Be Patient

Ethan

She reached up and brushed her fingers through my hair. "You look windblown."

"Does she hate me?" My stomach tightened at the thought, and I felt all of ten years old again. Needy and wishing someone cared enough about me to show up for one of my rehearsals or God forbid, a movie premier. My folks were too busy, and Liam was too young to get himself there.

"I don't think so, but you got a long road ahead of you, Ethan. She's got a lot of pent-up hurts in her life, and I think she's adding you to that list." Deza backed up and slipped her hands into the pockets of her dress. "And I know I've said it a million times, but I'm sorry."

"It's okay." I glanced around, checking for Riley again. "Just help me fix the parts that you can. I'll try my best to do the rest, and if it doesn't work, then that's on me." I shrugged as if it didn't mean anything to lose out on possibly the best thing that had ever happened to me in my life.

"Don't do that." She reached out and gripped my wrist, pu