Chapter 19 #2
Real food, organic, sourced locally, grown with love.
A little like how he’d felt about Dream Match.
It had grown naturally, a healthy blend of wholesome values and cutting-edge technology.
It didn’t need the you-beaut features that Gwen and Eric seemed insistent on.
Just like EJ didn’t need their particular brand of polish either.
“You gonna join us over here?” Katie looked up from behind the opened laptop.
“Sure.” He joined Elinor and waved at where Liv was yawning on the screen.
“Hi guys—oh! And Jordan too. Oh my goodness, do you know what time it is here?”
“Let me guess: early?” Katie shook her head. “But this is an emergency.”
Liv straightened. “Why? What’s happened? Are Mum and Dad okay?”
“It’s EJ,” Elinor said, leaning in. “She’s in a pickle, and we need to up the brains trust, seeing as our sister is not using hers.”
“What’s going on?” Liv asked. “Why is Jordan there?”
The next minutes passed with the sisters filling Liv in about what EJ had been up to. Then the photo they discovered.
“Oh my goodness!” Liv held her cheeks. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Well, that’s not very helpful,” Katie grumbled.
“Jordan? You’re closer to her than anyone. What do you suggest?”
“I don’t know. I can’t call myself impartial on this one.”
“He certainly can’t,” murmured Elinor.
“What was that?” Liv asked.
“Nothing,” he said firmly.
They discussed strategy for a few minutes, but it seemed to keep circling back—by Elinor’s design—to somebody finally talking to EJ. Someone like him, Elinor insisted.
But he shook his head. “I can’t talk to her. She won’t listen to me anyway.” He explained to Liv about his argument with EJ the previous day. “I still need time.”
“Yeah, don’t be so pushy, Ellie,” Katie said. “It must be hard when he likes her and she’s off with another man.”
Wow. He scowled as the three sisters giggled. Good to know someone found this situation amusing.
“Somebody needs to talk to her,” Liv said. “I’d do it, but I really feel like it needs to be face-to-face. And it’ll be at least a few more weeks until I can do that.”
“You’re coming to visit?”
“That’s the plan. Both Liam and I think we’re due a little break.”
Katie squealed. “Does this mean what I think it means?”
Liv smiled. “It depends on what you think it means.”
“Oh my gosh! He’s proposed?”
“Congrats, Liv,” Jordan said. It was good to see someone get their happily-ever-after.
“Hey, nothing is locked in yet.”
“You mean he hasn’t?” Katie’s disappointment was palpable.
“Don’t you think they’ll tell us when they want us to know?” Elinor poked her sister.
“It’ll be good to see you again soon,” Jordan said.
“Please don’t say anything to Mum yet. I’m waiting to get details locked in before telling her. You know how she’ll get.”
He echoed Katie’s and Elinor’s nods.
“Our lips are sealed,” Katie assured, miming zipped lips and tossing away the key.
“So, back to EJ,” Elinor said. “I think she needs to be told asap.”
Katie sighed. “I don’t think she’ll want to hear it from us.”
“I know she’ll definitely not appreciate hearing it from me,” Jordan said.
She eyed him. “But you’re in Sydney, right?”
“Yeah, obviously not. Which is why I’m here,” he pointed out.
“Oh! Do you mean you have finally moved back home?”
“Yep. And I’ve got no plans to go to Sydney again anytime soon.”
“Oh.” Katie sighed. “Looks like it’s up to you, Ellie.”
“Wunderbar.”
They prayed; then his phone buzzed. He glanced at his phone. His heart thudded. EJ.
No. He ended the call and switched off his phone. He wasn’t ready for this. Not yet. Not now. And he wasn’t sure just how much time he’d need.
She let the phone ring for what felt like ages, but still he didn’t pick up. Not that she could blame him. Not really. She’d been mean and selfish, so he probably didn’t want to talk to her. Which was fair enough.
Still, a smidge of hurt crept in that he’d not taken her call.
She’d slept late this morning, the tears that had chased her to sleep making her puffy-eyed when she finally woke.
She’d even contemplated going back to church, but had known she looked too bad for anyone to see her.
And besides, she didn’t really want to make her first appearance in weeks when she didn’t have Jordan by her side.
Perhaps she would never have Jordan by her side again.
An ache enlarged within, regrets pushing at her, as forceful as the winds that heaved against the window panes.
Aunty Marion’s flat possessed some of the most fantastic views in Sydney, but being right on the harbourfront also meant that they were often at the mercy of the weather.
And today felt like winter was trying to do its worst, clattering the flowerpots, bending the leaves of the Norfolk palms outside.
She huddled inside her cosy dressing gown, Uggs on, a cup of hot chocolate in her hand, as she tried calling Jordan again, then stared at the phone, willing him to answer.
It didn’t matter what else she did or how soft and purry Charlie was being or how many episodes of Escape to the Country she watched, nothing could distract her from what was most important. Wanting things restored between herself and Jordan again.
She swallowed, stared at the grey skies where a light rain was now speckling the windows. “Hey, Lord, I know it’s been a little while. But I’m sorry. And I’d really like the chance for Jordan to know that I’m sorry.
Please help him to forgive me.”
Her phone tingled but not with the caller she wanted.
She ignored Eric’s call, not having the heart or knowing the words to speak.
Maybe it was immature not to answer, but it felt like she needed a template of what to say.
Things had changed with that kiss. And now, in the cold light of day, she wondered what he was actually wanting.
Her or Dream Match? At times she felt so pushed and pulled she didn’t know anymore.
Was this what Jordan had been concerned about?
Regardless, she had no desire to talk to anyone. Anyone except Jordan. And maybe her family. Shoot, today was Dad’s birthday! She was tempted to leave a message but knew he deserved a phone call. So she called her father’s mobile, relieved when it went straight to voicemail.
“Hi Dad. I’m … I’m sorry I didn’t make it back today. I hope your day has been great, and I can’t wait to see you soon. It will be soon, but I don’t know when. Anyway, I love you.”
She ended her call, and her phone immediately beeped its reminder message about Eric’s missed call. Great. He’d left a message. Not that she wanted to listen to it, especially if he was upset about the nonkiss yesterday.
But part of her did as well. Because if she kept avoiding him, what was going to happen with Dream Match? Would he pull his offer?
Which meant she needed to pull on her big girl pants and bite the bullet. So she pressed PLAY to listen to his voice message.
“Hey, EJ, it’s me. Just checking in because I haven’t heard from you today. Anyway, I wanted to see if you were interested in talking with a few more investors this Tuesday night at Bennelong now that I know it’s your favourite place. Call me.”
She wrinkled her nose. Call him? She didn’t know where to begin. Calling him felt fraught with danger, like she might say or do something that only entwined her deeper.
How could she extricate herself from this?
It felt like such a huge mess that she didn’t even know where to begin.
Right now she’d like nothing more than to run away and put as much distance between Eric and herself as possible.
But she couldn’t ditch him, not when she was up to her eyeballs in decisions and layers of stress.
How could she seriously have thought she could manage running Dream Match by herself? She needed Jordan as much for that as for anything else.
She sent him another message. “Hey, Jordan, there’s an important meeting this Tuesday night for Dream Match that I really feel you should be at.”
Still no answer, when once upon a time he’d reply instantly. It was enough to make her wonder if he’d blocked her number.
Her eyes blurred. “Lord, help him forgive me.”