By the end of the dinner her emotions were so frayed and ragged she feared she would shatter like glass as she rose from the table. Alex took her elbow as they made their good nights. Ellie did her best to pretend she was happy, that this wasnormal.
They’d been pretending this whole time. She could make it a couple more days.
As soon as the door to their room clicked closed, she shrugged out of his hold and strode towards the bathroom, eager to put some space between them.
‘What’s wrong?’ he asked, his voice sounding genuinely confused.
‘I’m fine.’
Alex groaned as if he’d been shot in the gut. ‘Now I know I’m in trouble. What did I do?’
She spun on her heel, and was momentarily shocked by how close he was. He loomed over her, not in a threatening way but still dangerous all the same. ‘You can stop now. We’re alone.’
‘Stop what?’ he asked with an adorable floppy-haired frown, as he pushed his glasses up with one finger.
‘Pretending you like me.’
‘I do like you.’
‘Fancy me then – or whatever. Just stop it.’ She turned to walk away, but the soft touch of his hand on her bicep made her pause.
‘But I do.’ He pulled her close to him, the power of his intense gaze stealing her breath and causing her heart to pound fiercely.
With a strangled snort, she stared down at their feet. Afraid that if she didn’t, she would spill her hopes and silent dreams all over the floor, only to be trampled over and spat on.
‘There’s a photo of you half naked with a woman on the internet. Your hair was longer, so it must have been before the awards, and I’m pretty sure if a woman was going to brag about a one-night stand she’d do it straight after.’
‘What are you talking about?’ He walked over to the desk and took out his phone, tapped it quickly, and then shook his head with disbelief.
‘Have you read it?’ he asked quietly. ‘Properly?’
Ellie crossed her arms. ‘I didn’t have time. Holly was too busy rubbing my face in it!’
Alex sighed, and then read from his phone. ‘I was delighted when Alex King took a selfie with me at the gym.’ He raised his phone so that she could see it. ‘You can even see the gym equipment in the background. Hardly a one-night stand, and I was texting you at the time – otherwise I would have gotten away from her sooner.’
Ellie swallowed. She’d not paid attention to the rest of the photo, and now she’d made a fool of herself by complaining about it. Defensively, she added, ‘Well, no, I didn’t see that. But apparently Richie is spinning the “fat angle” of our relationship to fight the rumours of you being toxic about Savannah’s weight.’
Alex tossed his phone back on the desk with a heavy thud. ‘Fucking Richie and his goddamn narrative!’
‘So it’s true.’
Alex met her eyes. ‘I don’t know. But probably, because that’s what Richie does. He makes choices thatworkfor the press. It’s not what I asked him to do, and, if you must know, I’ve never said anything about Savannah’s weight, toxic or otherwise. The press have constantly, because that’s what they do.’
She believed him and yet more shame and embarrassment crawled up her neck. ‘I’m sorry. I let my insecurities get the better of me.’
He moved closer and stroked his hands down her arms lightly in a soothing gesture. ‘Ellie, I haven’t lied to you. In fact, I want…’ He hesitated, took a deep breath, and then said, ‘More.’
Her stomach flipped as if she’d taken a nosedive on a rollercoaster. She dared to peek up at him. His eyes were pinched closed as if he were afraid to look at her, but after a quick inhale he opened them again.
‘What do you want?’ he asked.
You.There was a horrible moment when she wondered if she’d spoken her confession out loud, but Alex continued to wait for her answer, and her mother’s voice filled the silence in her head with a sharp dose of reality.You have to ask yourself… Why did he pickyou?
‘Why?’ Why would Alex King want her? Yes, she was a good person. But what did someone like him really see in her?
And there it was, in his easy sweet answer, ‘Because you’re loyal, kind—’
‘Like a friend.’Or a dog, she thought bitterly.
