Chapter Fifteen Ella
Chapter Fifteen
Ella
The next day, I got up and went for an early morning run along the Hudson.
It was a gorgeous, sunny New York day, with light bouncing off the water and other runners out in their own sweat-drenched, heart-pumping worlds.
I felt full of optimism, eager for our first day in the office.
I returned to our apartment building just after eight, did some stretches outside, reluctant for this magical part of the day to end, then, as I walked to the elevator, I heard someone clear their throat behind me.
I turned to see Travis Mason standing there in his suit, looking almost as stunned as me.
‘Good morning,’ he said, slightly lowering his head.
‘Morning,’ I returned. ‘Are you OK? Do you live here too?’
Travis held up his hands. ‘No, no, don’t worry. I um . . . I was hoping to catch up with your friend Katy, before . . . uh . . .’
‘Got it,’ I replied, stepping into the lift.
‘Should I . . .’ Travis hovered, clearly not knowing what to do. God, he was not smooth at all, I thought. How was this man managing to run his very own fuck boy empire?
‘Yeah, well, I think you’re probably best catching up with Katy inside the apartment rather than in the lobby for everyone to hear, don’t you?’
‘Yeah, absolutely.’ Travis stepped in beside me, and the doors closed.
We remained silent as the lift propelled us to the thirty-first floor. I wondered what he would say. I hoped Katy had at least started to get ready. I didn’t want her all bed head and barking breath as he turned up doing a passable impression of Christian ‘Fifty Shades’ Grey.
When the lift stopped, Travis allowed me to step out first.
‘You should wait here,’ I said, forcing half a smile towards him while practically skipping to Katy’s bedroom.
As I opened the door, nowhere near as cautiously as I should have, I was confronted by the sight of her as naked as the day she was born, mouth wide open.
I readjusted my eyes, noticing the number of limbs on display.
Oh fuck no. Lying entangled with her was Bill, the geeky shagger from speed dating.
Proud owner of Little Billy, who I really didn’t need an eyeful of. You have got to be kidding me!
‘Is it the morning?’ Katy croaked, her voice muffled.
‘Katy! Get the hell up!’ I hissed, trying not to wake her date.
‘Sorry, have I slept in?’ She yawned, attempting to sit up.
‘Katy.’ I crouched down to her face, nerves filling my stomach. ‘Travis Mason is in the fucking living room, and he wants to talk to you!’
Katy’s eyes pinged wide open. She turned to Billy Big Balls beside her, looking horrified. ‘No, no, Ella. No! What if he sees . . .’
‘Ssshh!’ I warned. ‘You have to go out and see what he wants. I’ll make sure Banjo Bill stays here,’ I whispered.
‘Ella, look at me!’ Her hair had yet again quadrupled in size from the humidity, not to mention the ball sports she was obviously participating in last night. The girl really needed a gallon or two of Frizz Ease out here.
‘You’re fine. Shove on a dressing gown and brush your teeth!’ I said, but I was panicked, having no real idea how to handle the situation.
‘Katy! Can we talk?’ a deep manly voice called out from the hallway. Katy and I froze. Bill began rustling amid the covers.
‘Go, go!’ I pointed to the door. ‘You don’t want him walking in on this!’
Katy stumbled to her feet, hauling a leopard print silky dressing gown from her case, before heading into the lounge.
I tiptoed behind her, closing her bedroom door quietly and standing guard to make sure the Billy Boy cunt didn’t try and leave.
‘What’s going on?’ Zola appeared at my side with a towel wrapped around her. ‘I heard voices.’
I nudged my head towards the living room and whispered, ‘Travis Mason has turned up to speak to Katy!’
She gasped, covering her mouth.
‘And look who’s lying in her bed.’ I opened the door a smidge, letting Zola witness Bill out cold with his little tadger on full display.
‘Girl, I know! I heard them at it all night. Didn’t you? She was like Moaning Myrtle in there!’
I blushed, immediately flashing back to my own climax under the sheets. Why did I do that? I thought, then dismissed it. Why shouldn’t I?
Zola nudged me. ‘Can you hear anything?’ she whispered.
I shook my head, then took a few steps towards the lounge. I peered around the corner and saw Katy sitting on the sofa, looking seriously uncomfortable, fidgeting from side to side, flushed and stressed, with Travis opposite her.
‘I didn’t mean to hurt you,’ he said softly. ‘I . . . I . . . never for one minute expected to see you again.’
Katy huffed. ‘Well, thanks.’ For a second, I wasn’t sure if she’d break down and cry – she was always the softer one of us all.
‘No, not in that way. I meant you were the last person I expected to see in that boardroom, Katy. Fuck, I assumed you were over here to pitch to a PR firm.’
‘And I assumed you didn’t have a wife, so it was a bit of a shock for both of us, Travis,’ Katy retorted.
Good girl, I thought.
‘Yeah. I know,’ he hummed. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Sorry?’ Katy replied, with a confused twang in her voice. ‘Sorry, you’re married? Or sorry you got caught?’ She stood up, then sat back down, looking so fidgety it was almost unbearable to watch her.
Wow, I thought. An unanswerable question. She was killing it, though.
‘Honestly, I’m not sure. Things in my marriage are tricky right now, but that’s no excuse for dragging you into them.’
Katy stood up again. ‘Look, let’s not do this. I have to get ready. We can work together without needing to interact. I’m not going to tell anyone your dirty little secret, so if that’s why you’re here, don’t worry.’
He paused, looking sombre.
‘OK. If that’s what you want.’ Travis stood up and headed back towards the elevator. Katy sat back down on the sofa, her body swaying from side to side in agitation.
Just before Travis entered the elevator, he turned to Katy. ‘For what it’s worth, I had a wonderful evening. The best.’ His words echoed through the apartment.
I gasped, covering my mouth, knowing this was the sort of sentimental bullshit Katy fell for. I watched her shoulders drop. Please don’t run to him, I thought. Don’t fall for his crap.
‘I’ll see you around,’ he added.
‘Yip. See you, Travis.’
Katy remained still. I heard the elevator door open, then close, and I rushed over to her.
‘What the fuck was that!’ I laughed nervously at the drama. ‘I wasn’t sure if you were going to run into his arms all over again at one point at the end there.’
‘I wanted to . . .’ She was quiet, and I watched her eyes fill with tears. ‘But I couldn’t.’ She took in a sharp inhale.
‘You couldn’t, Katy, not after . . .’
‘No, I, like, physically couldn’t, Ella. Look.’ Katy peered down at the floor, opened her legs and relaxed. There was a slight thud on the floor, and I watched as a small silver object dropped into a pile of fluid.
‘What the fuck is that?’ I asked Katy, who was crouching a little to examine it.
‘A butt plug.’ She shrugged. ‘Bill shoved it up me last night and I must have fallen asleep with it in. I didn’t realise until I sat on the couch there and felt like I had a poker up my arse.
’ Katy sighed, her eyes staring at the metallic object as the light hit it, casting a colourful rainbow across the room.
‘Jesus!’ I said, feeling my arse clench at the thought. ‘Was it fun? Like enjoyable?’
‘Yeah, I suppose.’ Katy shrugged again. ‘I don’t even know,’ she sighed, standing to her feet. ‘I’m such a mess just now, Ella.’ Her bottom lip was trembling, with what I imagined was regret over her mad shagging antics the past few days.
‘Katy McIntyre, you are crazy, but never a mess.’ I hugged my friend. ‘Maybe you needed an intervention, a wake-up call. This is it.’
‘I really like him, Ella. We had such a gorgeous time together; it felt different, genuine. I was so embarrassed walking into that meeting yesterday.’ She began to sob, covering her face.
I nodded, pulling my friend in for a hug, careful of my foot placement.
‘I know.’ I allowed a few quiet moments to pass, holding her.
‘But right now, we have to get to work and prove to every man who ever hurt us that we are badasses who are capable of anything. We – and that includes Zola and me, by the way – can’t keep letting men affect our lives like this.
Look at the opportunity we have, Katy. Let’s use the anger and the hurt to really show them.
I promise you that we are going to let Travis Mason know he’s messed with the wrong girl, OK? ’
Katy sighed. I could feel her pulse race against my skin.
‘First, can you help me get rid of the speed dater?’ she asked. ‘Butt Plug Billy has to go.’
I laughed. ‘Yes! Gladly!’
‘And Ella?’
‘Hmm?’ I replied, still patting my friend’s back.
‘What about this? Do I give it back to him?’ Katy asked. ‘I’m unsure about the single-to-multiple-use policy on a butt plug.’
‘Zola!’ I called out.
‘Yeah!’ she shouted back, still guarding Katy’s bedroom like a rottweiler.
‘Before we totally bottom out here, we need your expert opinion on something!’