Page 32 of Brighter Together

Maybe it’s not all about Tommy.

Mostly.

But not all.

Balancing my tablet and a plate of roast chicken while trying to open the office door turns out to be a terrible idea.

I manage it eventually without dropping lunch down the front of myself and I count this as a win.

“Ella?” Tommy calls from his office the second I step inside.

“I brought you lunch.” I put my tablet down, then carry the plate through.

His door is open, which is unusual.

He looks up from his laptop. “A waitress could’ve done that.”

There’s the growl again.

Except now all I can hear is Charlotte’s words What if he’s keeping you at a distance?

“True,” I say. “But I was coming this way anyway.”

I put the plate on his desk.

His gaze flicks from the food to me.

“Thanks.”

“Tommy, I—”

My mouth goes dry.

Not because of him.

Because he has Lee’s presentation folder in front of him. My presentation folder.

And Tommy has no idea.

For one uncomfortable second, I almost tell him.

My mouth even opens.

Then Lee’s message flashes through my head.

You’re lucky I’m not there.

My courage disappears as quickly as it came.

I hate that.

I hate that he can still do this to me without even being in the room.

“Ella?”

I realise Tommy is watching me.

“Sorry. What?” I ask.