Page 65 of Boss and Brat

Carter spoke. “We should talk about… how we act in public.”

Ethan’s stomach dipped, sharp and unwelcome. “Yeah. I figured.”

Carter leaned against the counter, arms crossed, looking steady but not relaxed. “We gotta be careful.”

Ethan nodded fast. “I know. I don’t want my father finding out.”

Carter’s jaw tightened. “He won’t.”

“You don’t know that,” Ethan said. “If he finds out, he’ll fire you. Or worse. He’ll make both our lives hell. He always does.”

Carter shook his head. “He’s not firing me.”

Ethan frowned. “Sometimes, I think we’re not talking about the same person. How can you be so sure?”

“There’s another deal between us,” Carter said. “Something I can’t talk about yet. But he needs me. More than he lets on.”

Ethan stared at him, confused and a little scared. “What kind of deal?”

Carter shook his head again. “Not now. Just trust me.”

Ethan did. Maybe too much.

He swallowed hard. “So… what do we do?”

Carter rubbed the back of his neck, looking like he wished he had a better answer. “We keep things quiet. No touching in public. No looks that’ll get people talking. No slipping up around the ranch hands.”

Ethan nodded, even though the words stung. “Okay.”

“And around your father?” Carter added. “We act normal. The same as before.”

“I don’t want him to hurt you.”

Carter’s eyes softened. “He won’t.”

Ethan wasn’t convinced. His father had a way of destroying anything he didn’t approve of. And Ethan had never given him a reason to approve of anything.

Trying to shake off the heaviness, Ethan stood abruptly. “I’m gonna make us ice cream sodas.”

Carter blinked, surprised. “Ice cream sodas?”

“Yeah,” Ethan said, already heading to the kitchen. “My sister and I used to make them when we were stressed.”

Carter let out a soft laugh. “Guess we qualify.”

Ethan scooped ice cream into tall glasses, added soda, stirred until it fizzed up the sides. His hands were steadier now. Doing something helped. It made the world feel less like it was tilting under him.

He carried the drinks into the living room, where Carter had settled on the couch, staring at the floor like he was trying to solve a puzzle with no picture on the box.

Ethan handed him a glass. “Here.”

Carter took it, their fingers brushing. The touch sent a warm jolt through Ethan’s chest.

They sat side by side, sipping their sodas, the room quiet except for the soft clink of a spoon with scrooping ice cream and the hum of the fridge in the kitchen.

Ethan kept sneaking glances at Carter.

Carter kept sneaking glances at him.