Ethan
So I was going to a ball with Vict—no, Lady Harrington—and going dancing with Samantha. I had not been on a date since before my ex-wife dumped me. And now suddenly I didn't have one date but two. Though I wasn't sure I could count Samantha's, still my life had become very strange in the last few hours.
Wasn't I supposed to be camping? What am I doing?
I glanced up from the stove as Samantha walked into the kitchen. She almost made me drop what I was holding. She looked amazing, wearing a pair of dark skinny jeans that hugged her legs, hips, and butt perfectly, a fitted plaid shirt that accentuated her figure, left a bit of her stomach exposed, and a wide leather belt that added a touch of rugged charm. Her brown cowboy boots completed the look, making her seem both effortlessly stylish and ready for anything.
I smiled as she approached. "You look great, Samantha," I said, meaning every word.
Samantha's cheeks flushed a light pink, and she quickly glanced down at the counter as if she needed to busy herself with something. "Thanks, Ethan," she replied, her voice softer than usual. "Just trying to blend in with the country vibe."
If she was trying to blend in, she was doing a terrible job—she stood out in the best possible way. But I didn't say that; instead, I turned back to the pizza dough I was rolling out, trying to ignore the strange flutter in my chest.
The girls soon came into the kitchen, their energy filling the space with laughter and excitement. They were clearly having a blast, and it warmed my heart to see them so happy. Lily and Maya were chatting about their day, and they barely took a breath before pulling out their phones to show Victoria all the pictures they had taken.
"Look, Aunt Victoria, here's one of us with Samantha by the old fountain," Lily said, holding up her phone. "And this one is when we tried on her silly hats!"
"Hey!" Samantha said. "Those were not silly; they were Prada!"
Maya shook her head. Lily laughed. "They had feathers, Sam! They were silly!"
Victoria leaned in, her eyes lighting up as she scrolled through the pictures. "These are wonderful, girls. It looks like you had such a fun day."
"We did!" Maya chimed in. "And wait until you see the pictures we posted. Everyone's loving them!"
I chuckled to myself as I watched them. Social media wasn't my thing, but it clearly brought them a lot of joy. As long as they were happy and safe, I couldn't complain.
Still, I needed to make sure that parent lock stuff was working. The internet is a dangerous place.
Samantha moved closer to the counter, grabbing a plate to help me with the pizzas. I caught a whiff of her perfume—something floral and sweet, but not overpowering. It made me glance at her again. Her butt was amazing. I was a sucker for a woman with some curves, and Samantha had them in spades. She caught me looking and smiled, her cheeks still tinged with that light blush.
I returned the smile and handed her a slice of pizza. "I hope you're hungry."
She laughed, taking the plate from me. "Starving."
We all sat down to eat, and the kitchen was soon filled with the sounds of happy chatter and laughter. The girls took pictures of everything, even the pizza, and the joy I felt at how much they were enjoying themselves was indescribable. Victoria joined in the fun, leaning over to take a selfie with the girls, and even I was roped into a few group shots.
After we'd polished off the pizzas, I went back to the kitchen to retrieve the main event: THE PIE. It was something I made only on special occasions—a triple chocolate coffee pie that was rich enough to make your teeth hurt but impossible to resist. The girls' eyes lit up the moment they saw it, and I couldn't help but grin.
"You really outdid yourself, Dad!" Maya exclaimed as I placed the pie in the center of the table.
"I've been waiting for my whole life," Lily added, practically bouncing in her seat.
Samantha leaned in, her eyes wide with curiosity. "THE PIE, huh? What makes it so special?"
"Just wait until you taste it," I said with a wink. "It's a secret recipe, so I can't give away all the details, but let's just say it's worth every calorie."
The women let out a collective "ooh" and "ahh" as I sliced into the pie, the rich chocolate filling oozing out with just the right amount of gooeyness. I served everyone a slice, and the room fell silent as they took their first bites.
"This is… incredible," Samantha finally said, her voice full of genuine awe. "I've never tasted anything like it."
Victoria nodded in agreement, her eyes wide with surprise. "Ethan, this is absolutely divine. I think you just earned my hand in marriage…"
I shrugged, feeling a little bashful under their praise. "I'm just glad you like it. It's something special I like to make for the girls."
As the meal wound down and everyone was thoroughly stuffed with pizza and pie, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. Pulling it out, I glanced at the screen and felt my stomach drop. It was a text from Sarah, and the tone was unmistakably angry.
Why are the girls in Silver Ridge? Call me immediately.
I stared at the message for a moment, the familiar knot of frustration tightening in my chest. I didn't want to deal with this right now, not when the girls were so happy and things were going so well. I slipped the phone back into my pocket, deciding to ignore it for the time being. Sarah could wait. I wasn't going to let her ruin this moment for us.
"Everything okay?" Samantha asked, noticing the brief change in my expression.
I forced a smile and nodded. "Yeah, everything's fine. Just some work stuff. Nothing that can't wait."
She gave me a sympathetic look but didn't press further, and for that, I was grateful. The last thing I wanted was to bring any negativity into this evening.
"Let's clean up and get ready for tonight," I said, trying to shake off the lingering tension. "The Rusty Spur awaits."
The girls cheered at the mention of the bar, their excitement contagious. As we cleared the table and washed the dishes, I found myself looking forward to the night ahead. A little country music, some good company—it might just be exactly what I needed.