Page 24

Ellie

I've had the shittiest day. I got an email earlier this morning reminding me of the due date of my car payment and insurance, and I have no fucking idea how I'm going to pay it this month—let alone pay Jaydon for my first month of living here.

I knew this was coming. I just thought I would have been able to bring in more clients before now. Nobody has inquired about my planning services, although I haven't exactly been advertising much with everything else going on. I’m so screwed, and I need to figure something out quickly.

As soon as I got home from the cafe, I hurried to change out of my clothes and showered, putting on my favorite tank and sleep shorts. I can’t stand to smell like a freaking cup of coffee all afternoon .

Jaydon got home a little while ago. I heard him come in when I was getting dressed. I’ve been trying to keep my distance from him since the other day. It’s weird; I’m confused as hell about how he truly feels about me. We’re like fire and ice .

Am I just convenient for him, since I live here?

Or is it something more?

My stomach growls just as I finish applying my face cream, reminding me I didn't eat lunch today. So I make my way downstairs in search of something good to eat.

I embarrassingly haven’t been able to contribute much to the food around here, but luckily, Jaydon always seems to have the fridge stocked.

I feel like such a user, and I need to talk with him about it.

It’s gonna be a difficult conversation for me because I need to tell him there is no way I will be able to pay him, and I can already imagine his comeback.

When I reach the last step, I hear Jaydon in the distance, talking on the phone.

I’m a nosy bitch when it comes to him, and I want to hear what he’s saying—but I pretend to mind my own business as I make my way towards the kitchen.

“My girl left me high and dry,” he chuckles.

What the fuck is he talking about, what girl?

I make myself a sandwich, trying to keep the noise at bay so I can hear, but I’m only catching bits and pieces between the cabinets shutting and the bread bag crackling.

I hear him say Haleigh’s name, so I’m almost positive he's talking to Ryan. But now my mind is spinning with the girl he talks about. Is it my sister? And I’m just the next best thing—the convenient sister.

He probably doesn’t even know I’m down here.

I think back to the times he and I have been together, and it pisses me off even more knowing I let him have that part of me.

I hear him get off the phone, so I casually make my way towards the living room, eating small bites of my sandwich as I go. He flips on the TV and sets the remote on the couch beside him.

“Hey, Peachy. I thought you were avoiding me.” He slides his arm behind his head, lying back against the couch, and adjusts the pillow he’s leaning on.

I was, but I ignore his comment.

My eyebrows meet my forehead. “You have a girl now?”

His forehead creases. “What are you talking about, Ellie?”

I try my best to pretend like it doesn’t matter to me, but for some reason, it's really getting under my skin. I need to know.

I shrug. “I heard you on the phone talking about your girl. Just curious who she is?” I take another bite of my sandwich while looking at the TV .

He laughs, and I force myself to look over at him. His eyes glisten with mirth. “You jealous, Peachy?”

I laugh, but my tone is mocking. “Why would I be jealous?” I glare at him. “… And I told you not to call me that anymore.”

“Peachy...” He continues, ignoring my request. “We both know why you’re jealous.” He speaks slowly, casually pushing up, sliding forward to sit on the edge of the seat, and leaning his body closer to me.

I pop my eyes at him, waiting for his clarification of why he thinks I’m jealous.

He shakes his head and chuckles. “You still want me, don’t you?” His eyes cut straight to my soul, and I know he can see right through me. His gaze lands on my chest, and I feel my nipples instantly harden.

I huff because he's fucking right. “Whatever, Jaydon.” I push myself to stand and make my way over to the kitchen to pour myself a drink—but mostly to get away from him.

“Oh, Peachy, come back. You know I’m just fucking with you,” he calls from over the back of the couch, and his eyes meet mine.

And I know the overuse of him calling me Peachy is just to fuck with me as well.

I groan, making my way back over to the living room. I need to talk to him anyway and get this shit over with.

“You wanna know who I was talking about?” he asks .

“Jaydon, I really don’t care at this point,” I wave him off. “It's really none of my business anyway.” I put my water on the coffee table and sit back down on the L-shaped couch, as far away from him as I can get.

He has the biggest smile stretched across his face. He knows me too well; he knows it’s killing me.

I glare at him, “Okay, just fucking tell me.”

He claps his hands together and throws his head back in laughter.

Cocky Asshole.

“She’s my assistant.”

Well, now I feel like a dumbass.

“Ohh—”

“Yeah, Peachy, that’s all she is. My assistant. Nothing more.”

I nod. “Hmm. So, what, she just up and left?” Now, I’m genuinely curious, not coming from a place of jealousy.

“Yeah, she’s pregnant—" his eyes tighten like he knows what I’m thinking, and I am, “by her husband. And she's been put on bed rest, so I wasn’t expecting to be without help so soon.”

I nod my understanding and take a deep breath.

Here goes nothing .

“Hmm, well… speaking of jobs,” I briefly pause to make sure I’ve got his full attention, I do.

“Elaine cut my hours back. I don’t know if you noticed or not that I haven't been going in every day, but yeah, I’m not getting the hours I on ce was.

” He nods, listening intently. “I’m gonna barely be able to pay my car payment this coming month, and I feel horrible, but I’m most likely not going to be able to pay the rent we agreed on either.

I’m going to find another job. I started looking the day she told me, but there isn’t much available right now.

I’ll pay you back once I get the money.”

“Don’t worry about it. You have a place to live regardless of being able to pay me, Ellie. I’m not relying on that money anyway.”

“I know, Jay, but I feel like such a user.” I sulk.

“I mean, you have used me several times… but I got off too,” he winks and smirks.

“Dammit, Jaydon.” I grab the pillow next to me and chuck it at him, then fall back against the couch cushions and hide my face in both hands.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding.” Then the same pillow I just tossed comes back and hits me in the head. His laughter is infectious, and I try my best to hold mine back.

I peek through my fingers to find him still smiling. Then, his playful mood shifts.

“Why do you have that look on your face?” I hesitate, but ask anyway.

Do I really want to know?

“Peachy, you wanna be my assistant?”

“You're serious?” I sit up once again to judge his tone, unsure if he's just messing with me .

“Of course I’m serious. You need a job, and I have one for you. You can handle paperwork and phone calls, right?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

“Alright, then can you start Monday? What days are you working at the café?”

“Yeah, Monday is good. I don’t work this coming Monday. She normally gives us our schedule the week before. It changes weekly.”

“Perfect. Then you can just let me know what days you can work, and we will go from there. I can get you all set up with pay and all that stuff on Monday.”

Is this really happening?

As much as he's an asshole, he really surprises the hell out of me when he’s so thoughtful. I’m overjoyed and feel like I could cry right now. I move closer and reach for him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“Thanks for doing this for me, Jay.”

He glances down between us, causing me to do the same—and my breasts are spilling out and over the top of my tank. I’m sure the push-up bra I’m wearing is adding to the effect.

“Peachy, you should know we do have a strict no-relationship policy at work.” He grins.

I scoff, pushing him away. “Oh my god.”

Yes, I normally like seeing his reaction when I wear this PJ set in particular; however, that’s not why I put it on tonight. I really didn’t even think about it when I got dressed, only searching for comfort from my shitty day. But now I can tell just how much he's affected by me wearing it.

“I’m just fucking with you. I’m the boss—I do whatever the fuck I want there. That rule is in place for all the other fucknuts that work for me.”

“Well, we won’t have to worry about that anyway.” I pull a blanket off the back of the couch to cover myself. “Seriously, though, thank you.”