Page 29 of Should Our Hearts Catch Fire

Chapter 7

The lunch with Cal,despite the topic of conversation, had put Ellis in a strangely good mood. Well, anokaymood. Turns out there might be something about opening yourself up to another person. Not that Ellis is planning on repeating the experience anytime soon. He’s not equipped to withstand such an emotional rollercoaster. Once in 34 years is enough.

So yeah, he’d felt a little lighter, at least until he got back to work and received an updated report from the finance department. That effectively returned his mood to its default gloomy state.

The sun has already started to set by the time Ellis’ stomach growls, signaling how long it’s been since lunch. When he ignores it in favor of opening another document, the universe sends him a further reminder in the shape of his relentless assistant.

“What are you still doing here? You’re not sleeping here again, are you?” Hands propped on her hips, Amanda arches a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

“Please, come in,” Ellis says drily. After weeks of being barged in on, jumping out of his skin every time, and giving Amanda a scolding which yielded absolutely no results, he’s given up. The mini heart attacks aside, it’s not too bad having a PA who could run the company if Ellis ever drove himself into a ditch from sleep deprivation.

Amanda’s other eyebrow joins the party, indicating she’s waiting for a response.

“I’m not sleeping here. I never slept here.”

“You slept here twice last week.”

“I didn’t sleep here. I napped.”

“It’s only a nap if it’s during the day.”

“Well, I woke up and went home.”

She rolls her eyes, tucking a blonde lock behind her ear. “Didn’t you just buy an apartment? Is there something wrong with it or what?”

“I did and it’s fine.” For four walls and a roof. It’s still better than Cal’s pretentious, sterile apartment.

Folding her arms on her chest, Amanda gives him a scrutinizing look, wrapping it up with an ominous, “Hmm.”

“What?” Ellis looks down at himself, checking if there’s something wrong with his suit.

“You need to get laid,” Amanda says, as if talking about the weather.

Ellis gives her a flat look. “Are you offering?” he taunts. He’s not going to give her the satisfaction of showing how uncomfortable he is. Amanda takes too much pleasure in making people—and especially Ellis—squirm.

Seriously, if she wasn’t so brilliant at her job…

Amanda shrugs, popping the top button of her shirt open. “Since you asked so nicely.”

Ellis falls back into his chair, gripping the edge of the desk before he can topple backwards. “Amanda!”

Her evil laugh booms through his office. “Gosh, you’re so easy to wind up.” She stalks towards him, her heels clapping against the linoleum floor. She leans over the desk, giving Ellis a flash of her cleavage that’s most decidedly intentional. “Chill, will you? But really, if letting off some steam will make you less insufferable, I volunteer.”

“Charming,” he says with a glare.

“I’m just trying to be practical. It would make both our lives easier.”

“You’re making this offer truly irresistible.”

“I try. I’m a very good PA, after all.” She winks.

“Is that why Cal kept you around?” Ellis retorts, regretting the words right away. His brother might be a brand-new person after the memory loss, but that doesn’t mean Ellis is comfortable with the idea of Cal being a cheater on top of being a jerk. Ellis wouldn’t be able to ever look Dawson in the eye again, knowing something he doesn’t.

“Unfortunately, both me and your brother love dick. Alas, I had to make do with alternative solutions.”

Ellis lets out an inaudible sigh. Thank god. Yes, sure, Cal being gay should’ve told him something, but one can never be too sure, especially given his drinking problem. People do stupid shit when they’re drunk—like driving and ending up in a nearly fatal car crash.

“Alternative solutions?” he asks against his better judgment.