Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Ellie had read the same email three times, and yet, she still hadn’t taken any of it in.
Her cursor blinked at her on the screen, expectant and patient…
completely unaware that she hadn’t absorbed a single word since she’d sat down at her desk nearly twenty minutes ago.
Because she couldn’t focus. Not on work, not on emails, and quite frankly, not on anything that required even the smallest amount of concentration.
Alba.
Her mind drifted back there, just as it had done all morning. To Alba in her bed and in her arms. To Alba’s laugh, which she’d learned was much softer in the morning, and then to the way she looked at Ellie…as though she was something worth holding onto.
Ellie exhaled a breath as she leaned back in her chair and dragged a hand over her face. “Get a grip.”
It didn’t help, though. In fact, it made it worse.
Because the second she tried to shut the memories down, her brain doubled back, offering her vivid flashes instead.
Moments she hadn’t even realised had embedded themselves this deeply already.
Alba kissing her at the door. Alba telling her she didn’t have to stop. Alba when she’d…
No. This wasn’t helping.
She sat forward abruptly and reached for her coffee, taking a long sip. Caffeine usually grounded her, but nothing was helping her to focus this morning.
She eyed the clock on the wall. She had another hour before the bell rang for lunch. Which, usually, would be just fine…but today it wasn’t. She hadn’t seen Alba yet, not properly, and she desperately wanted to. All she’d been offered was a passing glimpse across the corridor earlier this morning.
You’re forty-nine. Act it!
Ellie tapped her fingers against her desk. She could go and find her. There was nothing stopping her from doing a walk-through and checking in on classrooms, making herself visible around the school the way she often did, but she knew exactly how that would look today.
Then her mind wandered to Susan and what she would make of Ellie seeking Alba out today. Especially after they’d bumped into her on Friday night at the restaurant.
She clenched her jaw as she leaned back again and folded her hands in her lap.
She wasn’t embarrassed by their encounter, nor would she worry about whatever came of it, but Susan had heard directly from Ellie that she was on a date with Alba.
There was no chance that hadn’t travelled, been dissected, and twisted into something bigger than it needed to be.
Ellie scoffed. “Let them talk!”
For once, she didn’t care. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Ellie didn’t care about the whispers and the speculation, but she did care about how it affected Alba. And that was one of the reasons why she wanted to see her. Even just to check in.
As she considered her next move, her office door flew open. Ellie jumped in her seat, her hand pressing to her chest as she blinked at the figure in the doorway.
“Well, well, well.” Vanessa Hughes leaned casually against the doorframe, one brow arched, a grin already spreading across her face. “Aren’t you just full of surprises?”
Vanessa had been a friend of Ellie’s for so many years now.
Her wife, Emma, was also a firm favourite in Ellie’s life.
She hadn’t wanted to bother either of them with how she was feeling about Alba prior to the night Alba had shown up at her door…
but she knew Vanessa would never hold it against her.
She had enough going on herself right now.
“Shouldn’t you be teaching?” Ellie lifted a brow, but she couldn’t quite stop the smile working its way to her lips. “I’m almost certain you have a class.”
“I am teaching,” Vanessa replied, waving a hand dismissively as she stepped into the room and closed the door. “I’m teaching my Year 11 kids how to survive without me for five minutes.”
Ellie narrowed her eyes. “That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.”
“They’ll be fine,” Vanessa said as she dropped into the chair opposite Ellie’s desk. “Now…”
“Oh no,” Ellie said, pointing a finger at her. “Whatever you’ve heard—”
Vanessa grinned. “Oh, I’ve heard everything.”
Ellie groaned as she dropped her head back against her chair. “Of course you have.”
“A date, Ellie?” Vanessa leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “A…date.”
Ellie pressed her lips together when she felt the heat creeping up her neck. “Don’t start.”
“And with Alba?” Vanessa continued, completely ignoring her. “I mean…I was not expecting Susan to tell me you’d been on a date with another woman.”
“Vanessa.”
“I’m just saying…” Vanessa held her hands up in surrender. “I didn’t have you down as someone who would cause this much chaos before lunchtime on a Monday.”
“Is it bad? The rumours, I mean?”
“You know what people are like. Most of them don’t believe it because it came out of Susan’s mouth. That’s why I’m here. I wanted to hear it directly from you.”
Ellie lifted a brow. “In the middle of a lesson?”
“I’ve left them brainstorming. They’re a good class.” Vanessa relaxed back and crossed her legs. “How long has it been going on for?”
“With Alba?” Ellie chewed her lip. “It’s only a recent development, to be honest. We’ve been spending time together since she joined the school, but actually being with one another? Very recent.”
Vanessa watched her, searching her eyes, and then her expression shifted. “You look happy.”
It meant a lot to hear Vanessa say that. Ellie didn’t care about the Susan’s around here, but the Vanessas? They were the people whose opinion mattered most. “I am, Vanessa. I feel happier than I have in a long time.”
“Well, it’s about time.”
Ellie laughed as the tension eased a little. But even as she did, her eyes flicked back to the door. She was still waiting, and she was still thinking about her.
“She’ll turn up, you know.”
Ellie glanced back at Vanessa. “What?”
Vanessa smirked. “You keep looking at that door. Either you’re expecting Ofsted…or you’re waiting for her.”
Ellie didn’t even try to deny it. What was the point?
“Yeah,” Vanessa said as she rose to her feet and smoothed down her skirt. “You’ve got it bad.”
Ellie may have just rolled her eyes, but she chose not to argue. Because she did have it bad. She had it so bad that she was going to head to Alba’s classroom, when she built up the courage to do so, and demand they spend the evening together.
“I’d better get back.” Vanessa stepped towards the door and glanced over her shoulder. “But I expect a double date at some point in the near future.”
“That…would be lovely.” Ellie straightened in her seat, determined to push everything from her mind and do the job she knew like the back of her hand. “And thank you, Vanessa. For checking in.”
“Always.” Vanessa winked. “Now, be good. And if you can’t be good…be careful.”
Alba exhaled a tired breath as she popped the cap onto her pen and set it down on her desk.
Her shoulders dropped a little as the last of her students filtered out of the classroom, their chatter fading into the corridor beyond.
She didn’t know if the weekend was catching up with her or if she was emotionally drained, but she couldn’t wait to get out of here today.
“See you tomorrow, Miss!” One of her students called out from the doorway.
“See you tomorrow.”
And then silence descended over her classroom at last. The issue was that silence just encouraged her mind to go a mile a minute today.
She’d hoped to have lunch with Ellie, but of course…
Alba had been called away to deal with a student.
By the time lunch had come and gone, so had any chance of catching Ellie for even five minutes.
She pressed her lips together and shook her head.
As she gathered her things and slid books into neat piles, she knew she needed to focus on getting out of here at a reasonable time.
At least then, she could change, get Colin, and head over to Ellie’s.
It was probably safer to do it that way, anyway.
She’d already heard the rumours spreading, and she’d already noticed the looks the second she’d stepped onto the premises this morning.
Avoiding unnecessary contact with Ellie around school would be wise until everything had settled down.
It had been one day, and yet, she missed her.
You’re being ridiculous.
Hadn’t all of this been exactly what she’d told herself not to do? Not to get swept up and let it take over her life? After the weekend they’d just had, and the way Ellie had so freely opened up to her, how was she supposed to just…switch off? She couldn’t, and deep down, she didn’t want to.
She slung her satchel over her shoulder, glanced around the classroom one last time, and headed for the door. Home, Colin, and a quiet evening. One that included Ellie if she was lucky.
The door opened before she reached it, and Alba stilled.
Ellie was standing in the doorway like Alba had summoned her in her mind, smiling and looking incredibly beautiful as always. “Hi.”
Alba’s entire body reacted to that simple greeting. Her shoulders dropped, the knot in her chest loosened, and a smile spread across her face. “Hi.”
She hadn’t known what to expect today when they eventually came face to face, but there was no awkwardness between them. Nothing felt forced; it just felt right.
Ellie stepped further into the room, scanning the space before her gaze settled back on Alba. “I didn’t see you at lunch.”
“I had to deal with a year nine student.” Alba rolled her eyes. “By the time I was free, it was over.”
“I’ve been looking out for you.” Ellie stepped closer and stroked her fingertips over the back of Alba’s hand. “I’ve been dying to see you all day.”
“Yeah?”
Ellie’s lips curved. “Mmhmm.”
“I was looking forward to sitting down at lunch with you. Sorry I couldn’t get there.”
“Can we walk out together?” Ellie asked. “To our cars.”
Alba didn’t even try to hide the grin spreading on her lips. “Of course we can.”
She would love nothing more than to walk out with Ellie.
Every night, if she had things her way. She grabbed the last of her belongings, turned off the lights, and stepped out into the corridor with Ellie.
They fell into step, the breeze cool on Alba’s face as they landed outside the building via the back entrance.
She preferred this time of day, when the school was quieter, and most people had already gone home.
But today, as the echo of their heels sounded around them, it felt different.
After everything that had happened recently, the weekend and being in Ellie’s arms, leaving work today definitely felt different.
Alba’s hand brushed against Ellie’s as they walked towards the car park. She wanted to take hold of it, to lace their fingers together, but she wouldn’t. She didn’t know who would be around to catch them.
Probably fucking Susan!
“So, aside from getting caught up at lunch, how was your day?” Ellie asked. “Long, like mine, by any chance?”
Alba side-glanced at her. “Long enough, but better now.”
“Got any plans tonight?”
Alba chewed the inside of her cheek. Could she be bold and ask to spend it with Ellie? Of course she could. She’d done it plenty of times before with exes. “None, unless I’m spending the evening with you…”
“I thought you’d never ask.” Ellie nudged her shoulder and laughed. “I’ll come to you this time. You know, keep Colin happy and all that.”
As they reached the car park, a familiar voice called out Ellie’s name. Alba noted how Ellie’s posture suddenly stiffened beside her.
“Oh, for the love of God.” Alba pinched the bridge of her nose. “Is it just me, or is Susan everywhere lately?”
“She’s really getting on my last nerve.” Ellie turned around, as did Alba, and sure enough…Susan was rushing towards them.
“Evening,” Susan said, her gaze switching between them. “Both heading home?”
Ellie didn’t smile. She didn’t even soften the way she usually would. “Well, yes. That’s generally what happens at the end of work, Susan.”
An awkward silence settled between the three of them, but Alba didn’t care. Susan had created the awkwardness all by herself.
Susan shifted slightly, gearing up to say something else, but Ellie got there first. “I’d appreciate it if you kept your nose out of my business.”
That stopped her completely.
Susan blinked, clearly caught off guard. “I’m sorry?”
Ellie stepped a fraction closer, not in an aggressive or confrontational manner, but in a way that left no room to wonder where she stood on this. “I’m aware that you’ve been discussing my personal life with other members of staff, and I don’t like it.”
Alba remained exactly where she was, her heart thudding a little harder.
She hated that Ellie had to have these conversations with staff at all, but then she looked back at Ellie, impressed that she hadn’t even wavered for a split second.
That glare…well, Alba wouldn’t like to be on the receiving end of it.
Susan’s lips parted as she scrambled for something to say. “I was just letting people kn—”
“It’s not your place,” Ellie cut in. “And it’s inappropriate.”
Susan’s gaze flicked to Alba, then back to Ellie. “I didn’t mean any harm.”
“Then don’t do it again. Because the next time you do, it will be more than just a quiet word, Susan. I’m sick and tired of reminding you that you’re here to work, not gossip.”
There was no raised voice, and there was no drama, just…a finality in Ellie’s tone.
“Right.” Susan nodded, clearly uncomfortable now, and more than likely wishing she’d said nothing at all. “Well. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Susan walked past them quickly, her earlier confidence nowhere to be seen.
And then, she was gone.
Alba exhaled a deep breath, turning to Ellie with a smirk. “Wow.”
“What?” Ellie glanced at her, one brow lifted. “Was that too much?”
“You don’t mess about, do you?”
Ellie lifted a shoulder, laid a hand on Alba’s hip, and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Not when it comes to my personal life, no.”
Alba studied her, impressed by the woman she was dating. She didn’t know where things would progress from here, but she was more than ready to enjoy every moment she spent with Ellie Hamilton. “I’m glad you came to find me.”
Ellie’s gaze softened. “Me too.”