Ethan D'Angelo had been dying to ask Sophie the question burning in his mind since their unforgettable kiss in the rain. But every time he opened his mouth to bring it up, Sophie distracted him—whether it was with her sarcastic quips, her adorable eye rolls, or simply existing.
But today, Ethan was determined.
It was Sunday morning, and Sophie was curled up on his couch with a mug of coffee, her hair a glorious mess, and her face buried in a book. Ethan, lounging beside her, cleared his throat dramatically.
"I've been patient, Sophie."
"Hmm?" she hummed, flipping a page.
"But I need to know—what were you doing in the rain that day? You were in the middle of nowhere, completely drenched."
Her fingers froze on the page. Slowly, she closed the book and turned to him, her expression a mix of surprise and reluctance. "You want to know?"
"Yes. It's been driving me crazy!" Ethan leaned closer, his eyes locked on hers. "Why were you out there? Tell me."
Sophie sighed, setting her coffee aside. "Fine, but don't laugh."
Ethan raised his hands. "Scout's honor."
Sophie gave him a skeptical look but began.
---
She explained how she had been following a trail of clues, pieces of a puzzle about her biological mother. A faded photograph, a half-torn letter, and an address scrawled on the back of an old postcard had led her to the small, desolate town where Ethan had found her.
"I thought I'd find answers," Sophie said, her voice tinged with frustration. "But when I got there, it was a dead end. The house was abandoned, and the neighbors didn't know anything. I was just... so lost. Literally and emotionally."
Ethan's expression softened as she spoke. He reached for her hand, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "You didn't tell me you were going through all this."
Sophie shrugged, trying to play it off. "It wasn't a big deal. I didn't want to bother you with it."
"Sophie," Ethan said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "From now on, you don't get to do things like this alone. We're a team. If you're chasing clues about your mother, I'm chasing them with you."
Her heart skipped a beat at his words. "Ethan, you don't have to—"
"I want to," he interrupted, his gaze intense. "You've been there for me through everything, even when I didn't deserve it. Let me be there for you now."
---
Romantic Chaos
Sophie blinked, overwhelmed by the sincerity in his eyes. "Ethan..."
He leaned closer, his hand cupping her cheek. "No more secrets, okay?"
"Okay," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
And then he kissed her, slow and deliberate, as if sealing a promise. Sophie felt her heart race, her hands instinctively gripping his shirt. When they finally pulled apart, she was breathless.
"You're really bad at subtlety," she teased, trying to lighten the mood.
"Subtlety is overrated," Ethan said with a smirk.
---
Funny Interruption
Just as the moment grew more intense, the front door burst open, and Zoe's voice rang out.
"Ethan! Did you eat my leftover pizza?!"
Sophie jumped back like a guilty teenager caught sneaking out, her face redder than a tomato.
Zoe sauntered into the room, completely ignoring the romantic tension in the air. She spotted Sophie and grinned. "Oh, hey, Sophie. Didn't know you were here. Or maybe I did," she added with a sly wink.
"Zoe," Ethan groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Do you ever knock?"
"Why? It's my house too." She plopped onto the couch and grabbed Sophie's coffee, taking a sip before grimacing. "Ugh, black coffee? You're a psycho."
Sophie buried her face in her hands while Ethan tried to shove Zoe off the couch.
---
Wrapping Up
After Zoe's dramatic exit, Ethan turned back to Sophie, his expression soft.
"I mean it, Sophie. We'll figure this out together. Whatever it takes."
She looked at him, her chest tight with emotion. "Thank you, Ethan. That means a lot."
As they settled back onto the couch, Ethan pulled her close, his arm draped around her shoulders. For the first time in a long time, Sophie felt like she wasn't carrying the weight of the world alone.
And while the road ahead was uncertain, with Ethan by her side, she felt ready to face it.