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She took a deep breath. “So, are you…staying? In town, I mean.”
I stepped toward her too, craving the closeness we used to share. I was glad when she didn’t back away.
“Yeah, I think so.”
She nodded, but didn’t reply. I couldn’t decipher whether that information made her happy or not. I guess it didn’t matter.
“I should probably get going then,” I said, not wanting to leave but I also didn’t want to overstay my welcome. I had to take things slow if she was ever going to trust me again.
She nodded. She was so close, her flowery scent that was uniquely Ellie enveloped me. Like the wildflowers that covered the property in the spring and summer. I inhaled deep, the smell familiar and comforting.
Damn, I wanted to touch her. I wanted to reach out and wrap my arms around her like I had a thousand times before. I wanted to hear her laugh and feel her warmth and know that she was…my friend.
I held her gaze, my lip tipping up at the corner. “You know what?”
She tilted her head to the side, some of her guarded demeanor returning. “What’s that?”
“I can’t believe you never told me you liked to write.”
Her face paled. “What?”
My smile slipped as she backed away. I glanced at the notebook on the coffee table. Her gaze followed mine, widening more when she saw what I was looking at. “You’re a really good writer, El. Like, really talented. How come you never told me?”
Her mouth dropped open as her gaze snapped back to mine. Blood pooled beneath her pale skin, making her cheeks fire-red. “You—you read that?”
I frowned, my stomach plummeting at the mortified expression on her face. “It was just sitting on the side table.” I shrugged, trying to make it seem like not a big deal, because it obviously was a big deal to her. “You don’t have to hide it. It’s really good.”
She stumbled back as if I had slapped her. “Oh, my God.” She shook her head in disbelief. “How could you?” Her eyes suddenly blazed; two blue flames boring into me. “What the hell gave you the right to read my private stuff?”
I raised my hands, palms out. “Ellie, I didn’t know it was private. I just picked it up and—”
“Stop,” she snapped. “Just go Ty.” She turned and opened the front door.
Whatthehell. “Ellie,” I said, walking toward her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“And yet, that’s all you seem to do,” she spat.
We stared at each other as the wind kicked up, whipping her hair around her face as she held open the door.
My jaw tightened, my own anger rising to meet hers. I stepped up to her, glaring down, but she didn’t shrink away. She held herself tall, seeming almost as big as me even though the top of her head barely met my chin.
Was it really that hard for her to take a compliment from me? I understood I was an asshole. I was the one who left her and she didn’t have to give me her friendship back. Fine. What pissed me off was her degrading herself. Doing shit like hanging out at bars with men who mistreated her and hiding something beautiful about herself—then blowing up at me when all I was trying to do was compliment her talent.
I leaned down until my forehead was inches from hers. “Hate me if you want, Ellie. But I won’t stand here and watch you hate yourself.”
And then I turned, stomping through the door without looking back.
