Page 91 of Rude Boss 2

“I need to leave, too. I have to take Ella home.”

Zahara chuckles. “Yeah, please do. Poor thing has been passed out on that hard bench since eight.”

I glance at my watch. It’s close to eleven.

Zahara asks, “Are you okay to drive?”

“Yeah. I only had two glasses of champagne and I didn’t even drink all of the second one. I’m good.”

“Are you sure? You look flushed.”

“Oh,” I laugh it off. I have a good reason for that. I tell her, “Must be the humidity. Anyway, let me go get Ella. I’ll see you later.”

“Yep.”

I walk over to the bench to wake up Ella.

She sits up saying, “Leave me alone…”

“Ella, I’m taking you home. Come on.”

“No. I’m tired,” she says, her eyes blinking shut.

I shake her a little. “Ella, snap out of it.”

“Okay. Calm down already.”

I walk with her to the front yard, trying to leave before Zahara so she doesn’t see us getting into Essex’s Mercedes. I get Ella buckled in, then jump in the driver’s seat and drive off. I get her home safely, walk her over to the bed and take off her shoes. She’s out already.

When I’m back in the car, I get a call from Essex. I answer, “Hey.”

“Hey. Don’t come back over here. I told the cleaning crew to work until everything’s cleaned up.”

“Everybody’s already gone?”

“No, but they’ll all be out of here before one.”

“Okay, so I can’t see you for the rest of the night? Is that what you’re telling me?”

“You sound upset.”

“It is upsetting. I want to be with you.”

“Then you’re in luck because I’m driving over to your apartment as soon as I pack my suitcase for our honeymoon.”

“Oh, shoot! I don’t have a suitcase.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll bring one for you, sweetheart.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll be there as soon as I can, so if you need to take a warm bath and try to recuperate or whatever it is you do to prepare your body for me, I advise you do so. Love you. Bye.”

---