Regret Came Too Late

Grace sighed in relief after making sure she had cleaned Ethan's hand and that he wasn't upset. She gently lowered his hand, her voice barely above a whisper as she asked, "Mr. Henderson, are you alright?"

Ethan glanced down at where her fingers still rested against his wrist. Her hand was delicate, its warmth seeping into his skin.

Needing to be sure he was okay, Grace asked again, "Mr. Henderson, did the medicine help at all?"

This time, he lifted his eyes and hummed in response, flexing his wrist slightly in her grasp. Grace let go right away, not wanting to push her luck.

"Sorry about that. I guess I got carried away. I'm glad you're fine," she said quickly.

The back seat of the car fell into silence.

Grace couldn't tell what he was thinking. Was he upset or not? She straightened

in her seat and, this time, made sure to buckle her seatbelt.

Ethan kept his gaze on the window, a fleeting smile passing over his lips.

Simon jumped out and yanked open the back door, ready to help Ethan-only to find him fast asleep, his

it must have been torture to go this slow. But because he did, the trip stretched to 40 minutes-long enough for Grace

hadn't leaned into Ethan. She had stayed on her side, her head resting against the window. Yet somehow, he had ended up slumped against her shoulder,

opened her eyes, about

earlier gone. "Let him sleep.

Insomnia?

Ethan's eyes. He looked like he

of his hair and the faint shadow of his eyelashes against his skin. It was strange to see someone as unshakable as Ethan looking so

to shift her shoulder, when Simon muttered a

was seriously the worst. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to relax. Time blurred. Maybe it was the

stirred, she heard the crisp sound of a page turning. She wasn't in the car anymore. She was sprawled

hear Simon scoff. "What are you,

Ignoring Simon, she turned to Ethan instead. That short nap must have helped. He looked more