Page 59 of Frosted Fakes

"I had nowhere to go. No money. Nothing. Sleeping rough, trying to figure out what to do with my life." Elliott's knuckles were white on the counter. "I wandered into Milly's bakery looking for work. She took one look at me and said I looked like death warmed over and when was the last time I'd eaten. Then she fed me and gave me a job, and let me sleep on her couch."

"She sounds amazing."

"She's the only family I've got." Elliott's voice cracked. "The only person who ever… I can't lose her."

Julia moved without thinking. She crossed the kitchen and wrapped her arms around Elliott, pulling her close.

Elliott went rigid for a moment. Then something broke, and she was clinging to Julia, face pressed into her shoulder, body shaking with sobs she was clearly trying to suppress.

Julia held on. She didn't say anything, didn't try to fix it, just held on while Elliott fell apart in her arms.

Eventually, the shaking subsided. Elliott pulled back, swiping roughly at her eyes.

"Sorry," she muttered. "I don't usually…"

"You don't have to apologize for having feelings."

"Feelings are inconvenient."

"Mostly, yes."

Elliott huffed something that might have been a laugh. "You were incredible today. With Milly. You saved her."

"I just did what I've seen in the videos."

"You did what you were born to do." Elliott's voice was soft. "You should be a nurse. A real one. Not stuck here pretending to run a bakery."

Julia's throat went tight. "Maybe someday."

"Why not now?"

"Because my mother would disown me. Because I'm trapped in a life I never wanted and I don't know how to get out." The words tumbled out. "Because I'm a coward who's spent her entire life making everyone else happy."

Elliott was looking at her with an expression Julia couldn't read.

"I hate this," Elliott said.

Julia felt like she'd been slapped. "Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to dump all that on you—"

Elliott stepped closer. "I hate this," she said again. "I hate that you make me feel this way."

Julia's heart stuttered. "What way?"

"Vulnerable." Elliott's voice was rough. "I don’t know… happy. Like maybe I don't have to do everything alone. Like maybe there's someone who actually sees me." She laughed, hollow. "I built walls for a reason. And you just barge right through them whenever you see fit."

They were standing close now. Close enough that Julia could see the flecks of gold in Elliott's dark eyes. Close enough to count her eyelashes.

"Elliott," Julia whispered.

"This is a terrible idea," Elliott said.

"The worst."

"We have an arrangement. A business deal."

"I know."

"If this goes wrong, everything falls apart."