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.
