The evening sunlight spilled through Ella’s office window as she watched Ethan gather his things. Her heart fluttered with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. It had been years since they had spent time together alone, just the two of them.
“You’re sure about this, right?” Ella asked as she leaned against her desk, arms crossed in a self-protective gesture.
Ethan paused, looking up from his bag with a reassuring smile. “Positive. Saturday it is. Just you and me. No kids, no distractions.”
Ella let out a small laugh, shaking her head. “I still can’t believe you’re trusting Victor with the kids. Are you sure he’s up for it?”
Ethan chuckled as he slung his bag over his shoulder. “Victor’s been pestering me about spending more time with Grace anyway. He’s great with kids; you’ll see. Besides, they’ll love him. He’s basically a big kid himself.”
Ella raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at her lips. “Leo and Liam might run circles around him. I hope he’s ready.”
“He’ll survive,” Ethan said confidently. “He needs to earn his ‘cool uncle’ badge anyway. Plus, I think it’ll be good for the kids to have some fun without us hovering over them.”
“Fair enough,” Ella conceded, her voice softening. “Saturday, then.”
As Ethan moved toward the door, she called after him. “Wait-are you picking up the kids today?”
He turned back, a playful smirk on his face. “Yep. I’ll take them out for some fun. You focus on your work.”
Ella hesitated, her fingers grazing the edge of her desk. “Are you sure? I can-”
“Ella,” Ethan interrupted, his tone firm but warm. “I’ve got this. You’ve been juggling everything on your own for too long. Let me take care of them for a while.”
His sincerity caught her off guard, and she found herself nodding. “Alright. Thank you.”
Ethan smiled, his brown eyes softening. “Anytime. You know that.”
With that, he left, the door closing softly behind him. Ella stood there for a moment, her thoughts swirling. A date with Ethan. It felt surreal, like stepping back into a part of her life she’d long buried.
She sighed and turned back to her desk, determined to finish her work. But her mind kept drifting to Saturday and what it might mean.
The day arrived faster than Ella expected. She stood in front of her closet, rifling through dresses and blouses, unsure of what to wear. Should she go casual or dress up? What kind of date was this, anyway?
After much deliberation, she settled on a simple yet elegant navy-blue dress that complemented her blue eyes. She paired it with a silver necklace and matching earrings, keeping her makeup minimal but polished.
When the doorbell rang, her heart skipped a beat. She took a deep breath and opened the door to find Ethan standing there, looking sharp in a tailored blazer and dark jeans. He held a single white rose, his signature grin lighting up his face.
“For you,” he said, offering the flower.
Ella couldn’t help but smile as she accepted it. “Thank you. You clean up nicely.”
“You’re one to talk,” Ethan replied, his gaze lingering on her. “You look amazing.”
Ella felt her cheeks warm under his gaze. “Come in for a minute. I want to make sure Victor has everything he needs.”
They walked into the living room, where Victor was already on the floor with Leo, Liam, and Grace, surrounded by an assortment of toys and board games. The kids were giggling as Victor dramatically pretended to lose a game of checkers.
“Uncle Victor, you’re terrible at this!” Liam teased, his laughter contagious.
“Hey, I’m letting you win!” Victor shot back, feigning offense.
Ella smiled at the scene. “Victor, are you sure you’re good with all three of them?”
Victor waved a dismissive hand. “Piece of cake. We’ve got movies, games, and plenty of snacks. Don’t worry about a thing.”
Ethan clapped a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Thanks, Victor. Just don’t feed them too much sugar, alright?”
“No promises,” Victor replied with a wink.
Ella gave the kids a quick hug, reminding them to behave, before grabbing her coat. As she and Ethan headed out, the sound of laughter followed them, easing some of her nerves.
Ethan had chosen a charming little bistro in the heart of the city, its cozy atmosphere perfect for an intimate evening. Soft jazz played in the background as they were seated at a table by the window.
“This place is lovely,” Ella remarked as she scanned the menu.
“I’m glad you like it,” Ethan said. “I wanted tonight to be special.”
They ordered their meals, and as the evening unfolded, their conversation flowed naturally. They talked about the kids, reminisced about old memories, and even shared a few laughs over some of their past misadventures.
“Do you remember that time we tried to assemble that bookshelf together?” Ethan asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
Ella groaned, laughing. “How could I forget? You insisted we didn’t need the instructions, and we ended up with extra pieces!”
“Hey, it stood for a solid three months before collapsing,” Ethan defended, grinning.
Their laughter drew a few glances from nearby tables, but they didn’t care. For the first time in years, Ella felt truly relaxed in Ethan’s presence.
As dessert arrived, the mood shifted slightly, turning more contemplative.
“Ella,” Ethan began, his tone serious. “I know I’ve said this before, but I’m sorry. For everything. For not seeing through Tania’s lies sooner, for not being there when you needed me most. I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”
Ella’s heart ached at the sincerity in his voice. She set down her fork, meeting his gaze. “Ethan, I’ve spent so much time being angry and hurt. But holding onto that isn’t helping anyone-not me, not the boys. I’m trying to move forward. That’s why I agreed to tonight.”
His eyes softened. “Does that mean there’s still a chance for us?”
Ella hesitated, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. “I don’t know. I care about you, Ethan. And I see how much you love the boys. But trust takes time to rebuild.”
“I’ll wait as long as it takes,” Ethan said earnestly. “You and the kids are my world, Ella. I’ll do whatever it takes to prove that to you.”
Their conversation was interrupted by the waiter bringing the check. Ethan paid without hesitation, and they left the bistro, walking side by side under the glow of the streetlights.
As they reached Ella’s car, Ethan turned to her. “Thank you for tonight. It meant a lot to me.”
Ella smiled, a mixture of hope and caution in her eyes. “It was nice. I’m glad we did this.”
He hesitated for a moment before leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her cheek. “Goodnight, Ella.”
“Goodnight, Ethan,” she replied softly.
As she drove home, Ella couldn’t stop replaying the evening in her mind. For the first time in years, she felt a flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, they could find their way back to each other.