Page 42 of Suddenly Desired
No such luck.
She closed the door behind her. Josh was standing in the living room, by the window, his arms folded over his chest.
“Oh my God, Josh, can you just leave?” Ellie felt her nose sting.
“It’s my flat too, remember,” Josh huffed. “In fact, whose name is first on our lease? Mine. And, by the way, whose car was that?”
“Are you spying on me?” She walked into the kitchen area, poured a glass of water and took a deep drink, but it did little to make her feel better.
“You wish,” he spluttered. “I was just admiring the view when that monstrosity pulled up. Let me guess, it’s something to do with that Blake person? I knew there was something going on there.”
“That’s none of your business, Josh,” she said. “Blake’s just a friend.”
“Sure,” he sneered. “You looked pretty cosy for friends. Ask me, he got what was coming to him when that drink was poured over his head.”
“Nobody asked you,” she shot back, slamming her glass on the counter. “For your information, he was interested in LifeWrite. He thinks it has potential. That’s why we were meeting.”
It was a lie, of sorts, but at least it would stop Josh’s stupid questions. He unfolded his arms, his face wrinkling.
“He’s interested inthat?” he said. “Your half-baked social media idea? Come on, Ellie. I know you’re naive, but just think about it. Haven’t you heard the news, haven’t you seen the things he posted? He’s just using you.”
Ellie felt her blood boiling, her head whistling like there was steam coming out of her ears. She was so angry her fists were clenched, and she had to force herself to relax them.
“Why don’t you think he would be interested?” she asked, meeting Josh’s eye and holding it. She thought of Blake, of the way he had spoken to her as an equal, of the way he had praised her ideas. It gave her the strength to continue. “You never believed in me, never thought it would work. But I’m smart, Josh. You did your best to convince me otherwise, but you know it as well as I do. I’m smarter than you.”
He snorted, sneering at her like she was a madwoman.
“Blake told me it could work. He even said he could help me make it happen. And no, not because he had another agenda, thank you very much, but because he saw what I see — he saw how important this could be.”
Josh held out his hands like she was a runaway horse. “Whoa,” he said. “Don’t get your knickers in a twist, Ellie. He really said that?”
Ellie took a breath and nodded.
“He really said he would help you?” Josh said, licking his lips. “Like, give you the money?”
“No,” she said. “Not like that.”
And not at all, now, she thought. Blake had enough on his plate. She doubted he’d have the time to help her launch LifeWrite.
“We should do it, then,” Josh said, walking to the other side of the counter. “I helped you with the original plans. We should try to make it happen.”
It was Ellie’s turn to snort. “Youhelped? All you did was criticise.”
“Exactly,” he replied, smiling. “That’s how good teams work. If I’d told you how great everything was, you would never have tried to make it better. I was criticising you for your own good, the same as with your hair, your physique. That’s what a good man does. He pushes a girl up to her full height, and makes her the best she can be.”
Ellie screamed inside her head, walking out of the kitchen. She barged past Josh, heading for the bathroom. What she really needed was a glass of wine and a bath — preferably together.
“What?” said Josh. “Don’t you dare cut me out of this, Ellie. I was there for you all those years when you were making LifeWrite. It’s as much mine as yours.”
She walked into the bathroom, ready to slam the door behind her. Josh was standing in the kitchen, looking at her withan expression of pity. “Poor Ellie,” he said. “Don’t you see it? You’re nothing without me. I made you, and I was always there for you, even now. You might think you can do better than me, but I promise you there’s nobody else out there who will love you like I do. Nobody else who will stick by your side like I will. Blake Fielding might be a billionaire, but he’s no Josh Bigsby. And deep down, Josh Bigsby is the man you love.” He smiled that arrogant smile of his. “Go have a wash, then we’ll talk about the future. Because a future with me is what you deserve. Nobody else will be there for you.”
Ellie shut the door on him, leaning against it and doing her best to hold back the tears — tears of anger, yes, but tears of sadness too, and tears of resignation. Because if today had told her anything, it was that Josh was probably right.
Chapter 21
BLAKE
Blake stared into the river, lost in the gently meandering water. The sun shimmered on its surface like liquid fire as it was stirred by the breeze blowing upstream. The trees rustled, the birds sang, and if he really tried, he could convince himself that he was back home, a kid again, ready to ride his bike down the hill with his friends.
