There is no way I can work for someone who treats people like that, whether they are his employees or not, and the fact that this wasn’t the first harassment that Greg has attempted solidifies my choice.While I might not regret it, that doesn’t help to fill the pit in my stomach.
I just quit the job that I loved. The only job I’ve had since I graduated college. I watched this company grow and change, and now it's over.
There is no one to blame but myself. It was me who quit, who made the decision. I just hope it is the right one.
Chapter 39
Ellie
Heactuallyleftme.
I asked him to stay, and he didn’t. It’s as simple as that. While I fully understand why he went inside, it shifted something inside me when he walked away, like my doubts were right this whole time.
The sound of Natalie and Wes bickering breaks me from my inner turmoil. From the passenger seat, Natalie reaches over to squeeze my hand, grounding me and reminding me of her presence. Wes, refusing to be left out of anything, lays his hand on top of ours.
“Ew." Natalie’s glare is deadly as she snaps at him. "Don't touch me.”
“I’m trying to support Ellie. It’s not my fault your hand is in the way!” Patrick sent them to sit with me, but as much as I like them both, I would’ve rather had Patrick.
When I told them what happened, Natalie had to lock the doors so that Wes wouldn’t go inside and give Greg a piece of his mind. Thank god for the child locks because he was pretty damn adamant. Wes is just chaotic enough that he would’ve actually punched Greg, so it's probably for the best.
My heart is full knowing that there are people who are willing to defend me—although, I wish I could stop being put in situations where I need to be defended. Ever since his attempted escape, Wes has been working on keeping me distracted by telling his odd personal anecdotes, so I don’t start crying again. They are working surprisingly well.
He continues rambling through the stories, and it makes me smile for the first time since everything went down. “As I was saying, I met them both on Tinder. Hand to god, I had no idea they were even related until I showed up to her apartment to do a littlehooking up, and the other twin answered the door! I wouldn’t have even realized it was the wrong twin if the other one wasn’t standing right behind her—”
Natalie gives my hand another tiny squeeze because she sees him before I do. There's a knock at my window, and when I turn, Patrick is standing outside of my car, looking disgruntled.
I swing the door open and rush out. He pulls me into his arms, and my eyes move to his like they always do. “What happened? What did you do? What did you say?”
“He didn’t admit to everything, but he admitted to some of it.” I desperately want specific details, but it doesn’t seem like he wants to recap whatever just happened. His voice is strangely quiet, and it's starting to feel like something else is going on. I’ve never heard Patrick like this, so something is definitely off. “I can’t work for someone who acts like that to anyone. If he would do that to you, I don’t know what other shady shit he’s capable of.”
"What are you talking about?"
There’s no way he means what I think he does. But, he fills in the blanks for me. “Yeah, so I quit.”
Pulling myself from his arms, there’s a simultaneous gasp between the three of us, and we are all trying to get a word in. Natalie and Wes bombard him with questions, trying to make sense of what is happening. Our voices get muffled together, and I don’t even know whatI’msaying through all of the noise.
Patrick quiets all of us. “Okay, okay, okay. I think we’ve had enough for today. We can all talk about this later.”
He turns to me, and in a gentle voice asks, “Let me drive you home, please.”
I want to say no. I want to stop relying on Patrick for everything, but when I look down, I see my hands are shaking again. So, I agree.
Without skipping a beat, he turns to Wes. “Can you follow us and drive me back here?”
“Of course, no problem.” Wes rushes off across the lot, and Natalie follows closely behind.
Uncomfortable silence fills the car. It’s a thirty minute drive back to my apartment, and I’m at a complete loss for words.
Well, not exactly. I know what I want to say.
I want to know where we stand, if there is a chance for us. But, with everything that just happened—with how he let me down today—this is not the right time or place.
A prick of pain brings my focus to my hands. There's a small speck of blood forming at the base of my thumbnail whereI've peeled part of the cuticle back, and it stings so fucking bad. From sitting in the office with Greg to waiting for Patrick in the parking lot to this drive, I haven’t been able to stop my compulsions, and my thumbs have taken the brunt of it.
“So, what happens to our fake relationship now?” I blurt out and wish that I could’ve been at least a little more subtle.
Patrick’s shoulders immediately tense, and his hands grip the steering wheel, causing his knuckles to turn white. He opens his mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. I don’t know whether I should wait for his response or keep talking.
