"I know."
"You deserve to be happy."
I say nothing.
"Say, with your girlfriend."
"She's not my girlfriend."
"Okay, so you are stupid." Ethan shakes his head. "I'm going to tell you what you'd tell me."
"Are you?"
He nods. "And if you don't listen, I'll have to call Joel in for backup."
"Terrifying."
"I know." Ethan's hair falls over his eyes as he shakes his head. "That girl is the best thing that's happened to you in a long time."
I press my lips together.
"I don't know what it is you're scared of, but either get the fuck over it or talk to her. You're not going to forgive yourself if you fuck it up."
"I'm not."
"I'm not going to forgive you either."
I have to laugh. "Bullshit."
"Maybe." He pulls out his cell and checks it. "But she is right there." He motions to the hospital entrance forty feet away.
Sure enough, Lacey is sitting in one of the chairs in the waiting room in a white sundress, her hot pink cardigan around her shoulders, her eyes on the paperback book in her hands.
Something stirs in my gut, something I can't explain. "You asked her to come."
"Yeah. But don't get sentimental. I promised you'd make her come ten times."
"You think I'm not up for it?"
Ethan laughs. "You've never hit ten."
He's probably right. "I haven't been keeping track."
"Uh-huh." He slides his cell into his pocket. "I have to get home and break my record."
"How are you so chipper?"
"I don't want to break today and again tomorrow. I'm just…"
"Hopeful?"
"Something like that." He hugs me goodbye then says hi to Lacey on his way out the door.
She looks up at me with a half-smile.
Maybe Ethan's right.
Why break today and again tomorrow?