Page 47 of A Certain Step (Midnights at Pemberley #1)

ETHAN

E than stood outside Willa’s apartment, leaning against the passenger side of his black Lexus like some eighties movie main character, waiting to whisk the heroine away.

He couldn’t wait to see her—to show her what was waiting for them at his family’s cabin, enthusiastically proud of himself for not blurting it out accidentally.

They both had last minute things they needed to get done before taking a few days off work, so Willa hadn’t stayed with him the night before.

She’d called him, wanting to say happy birthday at midnight, like he’d done when they were friends.

Devotedly sweet wishes had left her lips and settled in his heart.

She radiated when she stepped out, and he swore his heart expanded three sizes from eagerness.

He gawked at her, still in a state of wild incredulity that she was his.

Her hair was down with loose waves, and she wore a stunning semi-fitted emerald floral dress that stopped at the middle of her calves with white sneakers.

She had a couple of gold necklaces stacked together and a few rings, too.

She drew closer and leaped into his arms with such delicious force that his heart thrummed against his ch est. “Happy Birthday!” She squealed into his embrace.

Holding on firmly, he clutched her close. “Thank you, beautiful.”

When he released her, Willa kissed him like tomorrow would never come. It was formidable and deep, as if she were intentionally carving all her emotions into his bones.

“You look so gorgeous,” he groaned into her neck, breathing in the intoxicating scent of her perfume, kissing her there, once, twice.

A giggle soared from her throat, and his legs threatened to give out.

He took her weekender bag and opened the passenger door for her, delighting in the small curtsy she did, reading him like an open book splayed out in front of her.

She must’ve spotted the drinks in his console because she tipped her head with an eye roll.

“You got us coffee? It’s your birthday, remember? ”

“And you’re already the best gift, so…” he proclaimed.

She curved her lips inward.

He knew exactly what she was thinking.

“Scale of one to ten, how embarrassingly cheesy was that?” he asked.

She smiled wistfully, scrunching her nose in the process. “If you rehearsed it, it shoots up to a hundred. If it somehow just came to you, I’ll be generous and say five.”

“Dammit,” he uttered, closing the door lovingly. He popped the trunk, dropped her bag alongside his, and hurried to the driver’s seat.

“You rehearsed it, didn’t you?” she asked as he sat down.

“I didn’t rehearse it, no, but I thought about it.”

She let out a sweet laugh. “Fine, you get a pass since it’s your birthday.”

He exhaled a theatrical sigh of relief. Ethan started up the engine, and as soon as the car’s Bluetooth system re cognized his phone, it began playing from her all-time favorites playlist, a gloriously wild mix of happy and sad tracks she’d titled “Dreamy Days in a Treehouse.”

She turned from the screen to face him when she caught the first notes for Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves.” It was convenient considering the month they were in.

Laughing, he reached for her hand. “I swear I put it on shuffle.”

Willa entwined their fingers together and shook her head. “What on earth are you doing, Everett?”

“Driving to my parents’ place,” he answered plainly.

He smiled, looked to his left to check for oncoming traffic, and pulled out onto the road.

“You know that’s not what I was asking you,” Willa replied, squeezing his hand in hers.

Ethan tried again. “Attempting to ensure that an almost three-hour car ride goes smoothly and with music I know you like?”

“It’s your birthday, Ethan. Choose the music you want. Let me buy you coffee,” she exclaimed with an exasperated chuckle.

He chanced a glance at her. “And I want to make sure my girl is comfortable. Doesn’t that count for something?”

He caught her trying to hold back a smirk. “I can’t deal with you,” she declared.

“I love you, too, beautiful,” he responded.

Her cheeks flushed scarlet; she shook her head.

He adored doing this to her, knowing that all these small reactions were reserved just for him.

God, he couldn’t wait to show her what he had planned.

He was a kid on Christmas, realizing only now what it meant to love someone so fervently that their happiness would be all-consuming.

They stopped for gas and snacks: a box of Cheez-Its, Starburst jellybeans, and Dr. Pepper for good measure.

They geeked out over the music and lyrics, told stories about old family road trips, allowed comfortable beats of silence to stretch out between them, and affectionately argued about the Succession finale.

Again. Ethan would never let go of the fact that it should’ve been Roman.

Willa was a thousand percent “Team Darcy—Tom—and his failed marriage.” Her words.

“Okay, so, remember that first official date I wanted to take you on?” he specified.

She tipped her face to him, her legs crossed in her seat. “What about it?” she replied heartily.

“That’s where we’re going first. It’s near my parents’ place.”

Willa’s dimpled smile grew tenfold. “Are you going to finally tell me its significance? Or you’re waiting until we get there.”

“I’ll tell you when we get there,” he said, making a sharp left.

She pulled out her phone and snapped a quick photo of him.

“What was that?” he asked.

She shrugged and gave him a clipped but adorable reply. “You’ll see.”

After a few minutes, he pulled into a small plaza and parked in front of Caro Amico, an old Italian restaurant that’d been in the area for eighty-seven years now.

“Ooh, Italian?” Willa asked.

“Yes. I hope you’re good with that and weren’t craving something else.”

She bobbed her head emphatically. “I wanted pasta last night, so this is excellent.”

Good. This eased his nerves a bit. “Stay right there,” he said, then went over to open her door.

Willa smiled, swung her bag on her shoulder, and took his hand. “You’re really committing to this whole chiv alrous thing right now, aren’t you?”

“My grandpa would be rolling over in his grave if I didn’t,” he replied.

They strolled into the restaurant, hand in hand, and an older gentleman approached them at the door. “Welcome to Caro Amico. Table for two?”

“Yes, I should have a reservation under Ethan.”

The man looked at the notebook in front of him. “Ah, there you are. I see you.” He turned to the waitress standing by and handed her two menus. “Table seventeen on the patio,” he confirmed.

They sat down, and Willa peered up at him, brown eyes glinting with a hundred and one questions. She took his hand, skating her thumb across his knuckles. He was about to tell her the story when the waitress appeared to take their drink orders, to which they both asked for water.

Ethan clicked his tongue and laced their fingers together.

“It’s kind of cheesy. But this is where my paternal grandparents and parents had their first dates.

” He smiled, remembering his grandpa’s shining countenance as he told them the story.

“I don’t know if he was joking about it, but Nick and I both sort of held on to this belief like it was some unspoken rule in our family. ”

He wanted to capture the current look in Willa’s eyes in a photograph.

Ethan continued. “My grandpa believed this place was special. So, he said that we should only bring someone here when we’re certain they’re the one.”

Willa’s eyes welled up instantaneously. “Ethan…” she whispered, her voice low and reverential.

He leaned closer to her in the booth and cupped her cheek.

“You were rightfully scared of giving us a chance, Wills; our jobs are full of unpredictability, but I’ve never been mo re sure about anything else than my feelings for you.

You’re it for me. You always will be,” he paused.

“Plus, Caro Amico essentially translates to dear friend — best in my brain—and if that’s not some perfectly wild cosmic interference, then I don’t know what is.

So, yeah, that’s why I wanted to bring you here. ”

Tears pooled in the corner of her eyes. “You’re a dream. I don’t understand how any of this is real. But thank you for bringing me here. I love you with everything in me.”

He drew his lips to her forehead, staying there for a beat. He could swear he felt his grandparents watching over him like they were waiting and hoping for this moment.

He’d always felt particularly close to his grandpa but never quite understood how he’d always been happy until Ethan met Willa.

Callum Everett was many things, but he was, first and foremost, a man who revered his wife.

And now, at this very restaurant, Ethan fully understood the eminence of everlasting love.

Ethan’s insides were in knots. He was so damn nervous that it was making him nauseous.

What if she hated the surprise? What if she didn’t want it like this?

But she’d love it. He knew she would. He knew her.

Inside and out. Yet he couldn’t help the nerves simmering as they approached his family’s cabin.

Their date went perfectly.

But this. This was the moment he’d been waiting for.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the blindfolds. “Wills, I need a massive favor.”

“Name it, birthday boy.”

He passed the cloth to her. “Can you please put this on for me? I have a surprise for you.”

She rolled her eyes lo vingly. “Need I remind you again that it’s your birthday? You wouldn’t even let me pay at the restaurant!”

“Do you want to hear that cheesy line again about you being my greatest gift?”

She huffed dramatically and tied it across her eyes.

“Can you see?” Ethan asked.

Willa shook her head.

“Promise?”

“I swear it.”

“It’ll only be about a minute or so,” he added.

Taking a deep breath, he continued driving. He was positive that if she heard his heart pounding out of his chest, then she didn’t say anything. He was also thankful for Hozier blaring through the speakers.

He pulled up to the driveway and parked the car. “Don’t try to step out. It’s a little steep. I’ll get you.”

She nodded.

Ethan nearly jumped out of the car and opened the passenger door, guiding her out with his hands steadily around her elbows. When she was fully on the ground, he wrapped his arms around her shoulder and guided them toward the entrance.

“We’re approaching two stairs,” he said, watching as she lifted her leg alongside his. It resulted in a synchroneity that was as effortless as one of their dances. He let her go briefly as he opened the door and nudged her in.

“We’re going to the backyard for a second. Do you want to leave your bag here?” he asked.

Willa handed it to him. He hung it on a hook stand, then continued directing her movements with careful precision. “There’s a small stair here, so just make sure you step down,” he added. She moved as so, and they walked a few steps be fore Ethan stopped them.

He wrapped his arms around her from behind and held tightly for a moment. “You can open your eyes now,” he whispered in her ear.