Page 102 of Brighter Together

“Again… why?”

“She wanted me to quit FMR.”

Ella winces. “Yeah, that would do it.”

“But that wasn’t even the worst. She thought Greenview Manor meant I was rich. Big hotel, staff everywhere, nice holidays. Then she discovered I had a mortgage large enough to make me sweat and reinvested almost everything back into the business.”

“And?”

“She once asked housekeeping to unpack her suitcase.”

Ella stares at me. “No.”

“Yep.” I place a gentle kiss on her shoulder.

“What did you do?”

“Told her housekeeping had rooms to clean and if she couldn’t work out how the wardrobe operated, I’d give her a demonstration.”

Ella laughs so loudly I have to grin.

“I wish I’d been there,” she says.

“You really don’t.”

“I absolutely do.”

“She left not long afterwards.”

The laughter eases.

“Did it hurt?”

I consider the question.

“My pride did. I thought I loved her, but once she was gone, I realised I missed having someone more than I missed her.”

Ella watches me. “Is that what this is?”

That question is direct but not angry. Just curious.

I look at the woman lying naked beside me, hair spread across the pillow, one hand resting on my chest.

There is no comparison.

“No. This time I’m fairly certain I’d miss the actual person.”

Her eyes soften. “That was almost romantic.”

“Almost?”

“You’re improving.”

I kiss her and she smiles into it.

When we separate, I run my hand gently down her arm.

“What about you?”