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As we pulled up to their house, I could already see the warm glow of lights emanating from the backyard. The sound of laughter and chatter grew louder as we made our way towards the gathering. Friends of Mike's, mostly locals, were mingling together in small groups, their faces illuminated by the setting sun. The air was thick with the aroma of grilling food and the sound of music playing in the background. I couldn't help but feel a sense of ease wash over me.
Natalie led me around, introducing me to a few of Mike's friends. Their curious gazes met mine but quickly softened into warm smiles. Cedar Cove may have been a small town, but it was full of friendly faces and a welcoming atmosphere. As I chatted and laughed with these new acquaintances, I felt myself being drawn into their easy camaraderie, leaving behind any lingering worries or stress from before.
As the evening progressed, I couldn’t help but watch Natalie as she moved through the crowd. She was so at ease and sonatural with everyone she interacted with. It struck me just how different our worlds were. Cedar Cove was a tight-knit community, and I was starting to understand why Natalie had returned here from college after her parents had moved away.
At one point, I caught sight of her playing a game with Jude, and something stirred inside me. She was so good with him, so patient and caring, and it made me realize what a wonderful preschool teacher she must be. Watching her, I could see how easily she connected with children and how naturally they gravitated toward her kindness. It made me wonder if I could ever want something like that—a family, kids, a life that wasn’t just about business and responsibility. The thought was foreign, unsettling even, but it wouldn’t leave me alone.
As the night wore on, Mike pulled out a roulette wheel, and the party took on a new energy. People gathered around the table, laughing and cheering as the wheel spun. Natalie and I joined in, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had this much fun. The tension from earlier started to melt away, replaced by the simple joy of being in the moment with her.
But even as I laughed and played along, the phone call from Sophia kept creeping back into my thoughts. My sister had been clear that I needed to return soon—one of our best clients was too important to risk, and she couldn’t handle the situation alone. I knew I’d have to come up with an excuse to leave Cedar Cove, but the idea of leaving Natalie, of disrupting whatever it was we were building, left me uneasy. And the idea of telling her the truth was even more damn scary.
As the roulette wheel spun and the ball landed on black, Natalie let out a whoop of victory. We high-fived and decided to call it a night. Walking to my truck, we were both buzzing with excitement and adrenaline. As we drove across town, our conversation was light and playful, filled with jokes and teasing.
When we arrived at her house, both of us shed our party clothes for something more casual. Natalie emerged from her bedroom, adorned in one of my old T-shirts that she had made her own. Her hair was tousled, and her face was free of makeup, yet she still managed to exude an effortless beauty that left me breathless.
All I wanted was to wrap my arms around her and continue where we had left off. Closing the distance between us, I leaned in for a kiss, expecting our night to end as it always did, tangled up in each other's embrace. But as our lips met, she pulled back slightly, causing a flutter of confusion and disappointment in my chest.
“Ethan,” she began, her voice soft yet serious, a hint of worry laced within it. My stomach tightened in response. “We need to talk.”
Without waiting for my reply, she guided me over to the couch and sat down, patting the cushion beside her. As I settled next to her, I couldn't help but notice the change in her demeanor from earlier in the night. The carefree energy was replaced with a sense of deep thoughtfulness and caution.
Natalie’s eyes held a flicker of hesitation before she began to speak. The silence between us was heavy, filled with unspoken emotions and a sense of impending seriousness. Her eyes searched mine, her gaze like a spotlight piercing through my defenses. I could feel her determination, her need for answers.
"I've been thinking a lot," she said, her voice quiet but resolute. "And I can't shake the feeling that you're hiding something from me. You seem to have this whole part of your life that you don't talk about and after that phone call yesterday... I just need to know what's going on."
I sucked in a deep breath. I knew this moment was coming, but I still wasn't prepared for it. I hesitated, trying to find theright words. How could I explain everything without revealing too much?
"It's true that there are things I haven't told you," I admitted reluctantly. "But it's not because I don't trust you or want to keep secrets from you." My mind raced as I tried to come up with an explanation. "The call yesterday was from someone from my past, someone who's going through a tough time. It's just... complicated." The words felt inadequate, but they were all I could offer for now.
Natalie's unwavering gaze held mine, searching for any signs of deception. I could almost hear the cogs turning in her mind as she weighed my words, trying to decide if she should trust me or not. Her features were tense and guarded, like a fortress built to protect her thoughts. I braced myself for her to push further, to demand more answers from me, but instead, she let out a heavy sigh, and her expression softened.
"I understand. You know my experience with my ex," she finally spoke, her voice laced with empathy. "I know what it's like to have someone from your past that you don't want to open up about."
Natalie's eyes seemed to reflect a glimpse of her own hidden pain, just enough for me to catch a hint of it before it disappeared behind a mask of understanding. Even so, the uncertainty in her eyes was clear. She wanted to trust me, but part of her was still holding back—just like I was.
The silence between us was heavy, like a thick fog that had settled in and refused to dissipate. I yearned to reach out, to bridge the growing gap between us, but my tongue felt tied and unable to form the words. The secret of my status as a billionaire weighed on me like a boulder, pushing us further apart with each passing moment.
Suddenly, Natalie stood up, and the spell was broken. “I’m going to bed,” she said softly, her words carrying an unspoken message. “You can join me if you want, but...”
I nodded, understanding the implication. Tonight, there would be no quenching of our shared desires. Instead, we were left with a chasm that seemed to widen with every attempt to close it. The air crackled with tension, and I could feel the weight of our unspoken thoughts hanging heavily between us. We walked together in heavy silence, our feet dragging against the carpet as we made our way to her bedroom.
As we climbed into bed, I reached out to Natalie, desperate to offer some form of comfort, but she turned away, wrapping herself in the blanket like a shield from whatever storm was brewing inside of her. I lay there, my mind whirring with guilt and conflict, my heart heavy with the weight of what I was keeping from her.
As the night wore on, the distance between us in that bed seemed to stretch for miles. I could feel her presence next to me, but it felt more like a mirage than reality. With each passing moment, my fear grew that this might be the beginning of the end. The woman I loved lay beside me, yet I had never felt more alone in my life.
Eleven
Natalie
The faint buzz of my smartphone alarm shattered the morning quiet. As I rose, I extended my arms in a languid stretch, attempting to banish the lingering disquiet from the previous night that clung to me like an unwelcome guest. Sitting up, I instinctively reached for Ethan's side of the bed, but all I found was a cold emptiness that heightened the unease knotting in my stomach.
As I made my way to the kitchen, the smell of sizzling veggies and eggs greeted me, and I was surprised to see Ethan standing at the stove with a focused look on his face. He turned to me with a small smile, and my heart sank as I realized he was trying to hide his own inner turmoil.
"Morning," I said softly, not wanting to disturb the fragile peace that hung between us.
Ethan looked into my eyes, gauging my mood. "Morning. I thought I'd make you breakfast. I know things were tense last night...and I didn't sleep much. I just wanted to do something nice for you."
I couldn't help but feel touched by his gesture, but it did little to ease the unease that still lingered in my heart. "Thank you. It smells amazing." The aroma of fresh vegetables and savory eggs filled my senses, but it couldn't mask the underlying stress that still simmered beneath the surface of our relationship.
