Page 23 of Head Over Wheels
My phone buzzes. I pick it up to see that it’s a text from Jeff. The guy that’s been kind and paying attention to me from the first moment. He may not make my heart race like Jace does, but he definitely deserves a real chance.
Just wanted to make sure you’re okay.
I smile warmly.
Yes, all good. Just tired from the day.
Understandable. Want to grab a coffee tomorrow morning before the farewell event?
Yes, sounds perfect. I’ll text in the morning to confirm details.
Good night.
I immediately feel better. I’m moving on and making good choices. I’ll steer clear of the messy drama that’s been following me all weekend and get into something easier and more solid. Jeff seems reliable and steady, and he’s pretty easy to look at too. I finish taking my makeup off, deciding to leave my hair in its bun. It will look better in the morning if I sleep with it up, which is good since I now have a coffee date. I put on my pale pink sleep tank and boy shorts and curl up in bed with my Kobo. My mind is still buzzing, so hopefully some reading time will settle me down enough to sleep.
With different books on the go for different moods, right now I’m feeling like a cosy mystery. I started a Louise Penny book a couple days ago, and I’m ready to escape with Inspector Gamache for a few chapters. There’s something about the small town of Three Pines and all its unique characters that just settles me. I’m happy there are so many books in the series so I can keep going back into their world.
I’m happily flipping the page, fully engrossed in my story, when a light rap on the door grabs my attention. I sit up and stare at the door, wondering if I actually heard a knock. Maybe I’m just jumpy from the mystery. I look at the clock on my bedside table; it’s midnight now. I’m losing it, there’s nobody knocking on my door. My eyes flick back to my book when there’s another, louder knock. Followed by a very recognizable voice.
“Ella? Are you in there?”
CHAPTER 18
Is that Jace? At my door at midnight? Do I even want to talk to him after all of tonight’s drama? Although in his defense, he doesn’t even know I saw him tonight at the club, or what Deb said to me earlier. There’s another quiet knock, followed by his voice again.
“Ella, if you’re awake, I’d love to talk.”
With a glance down at my pjs, I look around the room for something to throw on top. Even though I’ve been wearing workout clothes all weekend, this somehow seems more intimate.
“Yeah, I’m here. Give me a second,” I call out as I walk over to the closet. I remember seeing a bathrobe hanging there when I checked in. I slip it off the hanger and slide it on. It’s big and fuzzy and white, which has never been my colour, but at this point it’s all I’ve got. I take a quick look in the mirror and decide that this is as good as it gets. When you show up at midnight to a girl’s room, you can’t expect perfect hair and makeup. Tonight, he meets bedtime Ella.
I walk over to the door and take a look through the peephole to confirm it is indeed Jace. He’s standing there in his black pants and shirt staring at the floor. I swing open the door and stand to the side so he can enter the room.
“What are you doing here, Jace?” I don’t mince words as he comes to a stop in front of me. He looks good, all the black setting off his blue eyes.
“I was worried about you. You left without saying goodbye, and I know you were upset earlier this evening.” He looks at me, his chin dipping slightly.
“There’s nothing to worry about. As you can see, all’s good here. Thanks for stopping by.” I motion towards the door.
He raises an eyebrow. “Your tone would indicate that everything isn’t good. Have I done something to upset you?”
I inhale once and let it out slowly. Do I want to open this Pandora's box with him? Is it even worth it at this point? Something about everything that’s happened tonight isn’t sitting right with me. There’s only one way to find out if he’s been playing me all weekend.
“You’re right, I was upset earlier, and again at the club, and that’s why I left suddenly. I didn’t want to get into it in front of everyone.”
His gaze softens. “It’s just us here. Do you want to talk about it now?”
I bite my lip. “Yes, but I’m not sure how to start.”
Jace takes a step closer and grabs my hand. He strokes his thumb over my skin, and I immediately feel soothed. “Why don’t we start with what happened at the dinner when I saw you in the lobby. Did that guy do something to upset you?”
Now it’s my turn to raise an eyebrow at him. “What guy?”
“You know, the blond one. He was sitting with you?”
Right, I forgot that I was with Jeff when he ran into us. “Oh, no, Jeff didn’t do anything. He was just hanging out with me until I felt better.”
“Good, okay, so what happened then?” He tilts his head.