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I bury my face in my hands, a fresh wave of embarrassment washing over me. “God, I’m so sorry. That wasn’t me. I don’t yell like that. I don’t—”
“You shouldn’t be,” he says aftera moment. “You told him the truth.”
I shake my head, disbelief coloring my voice. “The truth isn’t always what people want to hear. Especially not Cole Wagner.”
“No,” Ellis agrees. “But sometimes, it’s exactly what they need to hear. You did what no one else has had the guts to do in a long time. Even me.”
I blink at him, my mind struggling to process his words. After a moment, I slowly say, “I thought you didn’t like me.”
“I don’t dislike you,” he says simply. “But I admit I was skeptical at first. You’re young, and this family doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to caregivers. But I’ve seen the way you are with Robbie. You care about him. That’s more than I can say for most people who’ve come through here.”
The lump in my throat grows, and I look down at my hands. “I don’t know if it matters. Cole’s furious.”
“Mr. Wagner’s a lot of things, but he’s not stupid. He knows you’re good for Robbie, even if he won’t admit it.”
His words ignite a little spark of hope in me, but I don’t dare to indulge it too much. “You really think so?”
“I know so,” he says, his tone leaving no room for doubt. “But that doesn’t mean he’s going to make it easy for you. He’s stubborn, and he doesn’t like being called out—especially not in his own house.”
I let out a shaky laugh, wiping at my eyes. “Yeah, I got thatimpression.”
Ellis stands, smoothing out his suit. “Give him time. He’ll come around. In the meantime, don’t let him intimidate you. You’ve already done more for that boy in a few weeks than anyone, including his own father, has in years.”
For a moment, I’m shocked at hearing Ellis speak like that about Cole. He’s always been so prim and proper. Mr. Wagner this, Master Robbie that. So formal and loyal.
So, to hear him speak about Cole like that is a surprise—enough even to shock me out of the lingering dredges of my panic attack—because even though I’ve never had one before, I somehow know it couldn’t have been anything else.
“What if he changes his mind? What if he decides I’m more trouble than I’m worth?”
Ellis smirks faintly again. “You’ll just have to prove him wrong, won’t you?”
His words hang in the air between us.
I’m not sure if I believe him, but the surety of his words has dulled the sharp edges of my fear, at least for now. My fingers fidget with the edge of the towel sitting damp on my lap.
A sudden ping breaks the silence. It’s the gate sensor. Ellis pulls his phone from his pocket, his sharp gray eyes flickering over the screen. Almost immediately, a second ping sounds from my pocket.
Ellis glances at me as he straightens. “They’re back.”
My stomach twists, an immediate rush of panic surging through me. Robbie’s back. I can’t let him see me like this—red-eyed, shaky, and completely unraveled. I glance around the pool house as though looking for an escape, even though I know I’m cornered.
“I can’t—” The words spill out of me, breathless and frantic. “Robbie can’t see me like this. He’ll know something’s wrong.”
Ellis tucks his phone away, his expression calm and composed, as though this is just another day to him. “Then don’t let him see you like this,” he says simply, gesturing toward the couch. “Take a moment. Breathe. He’s just getting back. It’ll be a few minutes before he even makes it inside.”
“But—” I stammer, my words tangling together in a mess of doubt and guilt.
Ellis raises a hand, cutting me off. “I’ll go greet them at the door,” he says firmly. “Take the time you need to collect yourself. There’s no rush. He can manage a few minutes without you.”
His tone doesn’t leave much room for argument. He turns and steps toward the door.
“Ellis?” I call after him, my voice cracking slightly.
He pauses, his hand on the doorknob, and turns back to look at me.
“Thank you,” I say, my voice soft, and I hope sincere.
He nods once. “If you find yourself about to have another panic attack, put something cold on the inside of yourwrist or in your palm. Just keep it there until the pressure releases,” he says simply, and then he’s gone. The door clicks shut behind him, leaving me alone in the quiet of the pool house.