“I don’t, um… well, it’s just, uh…”
I feel like such a tit.
She knows who I’m talking about. Of course she does.
“I’ll be having a conversation with any client who wishes to close their account, Ella. If User 1543 wants to go down that route, please be sure he lets us know.”
“I will,” I say, then curse. “If he ever did, that is, or if I ever knew about it, or if it was any other User. Any User at all.”
Orla laughs again.
“Enjoy Christmas,the entertainer formerly known as Holly. I would say don’t work too hard, but I’d be lying. I’d be working all the way through Christmas if I were you. You’ll rack up a fortune.”
“Thanks,” I say again, and give a stupid wave. “Have a great Christmas, Orla. You’re amazing.”
“It’s not me with the five-star rating. I think you’re the amazing one somehow.”
When the call finally ends, I collapse on the sofa, my mind spinning with what the fuck I’ve just done.
I’ve broached the forbidden. Risked everything on a stupid conversation.
But it paid off.
I know the situation now.
I know where we stand.
If that’s a part of the road ahead, I don’t know. Not really.
But at least I know it’s a potential destination.
CHAPTER THIRTY
“Holy fucking shit, Ella, what were you thinking? You told Orla?!”
Josh looks so pissed off as he stands before me in the kitchen, back home from his night of action, a half-eaten pizza slice in his hand. He looks unkempt after his active proposal, but still looks absolutely stunning.
“So, they know now. They know about us and our relationship with the elusive User 1543. I’ve just lost my appetite.” He drops the piece of pizza onto the plate.
“No… I mean, maybe. Yes. Kind of. But Orla was ok. Honestly, she was fine about it.”
“Right. Sure she was. Unless she’s reporting it to her superiors in the background and preparing to get us the fuck ousted from The Agency for misconduct.”
I shake my head. I trust Orla too much for that. She sounded absolutely A-ok in the conversation.
“She’d have said so. She’d have shot me down straight off. I mean look at what they helped me through, when things got tough. And we haven’t done anything wrong, Josh! Not yet.”
He meets my eyes.
“The bullshit around Connor wasn’t in your hands. It wasn’t a potential confidentiality breach or loss of a client, Ells. User 1543 is a different ballgame to them. He’s a client. A mega rich one at that. And we’re entertainers. That kind of relationship always stays in that bracket. Lines should never be crossed. Hell, they drill that into us enough when we sign up.”
I lean back against the counter.
“I’m sorry. I know it was dumbass to even mention it, but the call caught me off guard and I just…” I get a lump in my throat. “Forgive me, please. I shouldn’t have done it.” The tears hit. “I just wanted to know where the road might lead. One day. Some day.”
The tears have only just begun when Josh crosses the kitchen and takes me in his arms. Even when he’s pissed at me, he’s still my saviour.
“I get it,” he says. “Seriously, Ells, I do. It’s just a risky strategy. A very risky strategy.”
