Page 60 of The Billionaire and the Maid

Two cups of coffee later, and we still can’t figure it out.

I throw a pillow across the room. “Forget it. This is stupid.”

“You like him, don’t you?” Gus asks.

I grab another pillow and scream into it. Pulling it back, I look at Gus. “Yes! God! This is so frustrating. I don’t want to deal with this anymore. Are we fake?” I motion with one hand. “Are we not fake?” I motion with my other hand.

“I mean, you were fake. And then, I think you might have become…not fake,” Gus says as he shrugs.

“I wish—” My phone rings and I look down. I had just turned it back on after I made coffee, and now I’m regretting it.

Gus looks down. “You should get it.”

I pick it up and stare for a moment before answering.

“Are you OK?” Greta answers.

Sighing, I put her on speaker.

“I’m fine. Gus is here.”

“Good. Our Gus will take care of you.”

A message pops up from Chase.

World’s Best Boyfriend: I don’t know what’s going on. Please, at least let me know you are OK.

“Is he seriously saved in your phone as that?” Gus asks.

“It was a joke,” I state.

“What? What’s happening?” Greta asks.

“Nothing,” I say too quickly.

“The asshole is texting her,” Gus replies.

I suddenly regret letting Gus into the apartment. I just want to be alone. I want to turn off this phone and crawl back into Greta’s king-sized bed.

“Are you going to reply?” Gus asks me as he looks from me to the phone.

“No. And I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I’m done for today,” I announce. “Greta, thank you for letting me stay here. I’m OK. I need a few days, if that’s alright with you. And, Gus, go home. I’ll live. I’ve survived worse than a little heartbreak.”

“A little?” Gus asks with a pointed look.

“Fine. I was falling in love with him. But it’s over. We’ve been here talking this through for two hours and we have no reason to think Ken was lying. I just want to forget about this for a little while. It’ll take longer to forget about Chase, but someday, maybe I can. I mean I was just hisfake girlfriendafter all, right?” I say.

Gus gives me his patented raised-eyebrow look that says,you are being stupid.

“Don’t start. I know this was just a mutual arrangement. I just…” I trail off because I’ve been round and round on this point for way too long.

“Stop kidding yourself. I saw how he looked at you. You were not just amutual arrangement. I don’t know what happened, but I’m on team Ella. So whatever you need, you just tell me,” Gus says.

“Thanks,” I whisper, trying not to cry again as Gus pulls me into a hug. But inside, I’m still questioning the reality of everything that happened between Chase and me. And my heart is still breaking at what could have been.

* * *

“Wake up! You’ve been out here for three days. We need to get you outside.” Greta’s voice wakes me as I hear her pull back the curtains. Sunlight streams into the room and I groan, rolling over and pulling the covers over my face.

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