Page 35 of Coming Home

Lilian looks at the dress I have on. “Look, you’re beautiful in whatever you wear. I’m sorry if you think I’m trying to change you. That’s not what I was doing. I’m sorry.”

“No,” I say as I grab her hand. “No. Thank you, Lilian. You’ve been good to me since the first day I walked into Blaze Whiskey. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have the job. I owe you.”

She shakes her head. “You don’t owe me anything. Look, I’m not sure what’s going on with everything, but what I do know is that you deserve to be happy.”

I suck in a breath, trying to hold back my emotions. I turn away and look in the mirror. “You know, it does look good. Maybe I can wear it.”

She claps her hands together and looks hopeful. “Only if you want to. I mean, you look beautiful, but if you’re not comfortable in it…”

Her voice trails off, and I turn side to side, inspecting the way I look in the mirror. Honestly, when I look at it now, it’s completely respectable. It’s not too short or too low, it’s just not like what I usually wear. I point to the dress. “Are you doing this because you think Hudson will like me like this?”

She shrugs her shoulders. “I’m doing this because I think you’re beautiful, and I want you to feel beautiful, that’s all.”

I run my fingers along the silky material of the dress and look at myself in the mirror. Even the sandals I’m wearing look good with this. “It does look good, doesn’t it?”

Lilian smiles. “It looks really good.”

I pull back my shoulders. “I’m getting it.”

Lilian just smiles widely. “Good. You deserve it, Elle.”

“I do,” I tell her, and for the first time in a long time, I believe it.

Chapter19

Hudson

Itype out a text and send it to Ellie. “Send me a picture.”

This is the third time I’ve texted her today, and each time, she’s sent me some bullshit picture. One was a pencil on her desk. Another was a picture of the parking lot at Blaze Whiskey, and one was out the window. Of the three, that last one was probably the best because I was at least able to make out her reflection in the window.

I know there’s something bothering her. She was out of the house this morning before I was out of the shower.

She stayed and worked at the office today, telling me she had some report she needed to get done. But now it’s after work hours, and she’s not home.

I’ve tried not to worry, and the only thing that is stopping me is the fact that she at least texts me back.

I stare at my phone, and when it shows she’s read my message, I breathe a sigh of relief. I don’t know what it is, but I’ve been on edge today. Even after I jacked off in the shower this morning, I still have a healthy case of blue balls. But it’s not that. It’s something else, and it has me on high alert. I know this feeling, and it means something bad is coming.

I’d probably feel better if Ellie was home, but it’s not like I can make her do something.

My phone dings, and this time, she sends me a picture of a wine glass. I enlarge the picture and read the printed name on the coaster under the glass.The Whiskey Whistler.

A hundred questions come to mind.Who is she with? What is she doing at the bar? Is she okay?

There’s a part of me that wants to drive into town just to see what she’s up to, but I know I shouldn’t, so I text her back instead. “Are you driving? I can come get you.”

I send the text and drop my phone on the top of the kitchen counter. I pace back and forth while glancing at the phone. When it dings again, I grab it and read, “It’s actually Ally’s wine. Don’t worry. I’m not drinking.”

I sit down on the couch in the living room and read the text again.She’s with Ally, Austin’s best friend? Is Austin there?All these thoughts are going through my head, and I have no answers.

I text my brother. “What are you doing?”

He texts me back almost immediately. “I’m at the gym. You want to hang?”

I want to say no. I want to sit here and stew about what Elle’s doing and when she is going to be home, but even knowing that, I'm not going to turn down hanging with my brother. “Sure, I’ll order a pizza. Bring a six-pack.”

He sends me a thumbs up, and I send him the middle finger before setting the phone down.

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