She rushes through to the bathroom and hurls. I hear her retching as Josh leaves to join her. I tiptoe through after them, not wanting to intrude, but determined to try and support her as best I can. It could have been me. Fucking hell, it could have been me.
Hell, with the stuff going on with Heath, it could have beenus.
“Calm down, Tiff,” Josh says, rubbing her back, but she’s past that. She drops down in the foetal position, trying to breathe.
“Maybe I can do something to help?” I say. “Drop a message to Orla, or…”
My voice trails off, because if Reuben is a founder… that’s a whole other league.
“Keep out of it, Ells,” she tells me. “It’ll only cause shit for you, too.”
“You’re staying here,” Josh tells her as he helps her to her feet. “We’ll take care of you, Tiff. We’ll go to your place and pack a case and set you up in the guest room.”
I nod. “Yeah, stay here. With us.”
“Come on,” Josh says. “Let’s go.”
She’s slinging her bag over her shoulder when her phone sounds out with a message.
“I can’t face it,” she says, and hands her phone to Josh. “Can you look, please? I’m too scared.”
I hold my breath, praying it’s not from Orla confirming Tiff has been ditched for all time. That’s the last thing I’d wish for her, and I thank the heavens that my outburst last night didn’t come with a huge punishment. A reprimand that could have cost me the same.
“Sure, I’ll look,” Josh says.
Josh’s eyes are like saucers when he checks out her message.
“It’s not Orla,” Josh says, and gives her back her phone. “It’s Reuben.”
My heart thumps. It races. It pounds.
Because if she loves her client the way we love Heath, the outcome doesn’t bear thinking of.
I get dressed, quickly. I run a brush through my hair with trembling fingers, trying to prep myself for any turbulence that may be about to unfold.
It’s not long later that we’re standing in the doorway of our Belgravia tower with our best friend, still dressed up in her elf outfit with tear-stained cheeks. We approach the waiting car along with her, and Josh is standing square and tall. Vicious with the need to protect her.
“I’ll let you know when I’mD&Sokay?” Tiff says to Josh as we get closer. “I know you love me, and want to protect me, and want to punch him in the face or whatever, and I’d do the same if I was you.”
“Then why the hell are you leaving?!” Josh shrugs, clearly exasperated, but I take his arm, trying to calm him down.
Tiff’s expression changes to one of strength in the face of terror.
“Because YOU would do the same as ME if the roles were reversed. I wouldn’t be able to stop you from going, either!” she says.
She’s spot on. We would. Both of us.
Both me and Josh would do anything for Heath if it really came to it, and I can see that now.
Tiff’s situation has only emphasised the obvious.Normalcomes before anything. Our new road is the only one ahead. And I don’t regret blurting things out to Orla. Not anymore. Any repercussions would have been worth it for the sake of being a trio.
If Josh wasn’t so wound up, trying to protect his best friend from misery, he would see it, too.
The man that gets out of the driver’s seat has a different edge to him now that I know he’s a founder, but he’s still Santa to me. The generous guy at the mall.
“Ella,” he says, and tips his head. I smile at him, wondering if I should do a curtsy, since he is one of the leaders of the whole entire Agency. His status means fuck all to Josh, though. His fierce expression gives no heed to the power of the man before him.
“Why the fuck did you get her caught up in this shit?” he asks him. “Now look at her.”
