I hate that I’m at his father’s mercy.
He sighs. ‘This is going to sound twisted and I’m so sorry about that, but it’s preferable to you having to worry about your job.’
‘Tell me.’
‘It amuses him that I’m having an affair with a member of staff.’
His tone makes me feel queasy.
‘Does he know who I am? That we met years ago?’
‘No!’ he exclaims. ‘He just thinks you’re—’
‘Your bit of rough,’ I interrupt him, a dark little part of me seeking to press his buttons again.
He falls silent. And then he says, coldly, ‘Do not ever refer to yourself like that again.’
‘I have to go.’
‘Wait!’
‘No. I need a few days to get my head around this.’
‘Donotoverthink.’
I let out a miserable laugh. ‘Too late.’
Ash calls me in the afternoon at four forty-five, just as I’m arriving home from work. I barely slept last night and I’m shattered.
‘I said a few days.’
I feel guilty the moment the harsh words have left my mouth, but before I can soften my tone, he speaks.
‘You’ll get them. I’m on my way to London.’
‘Why?’
‘Beca called me. She’s very upset.’
I feel as though he’s dumped an anvil on my stomach.
‘I’m going to see her, to try to sort it out,’ he explains.
He’s dropping everything for her? Even me?
‘Ellie? Are you there?’
I know I told him I needed space, but this feels like abandonment.
‘Ellie?’ he asks again.
‘I don’t know what to say.’
‘Please don’t worry. I’ll be back before the weekend. I just want to make sure she’s all right. It’s the first time she’s reached out to me since we broke up.’
‘Okay,’ I reply shakily.
‘I’d better go. This car is too old to handle putting you on speakerphone and I’m about to hit the motorway. I’ll call you later tonight.’
