Page 152 of Love Unwritten
In my dream, he fussed over my strappy heels before tucking me in. He might have even kissed my forehead and whispered something against the top of my head, but I was asleep again before I ever heard the words.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Ellie
“So, you were friends with Ava Rhodes ever since she moved to Lake Wisteria when you were fourteen?” Ms. Copper, the lawyer Cole referred me to, asks without looking up from her notebook.
My head swims with memories I’ve tried so hard to forget. Breathing is becoming progressively more difficult, and if I’m not careful, I could pass out from lack of oxygen.
We are only five minutes into our allotted meeting time, but it feels like an hour already.
“If you don’t mind, I just need a few minutes.” I mute my microphone and turn off my camera.
Deep breaths, Ellie.
I try so damn hard to calm myself down, but I’m only working myself up more with every ragged breath.
I should have known today was going to be a bad day based on the gloomy weather. But still, I held on to my hope and talked myself into a consultation with Cole and the lawyer despite the warning sign.
When Cole reached out yesterday, asking if I could meet with the lawyer while I was on vacation, I said yes. I thought I could handle it without my family or Willow being there to support me, but I was wrong.
I’m not sure why I thought this was a good idea. There is no way I can—
No.
I can do this, and I will, but I just need…someone. Anyone really. I don’t care who, but my options are limited to only two, and since Nico hearing my story is out of the question, I’m left with only one person.
Rafael.
Goose bumps spread across my arms. After he tucked me into bed last night, I haven’t talked to him other than to ask him if he could entertain Nico while I attended an hour-long meeting, so the idea of calling him makes me jittery.
With a shaky hand, I pull out my phone and do it anyway.
“Ellie?” Rafael answers.
“Are you in the living room?”
“Yeah. Is everything okay with the meeting?”
“Um…about that. Do you mind coming to my room?”
He doesn’t hesitate. “Sure. I’ll be there in a minute. Let me just get Nico his tablet.”
“Thanks.”
He hangs up, and I spend the longest sixty seconds of my life pacing the layout of my room until there is a heavy knock against my door.
“Elle.”
I flip the lock and open the door.
“What’s wrong?” He steps inside and assesses the room.
“Remember when I mentioned Cole and that copyright lawyer?”
His eyes land on the computer. “Yeah.”
“Well, we’re in the middle of a meeting right now, but I’m kind of having a bit of a freak-out and don’t know if I can do it.” Panic bleeds into my voice.