Page 38 of Only Ever Yours

“Ahh, that makes sense. I knew they both wanted out of all the traveling and missions, but I had no idea they started their own company.”

“Yeah… It's mostly Jay's baby, though. His office is downtown. Only about a block from Sprinkles, actually.”

I find myself nodding along, so interested in what the man who steals all my thoughts has been up to all this time. That explains it, though. I guess that’s why he’s been stopping by the café in the mornings.

“Oh, I was wondering why he had stopped by a few mornings.”

Her eyes crinkle in confusion. “What do you meanhe stopped by?”

“Sprinkles… he stopped by Sprinkles a couple of times.” I quickly correct myself so she doesn’t think anything else.

“Hmm, strange… Jay doesn’t even drink coffee.”

That's surprising since that’s literally what he orders every time he comes in.

What the hell is his angle?

I can’t have her thinking he might be stopping by to see me, so I make up a small white lie. Eh, please forgive me for this.

“Well, he just grabbed breakfast...” I say while looking down, swiping a baby carrot into the dip. I need to change the subject quickly. “… what are you making anyway? It smells so good.”

“Just some spaghetti. I have a salad and some garlic bread to go along as well. I guess I need to go ahead and pop that into the oven.” She glances at the clock. “Ryan should be home in about fifteen minutes.”

Dinner was amazing and a nice distraction from what has really been going on in my life. I purposely left my phone in my pocket on silent the entire time I was at Haleigh’s. I didn’t want to interrupt our time together—but mostly I needed to distance myself from thoughts of Jaydon. However, right now, his texts from earlier are slowly sliding their way back into my thoughts.

As soon as I get back into my car, I pull my phone from my back pocket and see I have notifications waiting for me. Pulling up my text thread, I already know who it’sfrom. He just won’t fucking stop with the torture. In my response to my earlierFuck you,he replied.

Jaydon: I’m down anytime you are. All you have to do is ask. I’ve been craving that juicy peach ever since I had it the first time.

I’m not responding to him this time; screw him. I can picture the smug fucking smirk he had on his face as he sent it. And now I need to go home and use my favorite purple vibrator—I’ll be exploding in seconds thinking about his filthy words and sexy-as-fuck body. But he’s still a fucking asshole… A fucking asshole that I can’t get out of my goddamn head.

Chapter 11

Ellie

Final.

That’s such a strong word.

But it’s the truth, and sometimes the truth hurts like hell.

This is the final week I will ever live in my childhood home. The final time I will ever walk up those creaky stairs to my familiar bedroom. The final time I will ever walk through the front door—the same one that my mom carried me through after I was born.

The home where I had all my firsts will no longer be mine.

My time living here is running out, and I’m still no closer to finding a new place to live. It’s not looking too great for me at this point.

I took the day off to pack up all my belongings and pull down all the pictures I had hung up over the years.

I smile as I pull down a picture of Haleigh and me from the wall. Well, it wassupposedto be just the two of us, but Ryan and Jaydon photobombed us in the background, their goofy grins and poses frozen in time.

Memories flood my thoughts with each picture I pull off the wall. I have no idea where I’m supposed to store all my things; there are so many boxes.

My mom and sister leave for the airport tomorrow, and the moving company is coming today to load everything they are taking with them.

My mom has been begging me to go with them, but I just can’t bring myself to do it.

I feel such a strong connection to this small town; all my friends are here, along with so many memories. It feels like this is the place I’m meant to be.

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