welcoming him inside. Aaron was at the back, hunched over an old motorcycle engine, his movements deliberate and precise. Ethan closed the door behind him, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Back again, Monroe?" Aaron drawled, not looking up from his work. "Figured you'd be out blowing off steam after that stunt at the stoplight today."

Ethan paused, leaning against the counter. Of course, Aaron already knew. The man always seemed to be ten steps ahead of everyone else. "Yeah, well," Ethan replied, rubbing the back of his neck, "didn't exactly go as planned."

Aaron straightened up, wiping his hands on a rag, and finally turned to face Ethan. His eyes were sharp, almost piercing, as they studied him. "What did you expect? You drop out of her life without a word and then laugh like a maniac the first time you see her again? Bold move, even for you."

Ethan clenched his jaw, feeling the sting of the truth in Aaron's words. "I didn't drop out of her life. She left."

"She left to make something of herself," Aaron countered smoothly. "And you stayed here. Different paths, sure, but that doesn't mean the door was shut. You kept it shut."

Ethan looked away, his gut twisting. Aaron always knew how to get under his skin, how to force him to confront the parts of himself he'd rather ignore. "I just..." He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "I just didn't know how to go after her."

A silence stretched between them, thick and heavy. Finally, Aaron tossed the rag aside and crossed his arms over his chest. "You're overthinking it," he said bluntly. "You want to know her? Then go and do it. You'll never find out what could've been by sitting around in this garage."

Ethan looked up, meeting Aaron's gaze. There was something in the older man's eyes—a mixture of challenge and encouragement. It was a look Ethan had grown familiar with over the years, one that said, "Stop making excuses and go for what you want."

Ethan felt a surge of determination. Aaron was right. He had spent too many years trapped by his own indecision, letting life happen around him while he worked on other people's cars, other people's dreams. And now, with Lexi back in town, he had a chance to do something different.

"Yeah," he muttered, more to himself than to Aaron. "Maybe I will."

Aaron's lips curved into a faint smile. "About damn time."

Ethan left the shop, his heart pounding with a strange mix of fear and excitement. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, his thumb hovering over the screen as he debated what to do. He hadn't spoken to Lexi in years. How did you start a conversation with someone you once knew so intimately but who now felt like a stranger?

He shook his head, shoving the phone back into his pocket. Not yet. This had to be done right. He needed to think, to plan. Because this wasn't just about running into her at a stoplight. This was about confronting the reality of what they had left unspoken all those years ago.

As he walked back toward the garage, the familiar hum of traffic filling the air, he couldn't help but think back to their last moments in the woodshop. The way she had gripped the sander he'd handed her, the look in her eyes that was equal parts fear and determination. He had watched her walk out of that classroom, his heart pounding in his chest, wanting to call out to her but never finding the words.

And now, after all this time, she was back. And this time, he wasn't going to let the moment slip through his fingers.

Ethan stepped back into the garage, the smell of oil and metal wrapping around him like a familiar embrace. He moved to the workbench, picking up a wrench, his grip tightening around it as if drawing strength from the cold steel.

Tomorrow, he thought, his eyes narrowing with resolve. Tomorrow, he'd figure out a way to talk to her. Because if there was one thing he'd learned in all these years, it was that some chances were worth taking, no matter the risk.

And Lexi Hart was a risk he was finally ready to face.