Ellie pushed back her chair and stood, pacing around her office as she spoke. “I was in hospital. And then in daily physical rehab, and then working from home. I wasn’t even gone that long.” It was as if Victoria had leaped at the chance, taking sweeping actions she must have known would never be approved otherwise. Ellie rubbed at her chest, trying to soothe the rising ache. “I left you in charge. I trusted you.”
Vic laughed, a brittle, high sound. “You don’t trust me, Ellie. You don’t even listen to me. I asked you to sell. I asked you to let the storylines evolve. You haven’t?—”
“Oh, my God.” Ellie cut her off as cold understanding flooded through her. “That’s why you installed the servers! Not for the game. Not for our staff. You did it to sweeten the sale. To offer a European data center for Silver Wolff to use.”
For the first time, Victoria was silent.
Nissy stalked out of her bed, fur rumpled and amber eyes narrowed, irritated at being disturbed. Josh rose from his seat and came to stand at her side, his hand resting on her shoulder, tethering Ellie to the earth.
“I told you how I feel about this, Vic.” She’d built her company from nothing. It washers. Victoria was her sister in everything but blood—but she had pushed too far. It was time to go back and see her face to face. “Fine. I’m coming there. I’ll be in London by this afternoon. We’ll talk about this more when I get there.”
She put down the phone feeling a hundred years older and infinitely betrayed. Damn, she hated conflict. And Vic knew how tension and confrontations made her anxious. How she’d spent her entire childhood trying to be perfect enough to avoid being the focus of hostility. But Vic also knew Ellie’d never wantedto host a massive multiplayer RPG. She didn’t want to create a platform where strangers could spend their days shooting each other. She’d wanted an intimate story to share between friends. One with a happily ever after. Because God knew, life didn’t hand out HEAs.
Josh was still standing beside her, his gaze troubled, and that made everything even worse. She didn’t want to leave him, but she didn’t see how he could come with her. She didn’t want to think about whether he would be there when she got back. Or how she would ever find him again if he wasn’t.
She didn’t want this to be their end.
It was a terrible choice, and she hesitated. But Josh didn’t. He turned her to look at him, his hands warm and reassuring on her arms. “You have to go, Ellie.”
“But—”
He pressed kisses to her cheeks, her eyes, even her nose. “You need to do this. We both know you do.” He kissed her again and then stepped back, giving her space, waiting patiently while she came to the same conclusion, the conclusion she’d already reached while speaking to Victoria: she had to go.
Damn Vic for putting her in this position. But now that she was in it, there really was only one choice. She rolled back her shoulders and lifted her chin. It was time to set this straight.
Ellie ripped through her house shoving her laptop into its case, grabbing an overnight bag, and throwing in toiletries. In the past, she’d always stayed with Vic. This time, she would need to book a hotel.
She double checked Nissy’s cat flap, water, and food dispenser and cleared out her litter tray. She would be fine for one night and if Ellie had to stay longer, she could call her usual cat sitter from the village.
And through it all, Josh was a reassuring presence. He passed her things, reached onto high shelves, promised to keepan eye on Nissy. And then finally, after she’d buckled her bags, he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her again.
She leaned her head against his chest—so much warmer now than when he first appeared in her life—listening to the steady thump of his heart. And spoke into his neck. “I wish you could come with me.”
His arms were big and strong and safe. And his voice rumbled against her ear as he spoke. “I can stay here and wait for you. I’ll keep up the garden for you.” He chuckled. “I’ll keep your bed warm.”
She held him tighter, pressing herself even closer. “Will you be here? When I get back?”
“I hope so.”
She did too. He’d already become a part of her home. Of her life. And she wanted to share more. She wanted the house filled with their laughter, she wanted barbecues on the deck, long walks to the sea, and lazy Sunday mornings wearing nothing but skin. And she wanted them with him.
But that was all a dream, and even this brief interlude was already over.
She forced herself to step back, hoping she looked more confident than she felt. “When you get tired of scrolling through random websites, why not playShadowbound Rift? There’s a link on the laptop.”
“I’d like that.” He grabbed her bag and slung it over his shoulder to carry out to the car.
They both hesitated on the drive.
“Will you be okay, Ellie?”
She swallowed. He wasn’t only asking about the long drive, but about Vic. And a part of her wanted to say no and run back inside with Josh beside her. A part of her wanted to avoid the confrontation that was coming and stay with him in the strange and inexplicable dream they’d been living in. But she didn’t runor hide. This is what she did: she kept working, kept trying, until she got things right. Vic had pushed her too far this time. Ellie had created something special, and now she would take on the battle to keep it safe. “Yes, thank you.” She took her bag from Josh and swung it onto the back seat. “I’ll be fine.”
“I’ll see you when you come back,” he promised. Although they both knew he couldn’t make that vow.
But he sounded like he meant it. As if, for all his talk of no emotions and having nothing to offer, he would be waiting for her if he could. And that was the hardest part.
She climbed into the front seat, slid on her sunglasses, and prepared to do what she always did: smile to hide how much her heart was aching as she waved and drove away.
