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When we finished our presentation, Whitmore leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he considered our proposal. The silence stretched out—the only sound was the crackling of the fire.
Finally, he nodded. “You’ve given me a lot to think about. I appreciate your thoroughness, as always. I’ll need some time toreview the details, but I’m leaning toward moving forward with the purchase.”
A sense of relief washed over me, but it was tempered by the weight of everything else I was dealing with. The deal wasn’t done yet, but we were close.
“Of course,” I replied, keeping my tone professional. “Take all the time you need. We’re here to answer any questions you might have.”
Whitmore nodded again, his gaze sharp as he looked at me. “I have to say, Ethan, you seem a bit… distracted. Is everything alright?”
The question caught me off guard, but I quickly recovered, forcing a smile. “Just a lot on my plate, but nothing I can’t handle.”
He studied me for a moment longer before nodding. “Well, don’t let it affect your work. This is a big deal, and I need to know I can count on you.”
“You can,” I assured him, my voice steady. “I won’t let you down.”
The meeting wrapped up shortly after that, and as we left the lodge, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease settling over me. The deal was moving forward, but so was the clock. I was running out of time to make a decision about my life, and I knew it.
As we got back into the car, Sophia turned to me, her expression serious. “You did well in there, but Whitmore was right—you are distracted.”
I nodded, knowing she was right, but the path ahead was anything but clear. The mountains loomed large around us as we drove back to the airport, a stark reminder of the challenges I was facing. But as we boarded the jet and prepared for the flight back to Dallas, one thought kept running through my mind.
I had to tell Natalie the truth one way or another.
Fifteen
Natalie
The low hum of the AC was a welcome sound, providing much-needed relief from the oppressive summer heat that had settled over Cedar Cove. Jess and I had spent the entire afternoon in her kitchen, preparing for a relaxed dinner with her husband, Mike, and Jude. The house was a sanctuary from the sweltering temperatures outside, and as I chopped vegetables and mixed ingredients, I found myself falling into the familiar rhythm of our routine.
"You have no idea how grateful I am that we finally got the AC fixed," Jess said with a contented smile, stirring a pot on the stove. "I don't know how we would've survived this summer without it."
"I can only imagine," I replied, wiping a bead of sweat from my forehead with a napkin as I finished slicing tomatoes for the salad. "It's like being in a sauna out there."
Jess let out a light laugh, her voice bright and cheerful despite the heat. "No kidding. And to think, we're supposed tobe setting up for the fundraiser next week in this scorching weather. I'm already dreading it."
"Maybe we'll get lucky, and it'll cool down," I suggested optimistically, though deep down, I knew the heatwave showed no signs of relief.
"Here's hoping," Jess echoed with a nod, giving the pot one last stir before turning her attention back to me. "So Nat, how are you holding up? You've been pretty quiet today." Her concern was evident in her gaze and tone.
I hesitated, my thoughts heavy on my mind. “I’m okay, just...thinking about Ethan,” I finally admitted.
Jess raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. “Oh? What’s going on with Mr. Mysterious?”
A small smile tugged at my lips despite my unease. “I’m starting to think that nickname is more accurate than I realized.”
Jess’s expression turned serious as she set the spoon down and took a sip of iced tea. The kitchen was quiet except for the faint hum of the refrigerator. “You want to talk about it?” she asked gently.
I sighed, feeling relieved by her understanding tone. Leaning against the island, I gathered my thoughts before speaking again. “I don’t know. He’s been distant since he left town for his family. But I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something else going on. And...” I hesitated, trying to put into words what had been bothering me for weeks now. “I feel like I don’t really know much about his past. He’s never really opened up to me about it.” A pang of worry shot through me as I realized how little I truly knew about the man I was in love with.
Jess's brow furrowed, and her lips slightly creased, showing her concern. "That's a tough situation," she empathized. "But you've always had good instincts, Nat. If something doesn't feel right, trust your intuition. Don't overthink things and drive yourself crazy trying to figure it all out. Sometimes guys needsome time to sort through their thoughts on their own. And try not to compare Ethan to Jason. I honestly don’t see a parallel."
I let out a heavy sigh, my doubts still swirling in my mind. "Maybe," I conceded. "I only wish I knew what he was thinking."
Jess placed a comforting hand on my shoulder and gave me an encouraging smile. "You'll figure it out. Just take things one step at a time."
Before I could reply, Jude burst into the kitchen with excitement written all over his face. "Miss Natalie, can you play with me?" he exclaimed.
I couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm. "Of course, buddy," I replied as he grabbed my hand and tugged me towards the living room.
