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Wade looked up from their tablet and Olivia closed the program booklet.
I sighed. “Ethan mentioned needing help with his speech but hasn’t asked me to look it over, even though I’ve seen him every day this week.”
“You’re worried.”
“Maybe.” The nagging idea pushed its way to the forefront of my mind. “He told me public speaking isn’t his thing, and this is a big moment. I should’ve asked him about it before now.”
“I’m sure if he needed help, he would’ve asked.” Olivia sat up. “He seems to handle himself under pressure well.”
“True.” I recalled how naturally he’d handled the story time. “I just want to make sure he feels supported.”
“Speaking of support,” Olivia interjected with a sly grin. “How’s the tent situation?”
Wade snickered before covering their mouth.
Heat crept up my neck as I fought back a smile. “The tents are fine. And that’s all we need to discuss about that.”
“Uh-huh.” Mickey’s tone was teasing.
“And with that, I need to go.” I started packing up.
“Really?” Olivia sounded shocked. “I mean, it’s good that you’re not going to keep checking and double-checking for a few more hours, but this is something new for you.”
“Yup. I’m calling it a day. You’ve all said everything is set, and that means there’s nothing more to do.” I couldn’t help grinning.
Mickey stared at me. “Are you going to go hang out in the back corner of Special Blend again?”
“Not tonight.” I debated if I wanted to say more. Since these were my closest friends, it was easy to continue. “But before you ask, I’ll tell you that I’m having dinner with Ethan.”
“Then go. Get out of here.” Olivia made shooing motions. “It’s all good.”
“Thanks. You’ve all been amazing getting us ready to kick off tomorrow.”
“Have a good night.” Mickey’s voice sounded sincere. “You deserve it.”
Before showing up at Ethan’s, I picked up dessert from Sparky’s, another of Maplewood’s diners, and went home to change. Khaki slacks and a polo felt too formal for a summer evening dinner. After considering a few options, I settled on a soft green T-shirt, light blue denim shorts, and sneakers. Much better.
Just before seven, I pulled up to Ethan’s, excited but nervous about our first official date.
As I came up the stairs, carrying a pie box, the front door swung open to reveal Ethan in a fitted gray T-shirt, dark shorts, and sandals. He looked both casual and unfairly attractive. The shirt clung to his broad shoulders and chest, making my mouth go dry. His dark hair was tousled, like he’d just run his fingers through it. His warm, welcoming smile made my heart soar.
“Hey.” He opened the door wide and stepped aside. “Come in. Sorry about the boxes everywhere. I haven’t had much time to unpack. I hadn’t thought about that when I invited you.”
Even with the boxes, it was obvious the house suited him. The floor-to-ceiling fireplace was stunning. I imagined how he might decorate it for Christmas. The open layout connected to the kitchen, and I understood why he wanted to try it out. It was decked out yet enough rustic charm remained that it didn’t clash with the living room or what I saw of the dining room.
“Looks like you have your work cut out for you.” I put my hand on top of a stack of boxes.
Ethan chuckled as he closed the door. “Yeah, it’s a bit of a mess right now, but it’ll get there. We threw stuff in boxes so I had what I needed before the streaming team moved in.”
“I can already tell this is going to be a comfortable place to be.”
“Thanks.” His smile faltered. “Wait, did you bring a Sparky’s box into my house? Does Mickey know about that?”
“Mickey knows I need to stay neutral in the diner rivalry since I help organize events that might include both of them.” I worried I’d messed up as Ethan put his hands on his hips. “Wait, are you fully Team Red’s?”
“Depends on what’s in the box.” He smirked and I was less concerned that I’d wrecked the night before it’d even started.
“Maple cream pie.” I went over to him and opened the box.
