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“I didn’t ask you to go because it would have been last minute, and I know how precious your time with Ethan and Olivia is. I didn’t want you to feel pressured to come up with something to wear and deal with all the drama. I didn’t think it would be fair to you, so I just sucked it up and went on my own. I was not expecting things to end up how they did.”
I nodded, drawing in a deep sigh. “Okay, that makes sense.” The pressure in my chest eased.
However, Ellie wasn’t done. Her entire demeanor shifted, her eyes flashing as she pulled her hand away and set it on her hip. “But to be honest, I think it’s kind of unfair of you to get this bent out of shape about it. We’re not really anything yet; youknewwe had to take this slow, keep things under wraps until you move to mountain ops. We haven’t even discussed exclusivity, so even if Iweredating Zach—which, to be clear, I most certainly am not—it’s not really any of your business.”
My teeth clenched the second she pointed out we hadn’t agreed to exclusivity, and my jaw continued to work through her statement. “I know, and I agree. I just thought-”
But Ellie wasn’t interested in letting me interrupt. “Ithought we were playing it cool for a variety of reasons, including Olivia and Ethan. But if you want this to turn into something, understanding goes both ways. I have to accept that you need to prioritize what’s best for your family, and you need to understand that I have to prioritize what’s best for the resort. At least for now, until I have everything firmly in hand. You need to accept that there are a lot of obligations that come with my position here. It’s not just a nine-to-five, Jake. Yes, I have to go to these silly events, because the community expects me to be there. And like it or not, Zach is a part of the community, and he’s going to be at a lot of these things. It doesn’t mean anything, it’s just the reality of the world I live in.”
I felt my blood pulsing in my temple, and I fought to keep from spitting out an angry retort when I replied.
“You’re right, we didn’t specifically agree to be exclusive. Call me old-fashioned, I just assumed it was implied. I know you have obligations to Aspen Ridge, and I have obligations to my family. I own my part in how my last relationship fell apart. But it also felt like my ex was more concerned about getting what she wanted out of life than fulfilling the promises she made to me or our children. Tome, family is more important than anything else. But maybe we don’t agree on everything, after all.” The derisive laugh escaped my lips.
Ellie’s body went completely rigid, her blue eyes turned to chips of ice as she asked, “What do you mean ‘we don’t agree?’”
I squared my stance and gestured. “This, Ellie. You’re smart and beautiful, but you obviously care more about your business than you ever will about me or my kids. I was so distracted about how you made me feel, how my kids reacted to you, I didn’t think it all the way through. I don’t blame you; you haven’t done anything wrong. You’ve always been clear about your priorities, and I just fooled myself into thinking we might have a place near the top. But I don’t think I can do this; I don’t want my kids to get attached to a woman whose first priority is work. They’ve been through too much.I’vebeen through too much, and I can’t make the same mistake again.”
“So, this is all a mistake to you?” Her face was still angry, but her voice broke, just a little, near the end. My heart lurched once more, but I held firm.
“You don’t agree? We’re already hiding it from your father, which doesn’t make me feel great. I have to be honest. How long will it be before we can tell him? And my kids need stability, people they can count on in their lives right now. I can’t even count on you to tell me what you’re doing from night to night. You have your obligations, and I have mine. I think it’s better we just let this whole mess go before it becomes a real disaster. Besides, as you pointed out, we’re not really anything, anyway.” The last sentence was bitter, revealing more of my hurt than I intended.
Ellie jutted her chin out, nodding slowly. “Well, if that’s how you feel, I guess there’s not a lot more to say.”
“That’s how I feel.”
“Got it.” She glanced into the window we’d stopped by. “You know, there’s something in here I want to look at. No need to wait for me, you can go on. Unless you have something more to add?”
I swallowed. “I think I’ve said enough.”
“Okay, well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then. Bye, Jake.” She turned and walked through the door without a glance back. My eyes followed her for a few moments as she browsed the racks, never once looking back up at me. Finally, I released a sigh and turned, walking back toward the coffee shop, alone.
Chapter16
Ellie
* * *
Ispent a couple hours wandering in and out of shops on Main Street. But try as I might, I couldn’t distract myself from the jagged wound in my heart.
I thought Jake understood me. I thought he truly saw me for who I was, understood what was important to me. He said he admired my passion for Aspen Ridge.
It may not have been L-word worthy, but I thought we were moving in that direction. When he proposed coffee today, it felt like everything was lining up. I imagined us wandering around town, browsing in shops, slipping between buildings to steal kisses without being seen.
How had the entire thing turned on its head so quickly?
When I’d been in and out of more stores than I remembered and my head still wasn’t clear, I texted Tessa for an emergency summit.
SOS Jake and I just broke up
Oh shit
come over I’ve got two bottles of rose in the fridge
And a fresh bottle of vodka if you need it
Be there in 20
I left the shop, not remembering anything I’d seen inside, and it took me a minute to gather my bearings. Apparently, I’d meandered my way back toward my Jeep without even realizing it. I hopped in and cranked up the heat, my brain running through the entire conversation with Jake again. I wondered if there was something else I could have said to change the trajectory of that conversation. But there wasn’t. I was honest. I told him how I felt.
