Page 120 of When We Ignite

“I missed you too,” I told him, smiling as I pulled away.

Something warm curled in my chest—something entirely tied to him, to the small, rare curve of his lips. I sighed and left to find pillows and a blanket.

CHAPTER TWENTY

ETHAN

When I woke up, sunlight was already streaming into the room. The TV was still on, its low drone filling the silence. Sebastian was half-sitting beside me, his arm draped over my shoulders while my head rested on his chest. He looked peaceful, his face softened in sleep. I blinked a few times to clear the haze and carefully stretched, trying not to disturb him.

I slipped off the couch and checked on Henry, who was still fast asleep. Afterward, I headed to the bathroom to splash water on my face. When I came back out, a soft knock sounded at the door. I opened it to find Oliver standing there, a pair of bags in his hands and his brows slightly arched when he saw me.

“Hey, E,” he said, his expression shifting into a small frown.

“Hey, Oli,” I replied, feeling a flush creep up my neck. I stepped aside to let him in. “Do you need help with these?” I asked, gesturing to the bags.

He handed me one and headed toward the kitchen. “How’s Henny?”

“Still asleep,” I said, setting the bag on the counter. “He woke up feeling sick last night—threw up a couple of times. Ash helped him change. They’re both still sleeping. I just checked on him.”

Oliver nodded, his shoulders relaxing slightly.

“I still feel bad about yesterday,” I admitted. “Ash told me I could leave, but I wanted to stay and make sure Henry was okay.”

“That’s nice of you, E.”

I hesitated, shifting on my feet before speaking again. “I’m really sorry about what happened. We were just talking, and I brought all this stuff up for him. I want you to know I have his back too, okay? Henry and I are friends. I’m not going to treat him differently or tell anyone about it.”

Oliver’s lips curved into a small smile. “Thank you,” he said simply. “Ethan?—”

“I’m not only doing it for Ash. I know you know about it, about what was going on between us. I really like him, Oli, but I understand why you’re not okay with it. I get it even more now. But Ash has never forced me into anything. If anything, he’s been incredibly patient—he’s always waited for me to come to him, not the other way around.”

Oliver pressed his lips together, his disapproval written all over his face. “What are you trying to tell me?”

“I’m saying I hope you’ll be okay with it one day, even if it takes years. I don’t think I’m going to change my mind about him. And I hope he won’t either,” I said, meeting his gaze.

Oliver leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms as he studied me. His eyes scanned my face, his jaw tight as he bit the inside of his cheek. “Did you really stop?”

I froze, torn between honesty and protecting Sebastian. Instead of answering, I said nothing.

Before the silence could stretch too long, Henry shuffled into the kitchen, interrupting us. “I hope you brought fries,” he said, his voice hoarse but teasing.

Oliver dropped his arms and turned to his brother, concern flickering across his face. “I did. How are you doing?”

“I’ve felt better, Oli, but I’m fine. Just a little mental breakdown—nothing to worry about,” Henry replied casually, opening the bag and pulling out a carton of fries. “Yes,” he muttered approvingly, stuffing a handful into his mouth as he wandered into the living room.

Oliver and I grabbed the rest of the bags and followed him.

Sebastian was rubbing his face with his hands, looking like he hadn’t slept much. When he glanced up and saw Oliver, his expression sharpened briefly before softening again.

“Morning, Oli. Are you taking the next shift? I need to head out,” Sebastian said, stretching as he stood.

“I can stay until midday,” Oliver replied. “I have a lunch meeting before I head home, but you can come with me,” he added, looking at Henry.

Henry scoffed, rolling his eyes. “I’m a grown adult. I know how to nurse a hangover. Stop fussing over me and get back to your lives,” he said, biting into another fry.

“I’m still staying for a while. I can work from here,” Oliver insisted, earning another eye roll from Henry.

“Good,” Sebastian said. “Let me give you a ride home,” he added, turning to me.