Firebird (The Flint Hills Novels) by Graham Janice

Author:Graham, Janice [Graham, Janice]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Publisher: Janice Graham Books
Published: 2013-07-17T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Annette awoke in the pitch dark to the sound of her name—Annie. Only her mother had ever called her Annie. She lay awake, listening, but she heard only the wind. She had fallen asleep in Ethan's arms.

She rose and pulled on her jeans.

Ethan stirred and mumbled, "I'm sorry, I fell asleep. What time is it?" He stroked the side of her arm while she put on her boots.

"I don't know. But I need to go."

"I should have set an alarm."

She found her cell phone in her coat pocket. "It's not yet ten. Nell hasn't called, so I guess everything's okay."

She pulled out her hairbrush and sat on the edge of the bed and brushed her hair. "Will you stay here?"

"Yeah."

"You're not going home tonight?"

"Nope."

"You haven't talked to her yet."

"No."

"She's making wedding plans."

"Yeah."

"Ethan, we can't go on until you do."

"I know." He sat up. "Can you drive okay? You want me to follow you into town?"

"I'll be fine." She turned and kissed him.

"Will you be out here tomorrow?"

"I was planning on it."

"Then I'll come by around lunchtime," he said. "I want you to drive with me to see the house."

"You'll talk to Katie Anne?"

"I will."

"Good."

Ethan lay awake and worried about her after she had gone. He thought he'd arrive early the next evening and start a fire in the fireplace, and he'd bring some sheets and blankets. It struck him that he had never bothered with this kind of thing before. Not ever. Not for any woman.

Ethan went back to Katie Anne's place the next morning. She was standing in the kitchen in her bathrobe heating water as he walked in. Ethan sat down at the table.

"Do you mind telling me what the hell is going on? Is that too much to ask?" she said.

"We have to talk," he replied.

"No. Correction. You're gonna talk."

She turned away to pour steaming water into a mug, then tore open a tea bag and immersed it in the water.

"I can't do this," he said.

Momentarily, she froze. "Can you please be a little more clear?"

"I can't marry you. I wish I could, but I can't."

Then, calmly, she poured out the tea, turned and walked away from him; she went into the bedroom and closed the door.

He tried the door but it was locked.

"Katie Anne, let me say what I've got to say. Please." He rattled the door. "I'm not the man for you. You know I'm not. I just can't love you the way you deserve to be loved."

There was no answer. Finally he went to the guest bathroom to take a shower, and when he came out she was standing at his desk in the living room looking over the blueprints of his new house.

"Where did you spend the night?" she asked.

"At my house."

"You slept on the floor?"

"Yeah."

She stared at him, waiting for him to destroy her world, and when he didn't have anything else to say, she grasped at the silence and held on for dear life.

"Ethan, I know you're scared. I know you, baby.

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