Chapter 23
Ian
We were both so hungry that we cleared our plates in record time. The place was too crowded, and it wasn’t relaxing at all. I could barely hear my own thoughts, let alone carry on a conversation with Ellie.
“Want to go?” I asked her over all the noise.
She nodded eagerly. I helped her put her coat on.
Something was off with her. All throughout dinner, she tapped her foot against the floor.
She didn’t just seem tired but nervous. A few times, I had the distinct impression that she wanted to say something but then stopped abruptly.
When we walked out on the street, she started fiddling with her thumbs.
I planned to find out exactly what was wrong, but I needed to get her to my apartment first. I did my best work when we were alone.
The weather had changed for the worse while we were inside; it was colder, and it had started raining too.
“I’m gonna order an Uber.” Taking out my phone, I groaned. “No battery.”
“I’ll order it from mine.”
I looked over her shoulder, wondering how she even used her phone, it was so tiny. Instead of opening the Uber app, she clicked the email icon by mistake. A headline caught my attention.
Subject: Your New Orleans job offer.
Text Preview: Hey Ellie!
The NO team is delighted that you’re interested. I’m forwarding you all the details…
She looked from the phone up to me. My jaw was clenched so tight that my teeth were hurting. I felt as if someone punched me in the chest and then in the face.
Clearing my throat, I stepped in front of her, asking, “You have a job offer in New Orleans?”
"My boss told the crew in New Orleans that she made me an offer. So they made one too. She didn’t have time to send it to me until now.”
“Wait, so you already knew about it?” Was this why she was so nervous tonight? Did she want to take the job?
“She only told me today, asked if I wanted to see the offer.”
Though Ellie didn’t seem overly excited about it, I had to know. “What did you tell her?”
“To send it, of course. It’s always good to keep the options open.”
I jerked my head back. Was I an option to her?
She was everything to me. Couldn't she see that? Was I overreacting? I’d been the one who told her that she should choose what was best for her career.
But right in this moment, I realized that I didn’t want her to be anywhere else but here, with me.
Was I overreacting to an email? Hell, yes.
But the thought of losing her made me irrational.
She looked at me questioningly, probably wondering why I was so uptight about an email.
I had to calm down, but I just couldn’t.
“Was this what you were so nervous about tonight?”
Her eyes widened. “Umm… no. It was something else.”
“Were you going to tell me about this?”
“Obviously.” She cleared her throat, shaking her head. "Let's not talk about this now, okay? I’ve been on my feet the whole day. I want to have a clear head."
"You want to have a clear head… okay,” I said slowly. Maybe it wasn’t a bad thing though. I sure as hell needed to calm down. But I wanted us to do it together, not apart.
“I’m gonna take a cab to my apartment,” I told her, hoping she’d decide to join me so we could talk this through.
She frowned, fiddling with her thumbs on her phone. “Ian, I…” Her voice trailed, and she nodded. “Okay. If you think that’s best.”
I didn’t think this was best at all. I wanted to take her home and keep her there, but as she got in her cab and I got in mine, she’d apparently decided she wanted to be alone tonight. Obviously, tonight wasn’t going according to plan. At all.
Instead of going home, I went to the office even though it was late. I needed to do something to work off this adrenaline. A few hours of coding would help. To my surprise, Dylan was still there.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, following me into my office.
“I want to work on code for a few hours.”
"Good. I want to discuss something."
"Not now."
“Come on. I need an honest opinion."
"Not now!" I said in a measured, low voice, sitting in my chair.
My brother frowned. "Who pissed you off?"
I cocked a brow.
“Hey. You show up at the office at this hour, and you’re in a bad mood. You’re never in a bad mood. Something’s off.”
"Don't test me, Dylan. Not right now."
"Fine! I'm leaving before you bite my head off."
"Good strategy," I replied just before he left my office. I swear, three seconds later, my sister Isabelle called. I couldn't stop laughing, despite everything. I was sure Dylan put her up to this.
He was taking a page out of my own book. That's what I always did when I couldn't reach my brother: I asked Isabelle to do it. I could just ignore her call, but I didn’t want to. Talking to my sister always put things in perspective, so I answered.
"Hey. How are you?" she asked in a chirpy voice.
"Don't pretend like Dylan didn't put you up to this."
"Man, you catch on fast."
"I invented this technique, remember?"
"Well, no, technically, I invented it. You just used it."
"And Dylan ignored it. Until now."
"He says you're in a pissy mood. That's not like you. And I'm going to go out on a limb and guess it's not work related, or Dylan would know the reason. So, spill it. I can't help if I don't know what's going on."
I told her about the crazy conversation at the restaurant. Isabelle was quiet for a few seconds.
"Okay, that's very weird," she said. "Honestly, it doesn't sound like Ellie. I mean, she’s helping me with the menu for the party. I don't think that she plans to move and cut all ties with you. She wouldn’t offer to help me if that’s what she had in mind."
“I think I overreacted to the email.”
“That’s... possible.” My sister was using a gentle tone that she only employed when she tiptoed around me. "I promise I'll find out what’s going on, okay?"
"No, I have to talk to her and figure it out myself."
"I can try anyway. That's what I'm here for. Not just to nag and irritate you. Also to help."
"And I appreciate it."
"You do? Because you always give me so much shit."
"I'm about to give you shit now if you keep teasing me. I want to talk to Ellie myself."
“Okay. But I’m here if you need me.”
"Thanks, Isabelle."
After hanging up, I drummed my fingers against the table, deciding to wait until tomorrow to call Ellie. I still hadn’t calmed down, and I knew I needed to have my shit together before we talked.
I stayed at the office until past midnight, still feeling uneasy when I went to bed.
The next morning, I overslept and woke up at ten.
Fuck. Ellie had already started work, and lately she was so busy that she put her phone on airplane mode during her shift.
I called her once, but it went straight to voicemail.
There was nothing else to do but go to the office. I’d had a productive coding session in the evening, and I wanted to check for bugs before the clients started calling.
I’d slept like shit, tossing and turning, trying to figure out what had Ellie upset. The more I thought about our conversation last night, I remembered that she was nervous before the issue with the email came up. Something was bothering my woman, and I needed to know what it was.
At eleven o’clock, my phone buzzed. I broke off the coding session, sure it had to be Ellie. It was Isabelle.
Isabelle: Meet me in the city in the afternoon? I have something to do on Fifth at four.
Ian: Sure.
I frowned. This seemed out of the blue.
Ian: Why? Did you speak to Ellie?
Isabelle: No, just thought you might need company. Specifically, MY company. And we could talk things out. You know I’m good at that.
Ian: You’re right. Sure, it’s a date. Thanks, Isabelle.
At four o’clock, I met Isabelle at the address she texted me.
She was waiting for me in front of a building with some sort of business at the ground level.
The coat she was wearing was so huge that it swallowed her whole.
The only things you could see were the baby bump and the red hair spilling around her.
“You look terrible,” she exclaimed.
“Thanks.” I kissed my sister's temple, because I knew she meant well.
"You really love her, huh? You wouldn't be all out of sorts like this if you didn't."
"Yes, I fucking do. I just need to get to the bottom of what’s bugging her. She was acting weird even before we started talking about the email,” I responded, aggravation evident in my tone. I glanced around us before asking, “What were you doing here?”
“Gina’s moved her office here.” She pointed with her thumb behind her. Gina was her wedding planner.
“Business must be going well if she’s moved on Fifth.” Rents here were extravagant. The last time I went with Isabelle to a meeting, the office was on the Upper West Side.
“You’re not giving me shit for bringing you to another wedding planning event? In my defense, I just thought you might need a distraction.”
“I do. And anyway, this is a party now, right? Not a wedding anymore.”
Isabelle grinned. “Potatoes, potahtoes.”
“Why are you doing the party again? Especially since it’s a month later than the original wedding date.”
“Because the venue wasn’t happy we postponed the wedding, and I still want to do it there next year, and I want to have a good relationship with them. Besides, you know I like parties.”
“This is actually an improvement. I thought you were making me suffer through a shopping spree.”
“Awww, I wouldn’t do that to you. I know you hate it.”
We stepped inside the building, and Gina welcomed us in a small area with leather couches.
"Hey, it's great of you to stop by. Everything is coming together," she said as we sat down.
"Even my vegan menu?" Isabelle replied.
"Yes. I got the green light from our chef that she managed the recipe Ellie proposed.
" As we sat down, she took out a piece of paper.
"I couldn't find Ellie on the guest list. I double-checked.
She thought she was at your table for some reason.
" She glanced at me, smirking. "I told her that you don’t have a plus one and that you even told me to keep others from matchmaking by adding 'accidental' plus ones.
" She made air quotes around the word accidental.
"Fuck!" I exclaimed. Isabelle turned to look at me. Gina's eyes widened. The wheels started spinning in my mind. I knew exactly what was going on with Ellie and exactly what I needed to do—and fast.
My sister smiled at the planner. "Gina, would you give us a minute, please? We need to talk about something."
"Sure. I'll go to the foyer and grab a coffee. Do you want one too?”
“No,” Isabelle replied. I just shook my head.
“Okay. Just let me know when I should come back."
"Thank you," Isabelle said.
As soon as Gina left, my sister turned to me.
“I told Gina this months ago," I said. I was certain this was what’s been bugging my girl.
"You actually told Gina all those things?"
"Which part? That I didn't have a plus one, or that I told you not to pair me with anyone accidentally?"
"Yes. Was any of that wrong?"
"No. It’s just not up-to-date anymore." I groaned.
"Ellie doesn’t know that. I never officially invited her. I just assumed you’d do it. And I totally forgot to tell Gina too. Maybe that’s why she’s on edge.”
"Yep." I had no doubt now, and I needed to fix that ASAP.
"So, you agree with me?"
"Uh-huh." This was why she was so nervous last evening.
"Please tell me your plan to fix this consists of more than one-word answers."
"Yes," I said, just to tease my sister. But my mind was spinning ahead about what to do next.
"Why didn't you invite her?" she asked, rising to her feet, pacing the room, stroking her belly.
"Honestly, I forgot. I never think about this stuff, okay? It's not even on my radar."
Isabelle's shoulders dropped. “She probably thought we don't want her there.”
“Why would she think that? We’ve grown close.
” Close enough that apparently I lost my cool when she got a job offer in New Orleans.
“But I’m still pissed about her wanting to keep her options open.
I mean, I am all for her doing what it takes for her career.
I told her that—that she should do what’s best, and we’ll figure it out. ”
My sister winced, running her hand through her hair. “Ian, you’re sending mixed messages. First you tell her that she should do what is best for her, and then you get all up in arms about the email.”
She sat next to me, narrowing her eyes. She had her counselor face on. “Some might interpret you telling her to do what is best for her as you not wanting to make a commitment.”
“What the hell?” Why would Ellie think that?
She held her palms up in defense. “I’m not saying Ellie did.
Some people could see it as a good thing.
I see it as a good thing, as in… you want to figure out how to work things out.
But you’re usually so… you know. Decisive when you want something, and there’s no gray area.
You either do something, or you don’t. Your overreaction at her getting an email with a job offer is actually more like you than telling her to do what is best for her. ”
“I was trying not to be a self-centered bastard and tell her I want her here at all costs. How is this backfiring? Before she got the job, I was very close to asking Rob if he could hire Ellie.”
To my astonishment, she grinned.
“Baby brother, welcome to the murky waters that are relationships. Hard as hell to navigate, but trust me, they are worth it. The human brain is wired to jump to hasty conclusions when we’re stressed.”
I still was struggling with Isabelle’s train of thought. Maybe because I was a guy, and we didn’t overthink things. I pressed my palms over my eyes, shaking my head. “Do you have a scientific answer to everything?”
“Not everything, but lots of things. So, what are you going to do?"
"I'll show her that she belongs with me."
“Excellent. That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear. Oh, and the baby agrees. It’s kicking me.”
I didn’t want to lose Ellie. No way, no how. And if that meant me moving to New Orleans to be with her, then so be it. I’d never realized that until that moment, and I had to tell her.
But first, I needed to know that she was absolutely sure of us—the same way I was.