My Best Friend Stole Him. So I Stole Better. Chapter 08
Before Ethan arrived the next day, my mother knocked on my door.
I blinked.
“Mom, what are you doing here?”
She sighed, gave me a scolding look, and set down a large container of homemade chicken noodle soup on the table.
“If Sienna hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have known what you’ve been up to. You don’t call home, you don’t go out—is this about that Julian boy?”
I’d almost forgotten. Sienna had spent the whole summer after high school living at my house.
Her father hadn’t wanted her going to college. He’d wanted her home in that little Southern town, married off.
My parents had been kind to her back then. Naturally they’d swapped contact info and kept in touch.
I hesitated, trying to figure out how to explain Sienna to her.
Then Mom smiled and said, “Sienna said Julian likes you too. You’ve been going back and forth for years now. If he’s a good fit, invite him over. Your father and I would like to talk about engagement.”
I laughed helplessly.
“How did we get to engagement? I don’t like him anymore…”
Mom’s hands paused. She stared at me.
“You don’t like him? Then who do you like? Didn’t you say it was him or no one? I introduced you to so many wonderful boys and you wouldn’t even look at them!”
An awkward cough came from the doorway.
Ethan stood there, looking a little disheveled. He greeted my mother.
“Mrs. Bennett. Didn’t mean to startle you.”
“I called Summer and she didn’t pick up. When I came up, the door was open. I was worried someone had broken in, so I…”
I gave Ethan a look, pulled him over to stand before my mother, and said clearly, “This is my boyfriend. Ethan Beaumont.”
Mom looked at me. Then at Ethan. She was momentarily speechless.
“Ethan, is it? Sit, sit.”
We’d been planning on a date today.
Instead, out of nowhere, he was meeting my mother. Ethan’s ears turned red. He glanced at me, looking a bit lost.
Mom cleared her throat, settled onto the sofa, and started grilling him about his plans.
Ethan answered:
“Mrs. Bennett, I started my company in college. Current annual revenue is in the seven figures—not huge, but I’m confident we’ll take it public. My family also runs a publicly traded company in Manhattan. Once we’re married, Summer will have full control of the household finances. I promise to stay loyal, and we’ll draw up a clear prenup. If I’m ever unfaithful, all my personal assets will go to Summer…”
By the end of his little speech, my mother could barely keep her smile contained.
“Ethan” had become “Ethan honey,” and she was insisting he stay for dinner.
While she was cooking, she pulled me aside, thrilled.
“Really, though? Since when does my clueless daughter have such good taste? This Ethan boy is a hundred times better than that Julian. He’s solid. Doesn’t string you along with sweet talk about love. When you’re married, security matters more than any of that romantic nonsense.”
“Summer, I like him. Our families are on comparable footing, he’s ambitious. Once the parents have met, you two should get engaged!”
“What?” I blanked.
“But…”
“But nothing! Mom’s decided. It’s settled.”
She swept back into the kitchen.
Ethan sat on the sofa.
I went over and sat down beside him. Quietly:
“My mom’s pushing marriage. Ignore her.”
Ethan looked at me. A slow smile curved his mouth. “Actually, engagement’s not bad.”
“Engagements take time. I honestly think you and I have more in common—we talk more easily—than most people. If you ever like someone else, or don’t want to go through with it, just tell me. I’ll come up with a reason to call it off. And Julian and Sienna are still up to something.”
“Summer, take your time.”
He looked so calm about it. I found myself staring at him.
Something strange stirred in my chest.
Ethan really was better than Julian. I’d just been too busy looking at Julian to notice.
Considerate. Careful. Never let a situation get awkward. And when something did go wrong, he handled it upfront, before it turned into resentment.
Marrying someone like that… wouldn’t be bad at all.
Without quite meaning to, I nodded.
“Let’s do it.”
Over the next few days, Ethan took me to meet his parents.
They were lovely people. Mr. Beaumont was the classic old-money gentleman—the kind who opens with “Welcome, dear.”
Ethan’s mother was elegant in the way of women stepped out of oil paintings. She took my hand, then removed an emerald ring from her neck.
A Beaumont heirloom, passed down three generations. Green as Central Park at dawn.
“It’s tradition,” she said gently. “For the future daughter-in-law. Wear it well, sweetheart.”
The moment I slipped the ring on, everything felt inevitable.
A few days later, our families met over dinner at The Plaza.
Just like that, our engagement was set.
The next morning I stumbled out of bed to find Ethan already in my apartment, bearing breakfast, chatting easily with my mother.
I’d been staying with my parents lately.
He saw me and grinned.
“Just told Mrs. Bennett—we’re heading out for the day.”
In the car, he pulled up his phone.
Sienna had updated the Reddit post again.
Amid the wave of angry comments, she’d posted, smug:
“Her birthday’s next week. Should we tell them then? I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces!”
Ethan’s eyes went dark. He closed the phone.
“Your mother said Sienna’s been asking about you a lot lately. She thought it was odd, but she did mention the engagement.”
“Sienna’s probably assumed you’re engaging Julian. They had a fight, but they haven’t made up yet.”
I rubbed my chin.
“I know.”
“You know?”
“Yeah. I hired a private investigator to follow them. I wanted to know what she was really playing at. After the years of friendship she trashed, I deserve an explanation.”
Ethan gave me a thumbs-up, impressed.
I smiled.
“Next week really is a good time to announce the engagement.”