Page 40 of Chasing Hope
‘Aren't you supposed to call out the devil’s name thrice before he makes an appearance?’ Ethan flung back.
‘True. That’s why you’re already here,’ Aarav said and threw a beer can at Ethan’s chest. Ethan wasn’t quick enough and the can hit his chest. He winced, rubbing off the sting.
‘Ha! And they say you have killer instincts.’ Aarav quipped and sank into the chair beside Ethan. ‘Does your mask have supernatural powers? Because without it you seem incompetent,’ he said, throwing a pretend punch at Ethan. Ethan dealt with Aarav’s theatrics like he always did. By ignoring the douche.
‘What’s for lunch?’ Ethan asked, as he took a swig of his beer.
‘There’s mutton gravy, long grain rice, banoffee pie and Grandma’s world-famous focaccia bread.’ Ethan drew in another aromatic breath. It amazed him how the senses worked in connection with his memories. His heart flipped as an image of his mother and grandma baking together burst out from memory. Aarav wiggled his eyebrows. Ethan shook his head and trudged out of his thoughts. ‘And therewerechicken wings,’ Aarav said, patting his stomach.
Ethan raised a single denouncing brow. ‘You polished off an entire trayful of chicken wings?’ Aarav beamed as if he was worthy of an entry in the Guinness World Records. Ethan shrugged. Regardless of how much the jerk gobbled down, he had the body of a Roman soldier. He had so much cardio going on each night with his dates that he could eat a whale and yet end up looking like he pumped iron for a living. He changed girlfriends at the speed of an infant exhausting a packet of diapers. The nutjob's only imperfection was that he refused to commit to anything, except his profession. Thank God for small mercies.
Shifting in his seat Ethan gave Aarav a side-eye. ‘I fired Hope,’ he said, trying to keep his tone neutral.
Aarav twisted around in his seat and gave Ethan his full-on creepy attention. ‘And how did that work out for you?’ A corner of Ethan’s mouth turned up and he took a large sip emptying his can. ‘No freaking way! You’re one lucky bastard,’ Aarav laughed uproariously, reading Ethan’s expressions. They had known each other for so many damn years that they could practically read each other's minds. Over the years so many unspoken messages had spun out between them that did not require any explanation. ‘You shitting me. How did a situation like this work in your favour?’ A snicker escaped him while Ethan recalled the un-fucking-believable night he had.
When Hope said she would make him pay, she wasn’t kidding. Sex with Hope was always fun and, most of all, innovative. Like her vibrant personality. Ethan expected a series of hate-fucks. But instead he got slow, turning-your-mind-to-goop-and-nearly-driving-you-to-a-heart-attack sex. By the end of it he was afraid every bone in his body had cracked with the impact of white-hot lust exploding within him. Each time her mellow brown eyes connected with his, the storm in them made his heart somersault like a car flipping out of control in a high-speed chase. Last night hit different. For all his “I’m not into it for the long haul” act, Ethan wished the night would last forever. Every time he drove Hope over the edge, she moaned his name and an unexplainable need to never let go of her weaved its way around his heart. Her soft kisses and supple body worked their charm on him and he kissed her back with a desperation that shocked him.
‘Ok, so when are you going to tell her that you love her?’ Aarav asked, snapping Ethan out of his thoughts. Shoulders stiff, he fought the insane urge to let his heart decide for itself.
‘There’s no point. It’s not going to work out between us anyways.’ He shot to his feet and his hands curled around the wooden fence.
Instead of acting out like his usual self, Aarav surprised Ethan by popping a foot over the other knee and relaxing in his chair. ‘Shit is gonna happen, man. Either you grab a surfboard and ride that crazy-ass wave or you let it crash into you.’
‘You’re an idiot.’
‘Of course I talk like an idiot; how else would you understand me?’
Having said that, Aarav gave a superior shrug, acting as if he was the one who invented electric vehicles.
Nonetheless, Aarav was right. Alas, none of the above options worked for Ethan. It was a no-brainer that he was in love with Hope. Actually, he was in love with her long before they got into the physical act. He had bottled it all up inside. She irritated, infuriated and confused the shit out of him. But she also made his heart race in a good way. No doubt, she was a pain in the ass. Much like the sweet pain one felt after a satisfying workout session. Each time Hope popped into his head, Ethan’s heart juddered like an old engine. No matter what happened he couldn’t disclose the fact to Hope. The fact that he was incurably in love with her.
This life he chose had turned him into a nocturnal creature. There were so many unanswered questions that still haunted him. Had he made amends for his mother’s death? Was he ready to let go of the past crippling his soul? Would destiny allow him a chance at happiness? For once he tuned out the noise and listened to his heart. And it screamed out to him to let Hope in. To give up this anguished need for retribution.
He heaved a sigh.
Instead of him chasing Hope, she was after him, chasing his heart.
***
‘Grandma, I’m so stuffed. I need to double, or most likely triple my workout tonight to burn off the extra calories,’ Aarav said and winked at Ethan from across the table. Ethan gave him a lopsided grin. There was no hope left for the screwball.
‘Son, it’s a pleasure to cook for you boys.’ Martha showered the weasel with a smile holding the warmth of a hundred suns. Such a waste of a genuine smile. Ethan shook his head and got back to stuffing himself with a spoon full of the flavoursome rice. ‘I wish I could do your kind of workout. It would help keep me in shape,’ Martha said, letting out a forlorn sigh. Aarav spat out water and Ethan coughed on his next bite. ‘Oh dear, are you boys okay?’ Concerned for them, Martha patted each of their backs in turn. Ethan glared at Aarav who ducked his head to hide his grin. ‘Rest assured boys, I wouldn’t do anything vigorous. Maybe some light sessions keeping my age in mind. Something that will excite and make me happy and satisfied by the end of it.’ Not the dining table conversation Ethan had in mind.
Ethan kicked Aarav under the table. ‘Shithead, thanks for ruining my appetite.’
‘In that case you won’t be needing this.’ Aarav snagged the last piece of pie, stuffing it in his mouth. ‘Your loss,’ he spoke over a mouthful of pie.
‘Disgusting piece of shit.’
Phoenix gazed up at Martha with admiration. She grinned and slid a dollop of cream from the pie into Phoenix’s bowl. ‘Grandma, you’ll make him fat. Golden retrievers are prone to putting on weight easily. We can’t afford to spoil him with treats.’ Ethan narrowed his eyes at Phoenix. The brat avoided eye contact and scooted closer to Martha’s chair.
‘Alright. I’m sorry,’ she said and gave Phoenix a boiled chicken breast instead. One sniff of the tasteless meat made Phoenix scrunch up his face. He sighed mournfully as if Ethan had taken from him his last chance at happiness.
‘Stop giving me those doleful eyes. It ain't going to change my mind,’ Ethan laughed.
He pushed back his chair and circled the table, moving into the open kitchen. He kept his plate in the sink and turned around to face them. His hips rested against the counter and he crossed his arms. His eyes twinkled. ‘Grandma, as a note of thanks, Aarav insisted he wash the dishes.’
Martha began to shake her head. Thrown off guard, Aarav threw a panicked look around the table. The spread Martha had put out could feed a dozen wrestlers returning from a practice session. And Aarav had swiped three quarters of the food. So it was only fair that he did the dishes. As it happened, Aarav was the “eat out of the box” kinda guy. He’d even mastered the art of eating with chopsticks because he did not have to bother with washing a spoon.
