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“Lexie, can we please go someplace private?” Ethan asked

“Sure,” I said with a shrug “As long as it’s not outside”

I’d about frozen onna beher to the Arctic Circle

Ethan reached out, as if to touch ht lead me someplace, and I jerked backward This was all really hard Harder, actually, than I’d thought it would be Because this place was so pretty and his father was sitting right there Because he was as handsome as I remembered And he smelled the same, like pine trees

And I’d liked him So much

And he’d been hoping to never see ain

His htened and he stepped back, his arm out “This way,” he said And I squeezed past him toward a pretty little room off the lobby

“Ethan,” his father said when he ht he couldn’t hear me

“I’ it, Dad”

“Not very well Your mother—”

“I know”

I lifted

Ethan stepped in behindhis tiure out what to say to me

“You guys really like Christ in the roouys film those Hallmark Christmas movies here? Because you totally could It’s like Christmas threw up all over this place”

“Lexie,” he said quietly “Are we really married?”

I nodded because the seriousness on his face was throwing me off “You don’t believe me?”

“I don’t—”

I pulled out the licenses and the e certificate I found in the botto after he left and handed them over to him He studied them, his brow furrowed

“I’,” I said

“I didn’t think you were”

Well, I thought, you’re thinking so

“Ethan Krumble,” he said

“It’s why I couldn’t find you”

“How did you?”

“The fight you had with your brother at the airport You’re kind of internet famous”

“Of course,” he said with a sigh

“Look, none of that et out of your hair”

“Why didn’t you callso serious and it was freaking ured out in et uy I was the good guy

“Call you?” I asked “How?”