Page 8 of Lovestrung

“Do you want beer or wine?” I asked.

His eyes flitted my way, but only for a second.

“Asian food is best served with beer, Pippa,” he grumbled. “I thought you knew that.”

I shrugged.

“I do, but since you’re a guest in our home, I thought it best to ask.”

For the first time since I saw him tonight, his lips tilted up at the corners and his eyes warmed.

“Never thought you liked to play hostess,” he murmured and moved to the fridge. “I’ll grab the beers as well.”

I could see the amusement in his gaze, the low light from the fridge enhancing the cerulean color. My skin started to prickle, and my belly erupted with butterflies. I scowled at him, annoyed that it took as little as a smile aimed my way to make me forget myself.

“I don’t,” I huffed, my fingers tightening on the handles on the wheelchair. “But…”

“Will you kids stop bickering and just get our food?” Gramps interrupted. “I’m hungry, and I’m not getting any younger.”

He made it sound as if we were a couple of errant children, and I cringed at the rebuttal because it was the truth. We were acting childish, and I ought to know better, especially considering that I’d grown up with Parker and Max goading me as often as possible; and me falling for it all the freaking time.

Still, I’d take bickering with Ethan any time if it meant he’d loosen up and start acting normal around me again.

I spoke up at the same time Ethan did.

“Sorry, Gramps.”

“I’m sorry, Frederik.”

I bit my lip when I saw laughter dancing in Ethan’s eyes, no doubt mirroring mine, and happiness flooded my heart.

There was the boy I used to know.

But as quickly as the laughter had appeared, it died out. Ethan ground his teeth and turned back to stare into the fridge, and as if his every move was like that of a magnet, my eyes followed. The way his shoulders hunched up to his ears left me equally confused and sad.

Ethan wasn’t a boy anymore.

He’d grown into a man.

And that man was a stranger instead of my old friend.

Whereas I used to be able to read his every thought and mood, the shutters in his extraordinarily blue eyes were now down, making it impossible. Ethan was a puzzle I longed to figure out, but I knew I’d never get the chance.

I cleared my throat and turned my back on him.

“Let’s go, Gramps.”

Dreading the evening already, I pressed down on the handlebars and off we went to the dining room.

2

Mixed Signals

Dinner was awkward.

Not awkward as in, Oops, you saw me naked and now I don’t know how to act around you.

More like, Gosh, make him leave so I don’t accidentally choke on my food.