Page 55 of Suddenly Desired
She was right. Practically his whole adult life had been spent building Heartbook, and in one moment it was over. He never thought in a million years that he wouldn’t be part of this company.
Thankfully, he still had savings and most of his wealth was in shares. Michelle and David couldn’t take those.
And, after all, he still had his books and — he checked his watch — if he was quick, maybe he still had Ellie.
“Blake, are you okay?” Agnes said again. “Are you hearing what I’m saying?”
“Yes,” he said. “I’m listening. But you’re wrong, I haven’t lost everything. My friends are right. They’re so right.”
“What?” Agnes uttered, one eyebrow shooting skyward.
Blake grabbed his suit jacket from the back of the chair, then walked over to Agnes and took the copy ofThe Swiss Family Robinsonstraight out of her hands.
He clutched it to his chest. “I have this,” he said. “And, right now, that’s all I need.”
Agnes looked at him as if he was mad, and he almost felt it. But it wasn’t a scary madness, it was an exciting one, like the rush just before a skydive. He didn’t feel afraid of what might happen, he felt strangely free. It was as if he’d been wearing a weighted coat for decades, and had only just taken it off.
He had spoken the truth. The bookwasall he needed. Not because of what it was, but because of what it meant.
“Excuse me, Agnes.” He leaned over and kissed the old woman on the forehead. “I have somewhere I need to be.”
“But you can’t leave,” she protested as he walked past her. “The paperwork, we need you to sign it.”
“Email it to me,” he replied over his shoulder.
“But I don’t know where you’re going,” she said. “Blake? Blake!”
He stopped at the door and took one last look at his office.
“I’m going to Devon,” he said.
Chapter 28
ELLIE
Ellie scrambled through the heaving train station, struggling with the weight of the bag on her shoulder. There were people everywhere and muffled Tannoys going off every few seconds, and it gave her the same sense of claustrophobia as the crowd had back at the Heartbook HQ. She couldn’t wait for the moment she disembarked the train in Exeter and drove out of the station in her mum’s car, heading for the hills where their family farm was based.
At this rate, though, she wasn’t going to make it. Her mum had booked her on to the seven o’clock service, and thanks to the heavy traffic around Heartbook and an accident on the motorway, she was cutting it way too fine.
“Come on,” she muttered to herself. “Where are you?”
She pressed her phone to the ticket barrier, the e-ticket opening the gate. Her bag slid off her shoulder as she walked through, snagging on the gate and pulling her back. She heaved it back up, apologising to the woman behind her, and looked around for the right platform. It had to be around here somewhere. Spotting a map on the wall, she walked towards it only to jump back as an electric transport buggy zoomed past, its horn blaring. She checked that the coast was clear, then ran to the map, seeing that she was in completely the wrong place.
“This isn’t happening,” she said, panic starting to set in. If she missed this train then she couldn’t exactly afford to buy another ticket herself, and she didn’t have the heart to ask her mum. She’d end up slinking home and spending the weekend in her flat, probably sobbing into a tub of ice cream.
She understood why Blake had done what he did, but it still broke her heart. No, it hadn’t just broken it. It hadshatteredit — partly because she knew how hard it had been for him to stand there and admit to something he hadn’t done, and partly because she had seen in his eyes the simple fact that he would withdraw himself from everything now, including her. Even though he hadn’t said goodbye, that’s exactly what it meant.
“Move it,” said an elderly woman who was walking surprisingly fast. Ellie apologised again, breaking into a jog as she headed back the way she’d come. It had just gone five to seven and they’d already made an announcement that the train would be leaving imminently.
Ellie flew through the station, towards the correct platform as quickly as she could. She skidded to a halt in front of the train, readingExeter St Davidson the departures board. She’d made it. Just.
Hoicking her bag up, she made to run to the nearest door and jump on. Even if it was first class, she could walk down the train to find her seat.
As she reached the nearest entry point a shrill whistle sounded down the platform and the train hissed and juddered to life.
“No!” she shouted. “Let me on.”
There was nobody in sight other than the guard standing there,Shelbywritten on her name badge. She shook her head sadly. “I’m really sorry, hon. It’s too late.”
