"I don't think anyone could ever think that about you, Rebecca. I watched the way you handled yourself in the courtroom. You were no-nonsense. Even I was afraid to mess with you."
"You should've been."
Ethan smiled at me.
"What?" I said.
"Nothing. Keep going, I'm listening."
"I don't know that there's much more to tell. I still live in Pelican Beach. I bought a house about five or six years ago. It gave me the space and privacy that I needed, but yet it's close enough to family. I'm a workaholic, but I'd like to think it's helping me stay on my A-game, and it helps me fine-tune my craft."
"Boring!" he said.
"Excuse me?"
"You shouldn't center your whole life around work. Don't get me wrong, be thankful that you're blessed enough to have a job. But there's more to life than just work."
"Like what? What do you do outside of work that's worth talking about?"
"Well, one of the reasons I moved back here was to be closer to my family. I missed out on a lot of precious time with them by living in California after school. I can't get the time back, but I can start being more intentional about spending time together before it's too late."
Ethan was right. Our folks were growing older, and the family dynamic had changed over time. Looks like he had more depth to him than I was initially giving him credit for.
"Then there's my personal hobbies. I like to play golf to help me unwind. It's kind of fun getting out there and working on improving my game whenever I have some downtime."
"That's nice."
"Do you have any hobbies?" he asked.
"Not really. I like to work out to relieve stress. That's about it. Lately, I've been thinking about getting into property investment, but for now, it's just another avenue I'm exploring. Nothing really definitive."
"That's the go-getter, I know. Lawyer by day and real estate mogul by night."
"Now that you put it that way it sounds exhausting just thinking about it."
"I bet you it is exhausting." He teased. “If you don't mind me asking, are you seeing someone?"
Ethan picked up a shell to trace in the sand as he waited for my response.
"No. My options are looking kind of scarce these days."
“You’re kidding me. The guys used to follow you around Pelican High like you were a celebrity. To this day, I'm surprised that I ever had the privilege of calling you my girlfriend. You could've easily chosen to be with anyone. What happened?"
"Your guess is just as good as mine. Perhaps I'm too independent, or too much of a go-getter. I'd like to think one's success wouldn't influence their relationship status, but I don't know."
"Maybe you just haven't met the right one."
"Now you sound like my mother. She's always talking about how he's out there preparing himself for me. And how I need to be focused on becoming the best me I can be for him. That sounds good and all, but the bottom line is marriage may not be for me. Sometimes you just have to be willing to accept the facts and call it what it is."
"Interesting," Ethan said.
"What's interesting?"
"I've battled with similar thoughts, especially with the possibility of remaining single because I haven't met the right one. However, my version is slightly different. I like to think more like your mother. She's out there, it just has to be the right timing. Everything I'm experiencing during the "in-between" time is preparation, that's all."
"Do you think you'll be saying the same thing if you're still single ten or twenty years from now?"
"Guess I'll have to cross that bridge when I get to it."
Ethan kicked a bit of sand over my feet in a playful manner before suggesting that we take a walk to grab something to drink.
"So, tell me about how things are going with the family. Do your parents still own the Inn?"
"Sadly, they sold it last year. My parents had to retire. Mainly due to my dad's health."
"Is he okay?"
"At the time of his retirement, he had what they considered to be early signs of dementia. It's progressed since then, so of course, my mom is always worried."
"Man, I'm sorry to hear that."
"Thanks, he still lives at home with Mom. Some days are better than others. He refuses to allow her to get extra help, and at this point, mom still listens. I often wonder how long they can keep that up, but for now, it works."
"Please give them my regards. I always felt like your family was my family. Your parents always welcomed me like I was one of their own."
"They sure did."
My parents never stopped loving Ethan and always hoped he would return home. If I'd let her, mom would go on and on about how wonderful Ethan is in her eyes. The family had a deep affection for him and treated him like he was one of the Matthews.
"As for my sisters, I'd say they're doing rather well for themselves as well. Payton opened a new photography business recently. It's just a few miles from here. And Abby stays at home with my niece, Maggie, and my nephew, Aidan. Her husband, Wyatt Holden, works in our building. You may have come across him a time or two."
"The name sounds familiar. I think I remember Wyatt. Wasn't he and Abby there at your house the night of our prom?"
"Yes, they were as a matter of fact. You have a pretty good memory."
“Are you and Abby still at odds all the time?"
"I'd like to think we've learned how to get along better, but sometimes we still have our moments. Hey, for somebody who's been gone a long time, you sure did remember a whole lot."
Ethan was like the kid you grew up with since elementary school who knew everything about you and could tell all of your
