Bittersweet Expectations (Hate at First Flight #0.5)

37. Pure Attraction & Hesitation

Julie's words stuck with me as I stood there watching their car drive off.

It took me a while to realize my feelings...

Even though I tried to brush it off, her words had me standing where I was and pondering over them long enough that the sky had slowly turned into an orange hue as the sun started to set in the distance.

Why was I pondering over them?

I knew for sure that whatever it was that I felt towards Ethan Clarke, it was nowhere close to what she was insinuating.

If anything, the only word that seemed fitting at the moment was ... attraction.

That's it. No more. No less.

Pure attraction.

Something was as normal and mundane as breathing air.

After all, Ethan Clarke is attractive and the great majority female population would have the same reaction to him as I was currently experiencing.

Satisfied with my conclusion, I turned back around to head back inside. The solar lights had since turned on, lighting my path.

My eyes lingered on the second floor but there was no one there looking down.

The house was doused in darknees when I entered it. I turned on the lights only to stop short when I noticed Ethan Clarke sitting out in the patio.

His back was to me and he was nursing a glass of cognac. He gave no sign that he knew of my presence and knowing how the brunch had ended earlier, I decided not to bother him.

I headed for the kitchen and started to clean up. Julie had insisted on helping earlier before leaving but I had brushed her off given how she had done the cooking.

After washing all the dishes and drying them, I started to wipe down the counter, my mind lingering on her offer earlier.

If she had given me the same offer weeks ago, I would've jumped at it eagerly without a moment's hesitation.

It was all that I'd been hoping for since graduation and even once I had moved to New York.

But...

I sighed as I wringed the towel in the sink.

Why was I hesitating?

Was it really because of Ethan Clarke?

The same Ethan Clarke that had me asking Leah if she could get me a position anywhere else?

My phone rang, breaking me out of my thoughts. I answered it and put it on speaker since my hands were wet.

"Hi Leah," I answered.

"Hi love, how's your Sunday going?"

"Good," I replied. "Yours?"

"Great. I just called to let you know about an opening."

I tried not to laugh at her timing. It was as if she had read my mind.

"Yes, Julie already told me about it."

"And?" I must've hesitated too long because she called out my name again. "Ash you still there?"

"Yes, yes I'm still here."

"You'll take the position, right?"

"I haven't made up my mind yet. There's... a lot to consider."

"A lot?" Leah laughed. "Did something change since the last time we spoke about it?" There was a hint of curiosity behind her tone.