Between Then and Now (Hallow’s End #1)

25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

E THAN HAD DROPPED ME off last night after the bonfire, but he couldn’t stay over. He had an early start at work and was a bit behind on grading papers. As we stood by my front door, his arms wrapped around me in a tight hug, and I felt a twinge of disappointment, but I understood. Life had its demands, and we both had responsibilities.

“You know, I’m blaming you for this,” he said with a playful glint in his eyes, his lips brushing against mine in a lingering kiss.

I frowned, confused. “Blaming me for what?”

“For falling behind,” he teased, grinning. “You’ve been distracting me.”

A wave of guilt washed over me but, before I could apologize, he chuckled and shook his head. “Not really. I’m just teasing, Vinnie. I wouldn’t trade our time together for anything.”

Relief washed over me, and I smiled, leaning into him. “Good. Because I’m not done distracting you. ”

He laughed, his warm, rich laughter echoing in the night. “I can’t wait,” he murmured, kissing me again before reluctantly pulling away. “But for now, I need to catch up. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay,” I agreed, standing on my tiptoes to give him one last kiss. “Good luck with the papers.”

As he drove off into the night, I felt a strange mix of emotions. Happiness, contentment, and a growing determination that had kept me up late into the night, planning.

This morning, I woke up with a sense of purpose. Last night, I had made a decision—I was going to tell Ethan I loved him. The realization had hit me like a ton of bricks by the bonfire, and I couldn’t shake the overwhelming need to tell him. But how? I wanted it to be special, something he’d remember. And with Halloween coming up this weekend, the town’s festival seemed like the perfect opportunity. Now I just had to figure out the small details.

While heading to the gallery, I shot a quick text to the girls’ group chat, my fingers flying over the screen.

It didn’t take long for the replies to come in.

I smiled at their quick responses, my heart swelling with affection for my friends. They always had my back, and I knew they’d help me figure out the perfect way to tell Ethan how I felt.

As I was typing out a reply, lost in thought, I didn’t notice the sleek black car parked just outside the gallery, or the man standing beside it, until I collided with him.

The impact jolted me out of my thoughts, and I stumbled back, looking up to apologize. But the words died on my lips as I took in the man standing before me. He was tall, with a commanding presence that made my stomach drop. His sharp features, neatly combed blonde hair, and the familiar intensity in his emerald eyes made my heart skip a beat.

It couldn’t be.

But there he was, standing right in front of me.

Sebastian.

His smile was a mix of charm, and something darker. It was a look that had once made me feel safe but now sent a chill down my spine. As always, he was dressed impeccably, in black trousers, and a beige, relaxed-fit Oxford shirt, with a blazer draped over one arm, and I caught a whiff of his cologne—a clean scent with notes of cedarwood, musk, and pepper. The sight and scent of him brought back a flood of memories, both good and bad, leaving me unsettled.

“Hey, V,” he said, his voice smooth and familiar. The way he used that nickname, one I hadn’t heard since Cresden, sent a ripple of tension through me.

For a moment, I couldn’t speak. My heart pounded in my chest, and the breath caught in my throat. It felt like the world had shifted beneath my feet, the solid ground I’d found with Ethan suddenly feeling precarious and uncertain.

“What are you doing here, Sebastian?” I finally managed to ask, my voice coming out steadier than I felt.

He flashed a smile that was too smooth, too practiced. “I’m here on business,” he replied, his tone casual, as if we were merely old friends catching up. “You might’ve heard—I’ve been promoted to Vice President of Operations. I’m overseeing some of the projects at my father’s company, and with the merger, I’m also working closely with your father’s team. Merging operations, expanding . . . you know how it goes.”

My stomach twisted at his words. The idea of Sebastian being tied even closer to my life here, through our families’ businesses no less, was almost too much to bear. Hallow’s End had been my refuge, the place where I found myself again, where I built something new away from the chaos and heartbreak of my past. This town had become mine in a way that Cresden never was, and now, with Sebastian standing here, it felt like he was tainting it, bringing with him the very shadows I had tried so hard to escape. The fact that he was standing in front of me now felt like a cruel twist of fate.

“But more importantly,” he continued, his gaze sharpening as it locked onto mine, “I’m here for you. You’re a hard girl to reach these days.” His tone took on a subtle edge as he added, “You haven’t responded to any of my texts or calls. And your mother? She’s been shutting me down every time I ask about you. It’s like you’ve dropped off the face of the earth.”

“I’m not that hard to reach, Sebastian,” I shot back, feeling a surge of defiance rise within me. “I just didn’t want to be reached by you .”

He looked momentarily taken aback, then recovered quickly, a small, almost pained smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I miss you, V,” he said, softer now. “I thought after I made that large donation to your gallery, maybe you’d reach out. But when I heard nothing, I had to come here.”

“So you just thought you’d show up out of nowhere?” I asked, incredulous. “And what, Sebastian? What’s your plan?”

He hesitated and, for a moment, the confident facade slipped, revealing a flicker of uncertainty. “I don’t know, V!” he admitted, his voice rising slightly. “But everything that happened between us— the way we broke up—it’s bullshit. We owe it to ourselves to at least talk this out when emotions aren’t running high.”

I stared at him, my mind swirling with a storm of conflicting emotions. The man in front of me was both familiar and a stranger, and I couldn’t forget the last texts he had sent me—drunken, raw messages filled with emotions that were hard to untangle. Anger, regret, desperation. They had been a window into his heart, one that I had slammed shut when I blocked his number, but the echoes of those words still lingered.

Part of me wanted nothing more than to walk away. To leave Sebastian, and everything he represented, in the past where it belonged. But another part of me, the part that remembered the good times, the laughter, and the love we once shared, hesitated. Despite everything, I knew Sebastian had loved me, in his own twisted, possessive way. And the thought of hurting him more than I already had gnawed at me, tugging at the guilt I had buried deep within.

But that didn’t change the fact that I was terrified of letting him back into my life, even for a conversation. I had built something beautiful here, something that felt safe and real. And the idea of letting Sebastian’s presence—his chaos —disrupt that, made me feel like I was standing on the edge of a precipice, with the ground crumbling beneath me.

“And what, Sebastian? You think talking it out is going to change anything?” I asked, my voice hardening. “What’s done is done.”

His jaw clenched and, for a brief moment, I saw the Sebastian I remembered. The one who couldn’t stand not being in control. “Maybe it won’t change anything,” he said, his voice low and intense. “But we can’t just pretend that everything between us is gone. I can’t.”

A silence fell between us, heavy with unspoken words and unresolved tension, and I glanced at the gallery door, wishing I could disappear inside .

“I’m happy here, Sebastian,” I said finally, my voice firm. “I’ve moved on. You should, too.”

His expression shifted, a flash of desperation breaking through his usual controlled demeanor as his eyes searched mine, pleading for something I wasn’t sure I could give. “Vinnie, please,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “I just need to see you— talk to you—before I leave. We don’t have to end things like this.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card, holding it out to me. My eyes flicked to it, relief flooding me when I saw the address in Brookside. It was a small comfort, knowing he wasn’t staying right here, in the place I had claimed as my own sanctuary. But the fact that he was still so close sent a shiver of unease through me.

I hesitated before taking the card, my fingers brushing against his. I wasn’t sure why I accepted it—maybe to appease him, maybe because I didn’t want to argue anymore, or maybe because a part of me was too tired to resist. I just wanted this confrontation to be over.

As I slipped the card into my pocket, Sebastian’s gaze shifted over my shoulder, and before I could react, he stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. The suddenness of it made me freeze, his arms wrapping around me in a way that felt all too familiar, yet completely unwelcome. His body dwarfed mine, his scent overwhelming my senses.

My first instinct was to pull away, but something—maybe shock, maybe old habits—made me hesitate. His breath was warm against my ear as he leaned in, his voice a low, intimate whisper. “You’ve built something beautiful here, and I respect that. But I can’t stand the thought of you with someone else. We belong together, Vinnie. I know you still feel it, too.”

The words sent a jolt through me, the intensity in his tone making it clear he wasn’t just talking about the past. A chill ran down my spine as his lips brushed the shell of my ear, a move that once would have made me melt, but now only made me stiffen with unease. The chemistry between us, the magnetic pull that had once been so strong, now felt like a dangerous current I had to fight against.

He stepped back, his hand lingering on my arm for a moment longer than necessary, a smile playing on his lips. It wasn’t the warm, genuine smile I had fallen for years ago. It was something darker, more calculated. And then, with a wink that made my stomach twist, he turned and walked to his car, sliding into the driver’s seat with an ease that belied the tension in the air.

I was rooted to the spot as I watched him drive away, a swirl of emotions churning inside me. Relief that the encounter was over, anger at his audacity, and a gnawing sense of dread that I couldn’t quite shake. As much as I wanted to believe that I had put Sebastian behind me, his presence—his words—had reopened a wound I thought had healed.

With a heavy sigh, I turned to head back into the gallery, needing the familiarity of the space to ground me. But as soon as I took a step, I froze.

Ethan.

Ethan was standing just a few feet away, his expression unreadable, his body tense. My heart dropped, dread pooling in my stomach. How long had he been there? How much had he seen or heard?

His eyes met mine, and the hurt in them was unmistakable. The easy warmth that usually colored his gaze was gone, replaced by something far more unsettling, and I swallowed hard, the taste of panic rising in my throat. I could almost see the wheels turning in his mind, the questions forming, the doubt seeping in. Sebastian had seen him, and had taken full advantage of the moment to create exactly the kind of distance he’d wanted between us. And, judging by the look on Ethan’s face, it had worked.

“Ethan . . .” I started, but my voice cracked, the words faltering on my tongue. What could I even say to make this right? To explain what had just happened without making it sound like I was still tangled up in something I desperately wanted to leave behind?

Ethan just looked at me, with those eyes that had once made me feel so safe, but were now filled with uncertainty. His jaw was clenched, and I could see the internal struggle written all over his face. He was trying to keep it together, to not let the doubt that Sebastian had sown take root, but I could tell it was taking everything he had.

“How long have you been standing there?” I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper. The silence between us was suffocating, thick with tension and unspoken fears.

“Long enough,” he replied, his voice low and strained. There was a tightness to his tone that I hadn’t heard before, and it made my heart ache.

I winced, guilt gnawing at me. “Ethan, whatever you saw, it wasn’t what you think,” I rushed to explain, taking a step closer to him, but he didn’t move. “Sebastian . . . he’s just trying to get under your skin. He knows how much you mean to me, and he’s doing everything he can to ruin that.”

Ethan looked away, his gaze shifting to the ground as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “And it’s working, Vinnie. Damn it, it’s working.”

The raw honesty in his voice cut through me like a knife. This was exactly what I had feared—that Sebastian would find a way to wedge himself between us, to poison the trust and the connection that Ethan and I had built together. And here we were, with that wedge firmly in place.

I reached out, my hand hovering just inches from his arm, desperate to bridge the gap that was growing between us. The thought of having this conversation out in the open, where anyone could walk by and see us, made my stomach twist with anxiety. I needed to get him inside, to make sure he wouldn’t just turn around and leave .

“Ethan,” I said softly, my voice trembling slightly, “can we go inside the gallery? I don’t want to do this out here.”

He hesitated, his eyes searching mine as if he was trying to decide whether to stay or walk away. For a moment, I feared that he might choose the latter, that he might let Sebastian’s shadow linger between us. But, after a long pause, he nodded, and I led him into the gallery, closing the door behind us.

The familiar scent of paint and wood filled the air, the dim lighting casting long shadows across the room. It felt safer here, more intimate, but also more vulnerable, and when I turned to face him, the distance between us was like a chasm.

“Ethan, please,” I began, my voice carrying the weight of the emotions I’d been holding back. “You know how much I care about you. Sebastian . . . he’s just a part of my past, a past that I left behind. You’re my present. You’re the one I want to be with.”

He let out a shaky breath, finally meeting my gaze again, and his eyes were filled with so much emotion—hurt, confusion, and something else I couldn’t quite place. “I want to believe that, Vinnie. I really do. But seeing him with you, hearing the way he talked to you . . .”

“Don’t doubt us,” I pleaded, my voice breaking. “Please, don’t let him get between us! What we have, it’s real , Ethan. It’s the only thing that feels real to me!”

His eyes softened at my words, and I could see the struggle playing out in his mind. There was so much unsaid between us, so many fears that neither of us had fully voiced, and I could sense the weight of his insecurities, the doubt creeping in despite the love that had been growing between us.

As we stood in the quiet of the gallery, I wanted him to understand how much he meant to me, how desperately I wanted to make this work. But instead of easing his mind, my words seemed to stir something darker within him. He looked down, his brow furrowing as if he was trying to piece together his own thoughts.

“Do you . . . do you still love him, Vinnie?” His question hung in the air between us, thick with vulnerability. He didn’t look at me when he asked it, his voice barely more than a whisper.

The question caught me off guard and, for a split second, I hesitated. Not because I still loved Sebastian, but because I was trying to find the right words to say that would make Ethan believe that. But that hesitation, that tiny moment of silence, was all it took for his doubt to harden into something more.

His gaze lifted to meet mine, and the pain in his eyes was unmistakable. “I feel like I’m losing you before I even really had a chance,” he said, his voice cracking with emotion. “When I saw him out there, I knew this would happen. I can’t compete with Sebastian. He’s got the charm, the history with you . . . everything. And here I am, just the guy who stepped in when he messed up.”

“Ethan, no—” I started, but he cut me off, the words spilling out of him in a rush, as if he’d been holding them back for too long.

“I saw the way he looked at you, Vinnie,” he continued, his voice trembling with frustration and fear. “And I saw the way you reacted when he hugged you. It’s clear that there’s still something there. I just . . . I adore you, Vinnie, and I’ve put everything I have into us. But I can’t keep hoping to be enough for you if your heart isn’t fully here with me. If it still belongs to Sebastian.”

The raw honesty of his words cut deep. He wasn’t just lashing out. He was genuinely afraid, and that fear was pushing him to the brink. I opened my mouth to speak, to reassure him, but nothing came out. The truth was, I had no idea how to untangle the mess of emotions that Sebastian had stirred up by showing up here. I wanted to tell Ethan that he was the one I wanted, the one who mattered most, but the heaviness in the room made it feel like anything I said would fall flat.

Ethan mistook my silence for confirmation of his worst fears. His shoulders slumped, the fight seeming to drain out of him. “Vinnie,” he said, his voice soft and trembling, “I love you. And I’ve never said that to anyone before, but I mean it with everything I am. You’ve become such an important part of my life, and I need you to know how much you mean to me. But please, don’t say it back unless you’re absolutely sure. I need to know that, when you say it, you’re all in, with no doubts and no hesitations.”

My heart broke at the raw vulnerability in his voice, and I wanted so desperately to tell him I loved him, too. But the moment felt wrong, tainted by the tension between us, and the ghost of Sebastian still lingering in the air. If I said it now, I knew he wouldn’t believe I truly meant it. The words would feel hollow, a desperate attempt to soothe the pain rather than a genuine confession.

“I can’t,” I whispered, my voice cracking under the weight of the emotion. “Not like this, Ethan. Not when everything feels so . . . complicated.”

His expression faltered, and the hope drained from his eyes as he nodded slowly, his face a mixture of heartbreak and resignation. “I just want you to be happy, Vinnie,” he murmured, leaning in to press a soft kiss to my forehead. “No matter what. Do what you feel is right.”

Before I could say anything more, Ethan turned and walked out of the gallery, leaving me standing there alone, the echoes of his confession hanging heavy in the air, and I watched him go, my heart splintering at the sight of the pain in his eyes. The realization that I was losing him—maybe even pushing him away—was a sharp, aching pain that I hadn’t been prepared for. I wanted to chase after him, to tell him that I was ready to love him with everything I had. But instead, I stood there, frozen, as the weight of the situation bore down on me.