Neither of us moved.
That was the first problem.
Because if one of us had stepped back—if one of us had chosen distance—this would have ended right there.
Clean.
Controlled.
Safe.
But we didn’t.
We stayed exactly where we were.
Close enough to feel it.
Not close enough to pretend we didn’t.
“You’re making this harder than it needs to be,” I said.
My voice was steady.
But it took more effort than I wanted to admit.
“I’m not making anything harder,” Ethan replied. “I’m keeping it simple.”
“This isn’t simple.”
“It is,” he said calmly. “You just don’t like the version of it that you created.”
That hit.
Not loudly.
Not sharply.
But enough.
“I didn’t create this alone.”
“No,” he agreed. “You didn’t.”
Silence stretched between us again.
But this time, it wasn’t empty.
It w
