Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
One week later…
Alba stood across the road from the school gates, her hands tucked into the pockets of her coat as she watched the steady stream of students spill out onto the pavement.
It felt strange being back here. Familiar, yes…
but distant enough that she no longer felt a part of it.
The building looked exactly the same, the area too, but Alba felt entirely removed from it now.
It belonged to a version of her that had already moved on.
Her attention shifted to the side door near the main entrance. That was where Audrey would come out. Alba had timed it right; years of working here had etched the rhythm of the day into her memory, and Audrey had never been one to linger once the final bell had gone.
Still, as the minutes ticked by, Alba became more and more aware of the various emotions running through her.
There was no fear this time, but it was something close to it.
A worry that she may be unleashing something she should leave well enough alone, perhaps.
But this mattered to her more than anything else ever had.
Ellie, everything they were going to build with one another…
yeah, it mattered more than she could explain.
Alba refused to let anyone interfere with their future.
She exhaled a deep breath, her gaze trained on the door. She wasn’t second-guessing herself this time around, nor was she here to placate Audrey in any way at all.
The door opened, and Audrey stepped out, her expression already set in that familiar, dismissive line as she scanned the area, most likely expecting nothing more than the usual end-of-work routine. Until her eyes landed on Alba, and she stopped abruptly.
“Well,” Audrey said as she crossed the pavement, her heels clicking and echoing off the building. “This is unexpected. Have you come here to beg me again?”
Alba stayed exactly where she was, her posture straight and her gaze level as she watched Audrey move closer and closer. “I need to speak to you.”
Audrey’s brows lifted, amusement flickering across her face. “Do you?”
“Yes.”
There was no hesitation in Alba’s voice, and she knew Audrey had noticed. It showed in the slight tilt of her head, and in the way her eyes narrowed as she came to a stop just inches away. “Make it quick. I don’t have all day.”
“This ends now.”
Audrey blinked repeatedly. “Excuse me?”
“The messages. The comments. Turning up at Ellie’s office as though anything you say actually matters.” Alba kept her voice steady. “It stops.”
Audrey laughed and shook her head as she folded her arms. “You’re asking me to leave you alone?”
“I’m not asking you. I’m telling you.”
Alba noted the irritation creeping into Audrey’s expression. She never had liked it when Alba stood her ground. “You should be very careful. You’re beginning to sound like you’ve forgotten your place.”
“My place?” Alba scoffed. “You mean the one where I stayed quiet while you chipped away at everything I was? The one where I let you decide how things went because it was easier than arguing with you?”
Audrey rolled her eyes. “Oh, here we go.”
“No. Not this time.” Alba said, stepping forward and cutting Audrey off before she could twist it all into something else. “I’m not here to revisit what happened between us. I’m here to make one thing very clear.”
Audrey shifted her weight, that impatience written all over her face as she huffed out a breath. “You’re wasting your time.”
“I don’t think I am.” A beat passed between them, the noise of students and traffic carrying on around them, completely unaware of what was unfolding just a few feet away.
“You’re not interfering with my life anymore.
You’re not involving yourself in my relationship, and you won’t ever walk into Ellie’s office like that again. ”
Audrey scoffed and lifted a brow. “You think this is about you?”
“Oh, I know it is. You’ve made sure of that.”
“I was doing her a favour.”
“No, no.” Alba lifted a hand. “You were trying to fuck everything up for me. It’s like it’s your default setting these days.
” She looked Audrey up and down, disappointed that she’d ever given this woman a second of her time, let alone years of her life.
“It’s actually quite sad. You make out like you’ve got your shit together, but really, you’re just pathetic. ”
For the first time in all the years Alba had known her, Audrey didn’t have an immediate response. To anyone else, they wouldn’t have noticed it given how brief the pause was, but it was there, and Alba had clocked it.
“You always did like to twist things, Alba. I told Ellie that. How you like to make yourself the victim in everything.”
“Trust me, that bullshit doesn’t work on me anymore. And it won’t work with Ellie either.”
“You really think she’s going to stick around?” Audrey’s nostrils flared. “You think it’s something real?”
“Yes.” The certainty in her answer cut cleanly through whatever Audrey had been about to say next. Audrey glared at her, searching for anything she could use against Alba, but she didn’t find it. “Ellie means more to me than you’ll ever understand, and she’s more than you’ll ever be.”
Oh, that did it. Audrey’s composure cracked completely. “You’ve known her for all of five minutes!”
“I know enough, believe me. I know enough to recognise what respect looks like and what kindness looks like. I now know what it means to have someone stand beside me instead of trying to put me down.”
Audrey’s lips parted, but nothing came out. Because this wasn’t the Alba she remembered. This wasn’t the version of her that had stayed quiet, had let things slide, or had chosen peace over confrontation. This was someone else; someone who had now drawn a line and meant it.
“Don’t come near us again. You don’t send messages, you don’t turn up uninvited, and you don’t try to involve yourself in something that has nothing to do with you.”
Audrey laughed, but it lacked conviction now. “And if I don’t?”
“Then I’ll make sure it’s dealt with.” Alba held her gaze. “I’m sure the police would love to know that I’m being harassed by my ex-wife.”
Alba waited for some sarcastic response, maybe even a threat, but Audrey just stared back at her, dumbfounded by this Alba.
Audrey broke eye contact first, looking away as she scoffed under her breath. “This won’t last.”
“I’m done with you.” Alba stepped back, creating space between them. “And I won’t be having this conversation again.”
She turned and walked away, breathing a sigh of relief when Audrey didn’t try to stop her.
But Alba knew why…there was nothing left for them to say to one another.
And as she strolled away, Alba’s entire body felt lighter than it had in a long time.
Not because everything was fixed or because she believed Audrey would, in fact, leave her alone.
No, she felt lighter because for once, she hadn’t backed down.
Ellie let herself into Alba’s place with the key she’d given her recently, smiling as she slipped it into her pocket and inhaled the scent of whatever delicious dish her girlfriend was whipping up tonight.
Stepping into Alba’s space had become second nature now, and tonight, more than anything, she needed that feeling.
Something steady and comforting. Something that felt like a little slice of home.
The door had barely clicked shut behind her when she heard that familiar scramble of claws on the floor. “Alright, alright!” Ellie laughed as Colin came charging towards her, all enthusiasm and zero restraint, his tail thrashing against every hard surface he passed. “Hello to you, too.”
He skidded a little as he reached her, circling her legs before pressing himself against her, nudging insistently at her hand until she gave in and reached down to stroke behind his ears. Her heart swelled as he looked back at her with those adorable brown eyes.
It was ridiculous, really. The way he greeted her as though she’d been gone for weeks instead of a day. But then another part of her secretly loved Colin’s enthusiasm. It made Ellie feel as though she was expected and wanted. It made her feel as though she was a part of this.
Ellie crouched, her hand moving over his back as he leaned into her, completely content now that he’d secured her attention.
“Yes, I’ve missed you too.”
Ellie meant that with everything that she was. Because somewhere along the way, this had started to feel like more than just visiting Alba. It felt as though there was a space here for her…one that didn’t require any invitation.
The sound of movement caught her attention, and Ellie straightened as she looked towards the stairs.
Alba appeared a second later, fresh from the shower, her hair damp and twisted up into a loose bun.
She was wearing her comfy clothes, and now Ellie wanted to be wearing her own, while settling down for the evening with the two most important people in her life.
Dog or not, Colin was absolutely her people.
“Hi,” Alba said, a gorgeous smile settling on her lips as she stepped off the last stair. “I didn’t realise the time.”
Ellie moved closer and laid a hand on Alba’s hip, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “Hi.”
There was something about the way Alba looked at her these days that made everything else fall away the second they were alone together.
The day and the weight of it. The never-ending tasks at work and the attention people demanded from her.
All of it was gone the moment they closed the door for the night.
“You’ve timed this well.” Alba nodded towards the kitchen. “Dinner’s in the oven.”
“I know. It smells amazing.”
Alba draped her arms over Ellie’s shoulders and smiled into a kiss. “Something wholesome for the most beautiful woman in the world.”
God, Ellie loved that. Not necessarily the compliment, though they always helped…but just the way Alba gravitated towards her the moment they locked eyes.
Ellie’s hands came up to rest at Alba’s waist, pulling her a fraction closer. “I’ve missed you today.”
“You okay?” Alba frowned. “I mean, I’m sure you are, but…is everything okay?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” Ellie knew Alba was still feeling a little wary at the thought of Audrey taking absolutely no notice of Margaret’s warning, but Ellie was feeling just fine about it all. She always had been the kind of person to take things with a pinch of salt, though.
“I don’t know. I guess I just like to ask.”
Ellie lifted Alba’s chin and gazed into those beautiful eyes. “Everything is okay now that I’m here.”
Alba’s expression shifted as she relaxed into Ellie’s hold, that connection Ellie once hadn’t realised she’d been missing, but now knew she couldn’t live without buzzing between them.
It made her hands tingle and her heart flutter, and even though she’d felt it with Alba for months now, the intensity of it still shocked her each and every day.
“Are you staying over tonight?” Alba stroked her fingertips up and down the back of Ellie’s neck. “Colin says now that you’ve closed the door, you’re kind of trapped here.” She shrugged. “His house. His rules. I have no say in the matter.”
“Oh, no. Whatever will I do?” Ellie smirked as she leaned in and nipped at Alba’s bottom lip. “I suppose I shouldn’t complain since you’re willing to feed me.”
“I’ll always feed you, babe.”
“Mmhmm.” Ellie narrowed her eyes, then her mind went entirely in the opposite direction to where she wished it was. “Oh, before I forget…Vanessa and Emma have invited us out for dinner this weekend. Fancy it?”
“Yep. Sounds good.” Alba untangled herself from Ellie and took her hand instead, guiding them both into the kitchen. “Have they made a reservation somewhere or do we need to do that?”
“I’ll find out tomorrow. I have a meeting with Vanessa about some new modules next term.”
Alba shrugged, then turned her attention to the oven timer. “Okay. Just let me know, and I’ll be there.”
“Well, that was easy.”
Adjusting the timer, Alba busied herself near the hob, then glanced back over her shoulder. “They seem lovely from what I know about them so far. And I prefer seeing you outside of work without any interruptions.”
Ellie preferred that too. It was too easy to get lost in the rhythm of high school, and often, before she knew it…the day had passed by in a blur, and she’d barely laid eyes on Alba.
“Oh!” Alba spun around suddenly. “I…went to see Audrey after work.”
Ellie’s body tensed immediately. Though she didn’t care about anything relating to Audrey, she always had a visceral reaction to her name. “Y-you did what?”
There was no anger in her tone. Just…concern. Because she knew Audrey and she knew exactly how conversations between her and Alba could go.
“I waited for her outside the school.”
Ellie stared at her. “Alba…”
“I needed to do it, babe. I can’t let her keep interfering. Not with us.”
Ellie’s mind started to race through every possible way it could have gone wrong, because it surely had. Audrey wasn’t the kind of woman to back down, regardless of the fact that Ellie had filed a formal complaint…and regardless of the fact Alba had spoken to her. “I…are you okay?”
“I’m fine. She walked away shocked for once.”
Ellie could see a newfound determination on Alba’s face. The way she held herself was completely different, and with that absence of doubt…one that usually clouded those dreamy brown eyes, Ellie could only applaud her for whatever she’d said. “What happened?”
“I told her it ends now.”
It was simple, and it was clear, and in Ellie’s mind, more than enough to settle any niggling worries at the back of her mind. Ellie searched her face, scanning for anything that hinted at Alba feeling unsettled or shaken, but there was nothing there at all. Nothing to worry about, anyway.
“I’m serious, Ellie. I told her to stop playing games, or I’d have it dealt with properly.”
“I’m proud of you for doing that. Maybe it’s what she needed all along. Someone to put her in her place and remind her that she’s not so highly thought of after all.”
“It’s done now. I’m moving on with my life.”
If Alba was sure, then Ellie would trust her. She couldn’t do anything other than that. Ellie may have known Audrey in a professional capacity for many years, but this wasn’t that. This was the personal side of Audrey Seddon…and so far, Ellie didn’t like what she’d witnessed.
She reached out a hand and pulled Alba in against her. “You did what needed to be done.”
“I did what needed to be done for us. If you weren’t in my life, it probably would have continued. I don’t have the strength to fight her alone, but with you by my side? I know I’m capable of far more.”
Ellie gazed back at Alba, her chest ready to burst at any moment. “God, I love you.”
“I love you too.” Alba melted against Ellie and smiled. “I’d do anything to make this work.”