Page 84 of Prove You Wrong

‘How else will I get to school with my bloody giant art portfolio?’ Chloe throws up her hands.

‘Swear jar!’ Ella raises an eyebrow with an attempt at a stern smile which I can only describe as cute.

I hide a chuckle; it’s fun seeing Ella in discipline mode. Fuck, I wonder what my penance for swearing will be; I could think of a fewpunishments.

Chloe disappears and Ella calls out, ‘Twenty minutes or we’ll be late.’

I love seeing Ella’s relationship with Chloe, it must be hard to balance sisterhood with responsible adulting, and she seems so devoted to her.

‘You fancy some toast while you wait?’ Ella takes my hand and starts to lead me in the direction of the kitchen but I pull her back to me. Tugging her hips close to mine.

‘I fancy you,’ I murmur into her ear.

She sinks on to me with a happy sounding sigh but then stiffens. ‘Wait, how are you giving us a lift? Not your bike.’

‘Chunk's Ranger.’ I offer my most mischievous smile. ‘I’m not a maniac.’

Chapter 25

Ella

Accidentally copying inall staffto an execs email should be a sackable offence. But Boris is still in post. The email in question makes my blood boil. Determined not to be taken advantage of any further, I log off, reasoning it’s pretty much midday and I need some fresh air.

Striding down the street on my lunchtime romp, I hold my phone to my ear as I wait for Josie to pick up.

‘Today’s the worst,’ I garble the moment she answers the phone. ‘Tell me about you. Distract me.’

‘I was going to phone you actually.’ I can hear the coyness in her tone. ‘Need to ask a favour.’

‘Please do.’

‘I want to get a head start on my tax return, for my art stuff and the online shop. You think you could give me some pointers?’

‘It’s not due until the end of January, but of course I’ll help. How come you’re soon it?’

‘It’s not like me, I know.’ She laughs. ‘I’m trying to distractmyselffrom bloody Scott.’

I pause and wait at a crossing. ‘Did you know he and Nate are brothers?’

‘Nate’s his little brother?’ she exclaims, her voice raising. ‘Nope. I’m trying not to think about him. This kind of information is not helpful, Ella.’

‘Duly noted. So, back to your question … ’ I think through my calendar as the crossing bleeps go off. ‘The part for Helena should be in by tomorrow, then I need to try and fix her. Is this weekend any good for you?’

‘How do you know how to do all this stuff?’ Josie giggles. ‘Tax? Cars? Was there an adulting class I missed out on?’

I turn up my scarf in the cold wind as I round the corner onto the main street. ‘You know me, Little Miss Self-sufficient.’ I give a self-deprecating chuckle.

Little Miss Can’t-Bear-To-Accept-Help-From-Others more like.

Inever profess to be particularly good at anything, but I want to be able to do things myself if I can, so I research a lot. Life’s taught me the only person you can really rely on is yourself.

‘Speaking of which … ’ I can picture the quirk in Josie’s eyebrow from the lilt in her voice. ‘Jamie tells me that Chloe said Nate’s been dropping you both off in the mornings.’

Grateful she can’t see my flare of embarrassment, I give a little cough. Itryto be independent, but when Nate showed up looking all tousled and sexy and keen to help, I wasn’t going to turn him away.

‘When did Chloe see Jamie?’ I frown. ‘It’s not like his college and her school are on the same side of town.’

‘She’s been getting him to give her a lift home.’

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