Chapter Forty-Three
ELLE
Ihad only intended to take the one day off to wallow in my feelings but Loop had texted me again and it restarted my shame spiral. There was some relief that it was now the weekend but I wasn’t sure how much longer I was going to be able to keep my family, and Patrick, away from my house.
Mabel has stopped by at least once a day but I either pretended to be asleep or texted her to tell her I’m curled around the toilet and need to be alone. I can tell she doesn’t believe me. I’m going to have to go back to work on Monday and I’m fucking dreading it.
I can’t let my emotions fuck with my families business anymore than I already have. I think I need to talk to Lola and see how much trouble I could bring to the Farm if Patrick tries to do something when I tell him we can’t be together anymore.
He’s been texting me non-stop and every time my heart breaks a little more. Soon enough, it’s going to be a pile of ash. I didn’t think I had a big enough heart to break, add it to the list of things I’ve been wrong about lately.
I’ve also not responded to Loop. I want nothing to do with him and I’ve been debating reaching out to the company he works for and requesting our account be assigned to someonenew. Another thing I need to talk to Lola about. I can just imagine how frustrated she’s going to be with me.
Monday morning comes too soon. I was barely able to drag myself out of bed but I knew I couldn’t hide away anymore. I needed to be the bad ass ball breaking bitch everyone thought I was. The frigid bitch that didn’t like anyone and who no one likes in return. That's who I needed to be.
Of fucking course there are flowers on my desk. Three different flowers resting on the edge of my desk. A dry sob escapes my lips and I tell myself I should just drop them into the trash but I can’t. I add them to the notebooks with pages and pages of flowers. How am I going to do this?
My phone rings and I let out a soft curse when I see it’s my mother calling.
“Hi Mama.”
“Oh, I’m so glad tofinallyhear from you after five days. Get your butt up to the big house. Now.”
The line clicks as she ends the call. She won’t give me the chance to refuse and I know if I don’t follow her orders, she’ll stomp down to my office and raise even more of a stink than she’s planning.
I’m a coward because I know if I’m at the Big House, it will delay running into Patrick and it will be a little bit longer until I have to sever our ties. I don’t allow myself another moment before abandoning my office.
Chapter Forty-Four
PATRICK
Ihad gotten confirmation that Elle was at work today but I’ve been out all morning and I’m chomping at the bit to see her. I speed walk towards the office, hoping she’ll scowl at me or utter a curse when I walk into the room. If she reacted like that, I could get rid of this worry that’s been choking me all weekend.
I hate how much distance has come between us and I’m clueless as to why. I thought things were going well and then radio silence once she became sick? Did she really not want anyone to take care of her or is it that she’s sick of me?
I’d been working here for almost two months now and tours were starting next week. I was excited to get everything started but I didn’t want this storm cloud hanging over me and Elle. Determined to get this figured out this afternoon, I made quick strides to the office.
When I push the office door open, I am stunned to a quick halt.
There’s a man leaning against Elle’s desk.
A man in the office and Elle is nowhere to be found. The furrow pulling at my brow is mirrored by the man standing in front of me. “Can I help you?” The question seems to upset himbut I have no idea why, he’s the one in Elle’s office, assumingly uninvited.
“I’m waiting for Elle.” His voice tickles at a memory in the back of my brain. “I’m taking her out to lunch.” I feel the muscle in my jaw tick. In the whole time I’ve worked here, I’ve never seen Elle take a lunch meeting.
I want to question him further but it’s not my place and the scope of my job doesn’t interact enough with Elle’s for me to do anything outside of letting Elle know she has a visitor. “Oh, um, I’m not sure where she is but I could text her to let her know you’re here? What time was your appointment?” I walk to my desk as I ask the question, needing somewhat of a distraction from the uneasiness that’s rolling in my stomach.
“No appointment. Just wanted to surprise her.” His voice has taken on a warmer quality. Elle hates surprises.
How was this guy familiar enough to stride into her office and think he could whisk Elle to lunch when she had been gone for three days and would surely be hyper focused on catching up on anything she had missed while she was out?
“Uh, okay. Well, she’s been sick so I don’t know if she had to leave because she’s still not feeling well or when she might be back.” I shrug, hoping to sound casual as I racked my brain for some type of recognition on who this guy is.
“Alright, maybe I’ll walk around, see if I can find her, Thanks, man.” The tight words spark the memory. The accountant. I’d only met him that one time when I first started but a memory slams to the forefront of my mind.
Walking into the office, this guy is in almost the same spot. He was standing over Elle and he called her ‘my girl’.
Was Elle dating this guy? Was that why she’d been avoiding me? A million questions swirled in my head as the man walked out the door.
