Page 74 of The Boss Upstairs
He backs up reluctantly. “Yes, Ma’am.”
He watches me intently as I dance around the kitchen, fetching this and that. Every now and then, I check on Ethan who is still happily playing with his new toys. I steal a few glances at Weston, who looks delicious, dressed in all black. He looks sexy and dangerous. I suddenly want him to bite me again.
“I’m going to go say hello to Ethan,” he says. “If that’s okay.”
“Sure, yes.” I’m delighted to see him show an interest in Ethan. “Please go ahead.”
I watch him as he crouches down and settles next to Ethan. He chats with him, asking him many questions, most of which Ethan doesn’t answer. But he squeals and giggles. I can tell he likes Weston. But then again, Ethan likes most people.
Quite a while later, Weston is still entertaining my boy, and the salad and appetizers are finally ready. The table is set, and the lights are dimmed. I invite them to the kitchen, and Weston helps me get Ethan settled into his booster seat. I have cheese and crackers for Ethan. “Feel free to have some crackers and cheese if you don’t like the stuffed peppers.”
He helps himself to one, and I impatiently await his verdict.
He closes his eyes as he chews for the longest time. “Delicious,” he finally says and I smile, glad to have his approval.
“Spicy,” he says and reaches for his glass of water.
I laugh. “You can’t handle spicy, Mr. Hanson?”
“Oh, I can.”
“Can I open the wine?” he asks.
I nod, and hand him the wine bottle opener. I watch him as he uncorks the wine, and pours us both a generous amount. Ethan is happily enjoying his orange juice.
We settle at the table and both watch Ethan inhale his small cubes of cheese and crackers. None of us say a word for the longest time. “So the other day…” I start. One of many great things about having a two-year old is that they can’t really understand anything you say. “With the tie… you do that a lot?”
A slow smile curves his lips. “I haven’t for years. I did occasionally… with my wife. She liked that kind of thing. A husband needs to keep bedroom activities interesting.”
I laugh. “I bet he does,” I tease. “So it’s not usually your thing.”
“I certainly don’t mind it,” he tells me. “But no… yet… when I saw you standing there, in front of my tie collection, I was suddenly very inspired. I don’t know what it is about you, but you inspire me to venture outside the ordinary.”
“All the boys say that about me,” I joke. Ironically, I’ve only been with one man.
He laughs. “I think it’s because you’re playful.”
I smile. “I am… I suppose. It used to get on Donovan’s nerves sometimes. He accused me of acting like a child more than once.”
“He was a serious type, was he?”
“Sometimes,” I say. “But he also had a great sense of humor. He could always make me laugh.”
“That’s key,” he says. “Bridget and I didn’t laugh often. It’s probably one of the reasons I turned to Mirella. She also had a childlike quality about her. She was never too serious… not until the end.”
Mirella.
“You really loved her, didn’t you?” I ask, a pang of jealousy at the pit of my stomach, jealousy over a woman I’ve never met, a happily married woman who lives hundreds of miles away.
“I did,” he admits. “And she broke my heart. And I believe I broke hers a little too.”
“I bet you did.”
Ethan throws his sippy cup on the floor, and we both bend down to retrieve it. We resurface and smile at each other.
“Tell me about her,” I say. “About Mirella… how is she doing?”
He smiles. “She’s happy. I can see it in the photos she shares. Her daughters are beautiful. Chloe looks like Gabe… that’s Mirella’s husband, and Claire looks more like her. They’re thirteen and eleven now, I believe. She still paints watercolors and teaches. She still visits often with her best friend. And she still collects brooches. She has a happy life. And I’m happy for her. We made the right decision. Both she and I.”
