Chapter 9
8 x 75%
Ellie had barely kicked off her shoes when the hospital called, urging her to get back to her internship.
Monday rolled around, and she was right back in the swing of things. Her boss gave her a thumbs up, dropping hints that if she kept killing it, a permanent spot might be hers for the taking
Come lunchtime, Ellie was holed up in the break room, scrolling through her phone for any part–time gigs.
Her internship paycheck was slim, and she was on the hunt for extra cash to help out at home. She refused to let Aaron be the only one holding the family together.
A quick knock and a coworker poked her head in with a mysterious, “Dr. Thompson, you’ve got a guest,” before vanishing as swiftly as she’d appeared.
Ellie was still wrapping her head around the cryptic message when Alex walked in. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, and Ellie quickly deflected, offering a “Hey, Alex as if they’d never had a cross word.
With the formalities out of the way, Ellie returned to the massage chair and hit the power button. It had been a few days. since she’d seen Alex, and she found herself at a loss for words–no small talk, no unresolved issues.
Alex, apparently not thrilled with her lukewarm reception, made his presence known by slamming a bag and keys onto the table, the sound jolting the quiet room
Ellie’s attention shifted from the bag of treats to Alex. heavy thoughts.
throws were furrowed, a clear indicator that he was carrying come
As Ellie settled into the massage chair, Alex took a seat on the desk’s edge, facing her. The only sound in the room was the gentle hum of the massage chair, filling the silence between them.
Alex noticed Ellie’s quiet and tried to crack a joke to ease the tension. “You bailed on me with that injured leg, not even a goodbye. You’re not adding another crutch to the family, are you?” His smile didn’t reach his eyes.
Ellie’s brow furrowed, and she met his gaze with a seriousness he’d never seen. “That’s not funny,” she said, her tone flat.
Her dad had taken a hit for her when she was just a kid, trying to save a strange boy. If it weren’t for that, she and her brother wouldn’t have had to rely on handouts for everything, including school.
Seeing Ellie’s frown, Alex’s playful demeanor turned sharp. “Ellie come on,” he said, his voice edged with annoyance. “Who’s been letting you get away with this attitude? It was just a joke”
Ellie kept her head down, not bothering to argue. To Alex, she was just a girl who’d been under the Warren family’s roof, not someone of consequence.
Frustrated by her silence, Alex pulled out a box of pastries. He held it out to her, but when she didn’t take it, he opened the box with a tone that suggested he was doing her a favor.
“I won’t hold it against you, considering what happened last time with the manhole, he said.
The box revealed a mess of melted cream, spilling out and covering his hand. “Haley didn’t want it, so I thought you might,” he muttered, clearly annoyed as he tossed the dessert and went to clean up.
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11:13 Fri, Jan 24 TG.
Chapter 10
