Secret Desires (Roughshod Rollers MC 4)

I try to imagine that, and I snort as an image of Ethan trying to hide behind a telephone pole comes to mind.

So, was it Polly who changed things? Did she ask Ethan to come with them for some reason? It seems like the only possibility. But why would she do that? This is meant to be her day with Lily. Why would she want Ethan there?

Then again, she didn’t want children. She’s also meeting the daughter that she abandoned over ten years ago. If I were in her shoes, I’d be anxious, too.

I push my laptop away and slump back, picking up my coffee. There’s no way that I’m going to get any work done. I should have just snuck out and gone to check up on Lily, Ethan and Polly. I’m sure I could hide myself.

Suddenly, my phone vibrates and I snatch it up. It’s five o’clock, a full three hours since Polly would have arrived to see Ethan and Lily. I open up the message and catch my breath as I see that it’s definitely from Ethan.

“Polly gone. Lily visiting Allison. Come over?”

Ethan dropped Lily at Allison’s? Why? I type a message back quickly.

“All okay?”

Ethan replies quickly.

“Everything’s fine.”

I frown. Ethan doesn’t lie to me. If he says everything is fine, then he’s likely telling the truth.

“Okay,” I type. “Be there soon.”

I grab my keys and head out to the door, closing the lid on my laptop as I go. I won’t spend too much time at Ethan’s. Just enough to settle my nerves so I can come home and finish my work.

Ethan opens the door as soon as I arrive, which is unusual. He was no doubt waiting for me. I look him over, trying to find some sign of distress. But he looks fine; he’s unbuttoned the first few buttons on his nice shirt, and it looks like he’s run his hand through his hair a few times. But, other than that, he’s giving me a small smile and his shoulders aren’t tense.

“Hey,” I say, walking toward him. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” he says. “Coffee?”

“I’d love some,” I reply, following him into the house. “I’ve lived on coffee today; I’ve been trying to finish a report and the deadline is tomorrow.”

“Are you almost done?” Ethan asks as we head into the kitchen.

“Almost,” I lie, trying not to think of the three lines I’ve written.

Ethan putters around the kitchen and I lean against the table, watching him and waiting for him to tell me what’s on his mind. But he doesn’t say anything and I frown.

“Did today go well?” I ask.

“What?” He looks up, startled. “Yeah, today was good. Really good. Lily and Polly got along so well, I think it surprised Polly.”

“That’s good,” I say.

I frown. Ethan doesn’t look stressed. But there is something oddly manic about him, as though he can’t seem to stay still as he flits around the kitchen, making coffee. He looks more keyed up than I feel, and I’m the one who’s drunk nothing but caffeine all day.

“So, what’s going on?” I finally ask. “You look like you’re about to jump out of your skin.”

Ethan winces.

“That bad?” he asks.

“That bad,” I agree. “So, out with it; what’s up?”

Ethan sighs and brings the coffee over. I take mine gratefully and sit down, making him slump into the chair beside me.

“Polly and Lily got along really well,” he says.