CEO Single Dad Falls For Her, Never Expected She’d Love His Kids Like Her Own
Chapter 8
One rainy evening, Noah asked Ethan a difficult question.
“Dad?”
“Yes?”
“Are you going to marry Ava?”
Ethan nearly dropped his coffee.
“Why would you ask that?”
“Because Lily says you look at her differently.”
Ethan looked toward the hallway.
“Lily said that?”
Noah nodded.
“She says you’re smiling more.”
Ethan laughed.
“Your sister notices too much.”
Noah leaned closer.
“Do you love her?”
Ethan paused.
“Yes.”
Noah smiled.
“Good.”
“Why?”
“Because I love her too.”
Ethan looked at him.
Then Noah asked:
“Can she stay?”
Ethan swallowed.
“I hope so.”
The next day, Ethan took Ava to dinner.
Not a business dinner.
Not a family dinner.
Just them.
He told her everything.
His fear.
His guilt.
His feelings.
Ava listened.
Then she said:
“I love you too.”
Ethan smiled.
“But?”
“There is no but.”
She held his hand.
“I love your children too.”
His expression changed.
“Don’t say that because you think I want to hear it.”
“I don’t.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“I didn’t fall in love with a CEO.”
“No?”
“No.”
“With a man who forgets to eat.”
He laughed.
“Fair.”
“With a father who works too much.”
“Also fair.”
“With a man who tries to fix everything.”
“I can stop.”
“You can’t.”
She squeezed his hand.
“And I fell in love with the children who made you softer.”
Ethan looked at her.
“I thought you were going to say they made me difficult.”
“They did that too.”
He laughed.
Then Ava’s expression became serious.
“I need you to understand something.”
“What?”
“If we do this, I’m not here because of your money.”
“I know.”
“And I’m not here to replace Claire.”
“I know.”
“And I’m not going to pretend everything will be easy.”
“I know.”
She smiled.
“Then maybe we have a chance.”
