Chapter Twenty-Four Ella
Chapter Twenty-Four
Ella
I waited until the girls and I were walking out to the car the next day to casually slip in my after-work plans.
Alone time with Jimmy made me uncertain; I didn’t know what it might mean or whether things might get messy.
Yet part of me recognised that it offered the lift I needed.
I longed to feel good again. Maybe a night out – escaping my thoughts about Philip, the endless work on the app design, Zola’s sadness, Katy’s casual sex noises – would do me good.
I turned to my friends and mumbled, ‘Last night Jimmy asked me to go out with him, like tonight.’
I watched Zola almost give herself whiplash as she turned to me in shock. She cleared her throat. ‘Sorry, what?’
Katy clapped happily as she skipped on the spot. ‘And you said yes?’ she gasped.
I lowered my head, almost feeling guilty. ‘I mean, I tried not to, but he told me to be ready at seven. He’s going to pick me up. He didn’t let me make any excuses.’
Zola’s face lifted in the first genuine smile I’d seen from her in days. ‘Good for you, babe. You need this. Where is he taking you?’
The driver waited with the door open as we stepped in. I shrugged. ‘A skyscraper – kind of what I said I wanted most to do while I was here.’
Katy had a dreamy expression, admiring the bold choice. ‘Jimmy seems so sweet, Ella.’
Zola closed the door, sealing us in. ‘Aren’t they all in the beginning? Bloody lovebombers!’
I couldn’t help but agree with her. She’d nailed it.
Philip had pursued me relentlessly and then dropped me without a second thought.
Maybe I should have trusted my gut and called him out as a player.
Why did I ignore the warning signs? I didn’t know Jimmy well enough to see any obvious red flags.
But as with all men, I knew there would be some.
Zola brought me back from my thoughts. ‘You seem pretty chill about it? For you?’
I puffed out a breath. ‘He’s hot, he seems kind, genuine. Why shouldn’t I have a bit of fun while I’m here? Philip certainly is back home.’ I glanced out the window, feeling a stabbing pain in my chest at the thought of my ex.
‘Have you been stalking Erin again?’ Katy asked. ‘She’s definitely on the Mounjaro, Ella. You look healthy. That girl is way too thin.’
‘Thanks, babe.’ I laughed slightly at the compliment. ‘But I ended up blocking her last night – at one in the morning. I was spending way too much time analysing her videos, then those of her friends, even her dad’s content. Bleugh.’
Zola reached over, grasping my hand in support. If anyone knew how I was feeling right now, it was her.
‘Really, you haven’t seen the one from today? She was working out in the teeniest pair of hot pants. I think it was one of Philip’s gyms, too. Look!’ Katy said, pulling out her phone. Her face fell immediately, and I knew it was at the sight of Erin’s sculpted bod.
Zola noticed Katy’s reaction. ‘Another one?’ she asked.
Katy nodded slowly in response, her eyes peering down at the screen.
‘What does it say?’ I asked, leaning over to glance at the screen as Katy clicked the message from the unknown number.
Unknown: I hate to judge, sweetheart. But next time you and Trav decide to poke around in Central Park, make sure there’s no CCTV evidence. Buy yourself a plane ticket, or I’ll send the X-rated vid to his wife and his beloved best friend.
Katy went sickly white and mumbled, ‘They know.’
Zola squeezed my hand tighter; it was the first time I’d seen her lost for words.
I held my finger up to my mouth and whispered, ‘We need to be quiet. We don’t know who this is.’ I nudged my head towards the driver.
‘CCTV!’ Katy exclaimed as tears began to fall down her face. ‘Poke around!’
Zola reached over and pulled Katy in for a hug. ‘If they had the evidence,’ she whispered, ‘they would’ve sent a copy. Look, someone wants us gone. But why?’
‘If it’s not Travis, then who else would go to such lengths?
We have to make a list of potential suspects.
But something’s telling me this is bigger than us.
Maybe someone out there doesn’t want the app going live?
’ Zola was brilliant, I thought again – a natural problem solver who knew how to keep a clear head.
‘Or someone who doesn’t want the app to be a success?’ I suggested, immediately thinking of the shitty PR efforts Britney sent over last night; a twelve-year-old could have put together a more original plan for their Bat Mitzvah.
Katy nodded. ‘I don’t want to ruin this opportunity for us. I’ll go home if it makes life easier. Obviously, I’ll still take my cut, but this is really scaring me, guys,’ she said, trembling between the cascade of tears.
‘No!’ I warned her. ‘You’re going nowhere.’
‘This is much bigger than Pocahontas in the park, Katy. We need to dig in and find out what they don’t want us discovering. We need to make allies and track down as much information as possible,’ Zola concluded. ‘And maybe we have to start by telling Travis.’
I turned to Zola, surprised. ‘Really? Isn’t that throwing ammunition to the enemy?’
‘He’s high up; he’ll know any beef that’s clouding this company. And tonight, you’ll have to rule Jimmy out. He’ll be a great ally, plus he’ll know if any competitors are really invested in wanting this app to fail,’ Zola said.
‘I can’t tell him without admitting what happened with Katy and Travis, though.’
‘Don’t tell him that, for fuck’s sake. Just ask the right questions. Gather intel,’ Zola said, speaking quietly despite her indignation, so that the driver couldn’t overhear us.
I swallowed, feeling unexpectedly energised, ready for a mission. Is this what Tom Cruise felt like in the 1990s before a job?
‘Right. OK,’ I agreed.
As Katy let out another wail, I squeezed her hand.
‘We’re in this together, Katy,’ I told her. ‘And no one gets away with blackmailing my friends!’