Chapter 6 The Rules

The morning after the heated argument, Clara woke to a quiet apartment, soft sunlight filtering through the curtains. Tension still lingered in the air from the night before, but as she stretched beneath the covers, something strange washed over her a calmness.

Maybe she needed some space to think things through, but the thought of losing Ethan left her with an ache she couldn't ignore.

It had been nearly a week since their fight. They talked some, but the conversations themselves were short, small talk. She hadn't pressed, and he hadn't brought up what had happened. Neither of them had really apologized. It felt as if they were waiting for each other to make the first move, but the silence was unbearable.

Later that day, Clara's phone buzzed as she sat in her studio, sketching new ideas for an upcoming exhibition. It was an odd time for Ethan to text her, and the message made her smile, despite herself.

Ethan: "I have an idea. I think I owe you a date night. Dinner at your favorite restaurant, no tech allowed, and no talk about work. Deal?"

She sat there for a moment, smiling slowly as she read the text. It was just like Ethan to come up with a fix, even a cheesy one, to make everything right.

Clara: "Hmm. Really? Dinner? I don't think so."

Ethan: "Fine. Dessert after dinner. A whole slice of your favorite cake, extra frosting. And I'll even let you pick the place. How about that?"

Clara burst out laughing. The offer of cake was a sweet gesture literally and figuratively. But she knew what mattered most was the fact that Ethan was trying and that he was reaching out with humor and sweetness. It was the Ethan she'd fallen for the one who could make her smile even on her worst days.

Clara: "Alright, I'll give you a chance. But it better be a good cake."

Ethan: "It will be. Promise. How about 7?"

Clara: "7 it is. But you're still going to have to make up for what you did."

Ethan: "I'm counting on the cake to do most of the heavy lifting."

The evening had come, and Clara was excited for the first time in days. She was dressed softly but elegantly in a soft blue dress that made her feel complete and yet beautiful. Ethan had suggested going to a quiet little bistro, one of her favorite places in the city, where the staff knew her by name and the food was always like a warm hug.

When she got there, Ethan was already seated at a corner table, dressed in a suit that fit him like a glove, looking effortless and handsome. He stood up as she approached, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "I'll admit, I might've been a little eager to make up for things."

Clara raised an eyebrow, her smile playful. "You look like someone who's trying a bit too hard, don't you? Are you sure you didn't just want an excuse to get out of this office for a few hours?"

He grinned at that and pulled the chair out for her. "Guilty. But I also wanted to see if I could make you laugh again." He winks at her. "And I'm starting to think cake is a good first step."

The waiter came over with menus, and Clara ordered her usual dish: salmon with a side of roasted vegetables. Ethan followed, though he seemed to have trouble picking a drink, staring at the wine list for a few moments too long.

Clara leaned back in her chair, softening her gaze as she looked at him. "So, how have you been?" She asked, her voice a little quieter now, as if she were dipping her toes back into the conversation they'd been avoiding for so long.

Ethan sighed and set the menu down. "Honestly? I've been awful. I hate how we left things last week. I shouldn't have let my pride get in the way. I let things fester, and it made you feel like I wasn't taking you seriously. I hate that I made you feel that way."

Clara blinked, shocked by his frankness. She wasn't used to seeing this openness from him. He had always been guarded, always holding things just at arm's length. But tonight, he was opening everything out to her, and something in that made her heart swell.

"I didn't mean to make you feel like I was doubting you," Ethan continued. "I was just scared, okay? Scared that you might outgrow me or that you'd get tired of the whole. Ethan Blackwood thing. I didn't want that."

Clara stretched across the table and covered his hand with hers, squeezing gently. "You're not just Ethan Blackwood, the billionaire, the tech mogul," she said softly. "You're Ethan. The guy who can't cook without setting off the smoke alarm, the guy who makes me laugh even when I don't want to, the guy who sees me as more than just an artist or your girlfriend. That's the person I fell for."

Ethan smiled, running his thumb across her hand, lightly caressing it. "I'm glad you still feel that way. Because the more I get to know you, the more I realize I am not out of your league, Clara. It's the other way around."

Clara's heart was skipping a beat. "Stop it," she said, her eyes sparkling playfully. "I'm not the one with a billion-dollar empire."

"But you are the one who has me completely figured out," he said with a wink, his eyes gleaming with affection. "That, my dear, is far more impressive."

Just then, the waiter returned with their drinks. Conversation turned light again the latest show Clara had binge-watched and the hilarious mishaps that had occurred at one of Ethan's company retreats. They laughed together, easiness flowing back between them as if it never left.

After dinner, as promised, Ethan took Clara to the dessert section of the bistro, where a small glass display case held a tempting selection of cakes and pastries. He gestured grandly, as though presenting the most magnificent treasure in the world.

"So," he said dramatically, "which cake do you want? The world is your cake oyster, my dear."

Clara laughed, pointing at the rich chocolate cake with layers of cream and raspberry drizzle. "That one. It's practically calling my name."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Chocolate? Really? Are you sure you're not just trying to sabotage me with sugar?"

Clara grinned mischievously. "I trust you to handle it. It's just cake, Ethan. No need to make it a big deal."

He gave her a mock-offended look. "I'm only here to make sure that your dessert experience is perfect, Clara. No one will leave here with a less-than-satisfied sweet tooth."

And sitting back down to their slices of cake, Clara felt lost in the moment. There was beauty in the simplicity of it all the way Ethan could make her feel so at ease, even when everything around them was chaotic. For the first time in days, she wasn't worried. She wasn't wondering if their love was enough. She was simply with him.

And for tonight, that was enough.