Page 82 of No Rings Attached
I wrapped both arms around her, squeezing her tighter. “Then we’ll find you something better. Something only yours.”
She melted into me, whispering, “Just give me a minute to process, then I’ll be ready to tackle that stupid list. I’m probably making a big deal out of nothing.”
My chest ached. I kissed the top of her head, inhaling her scent and hating the way her family made her feel like scraps were all she deserved.
Not anymore.
Not on my watch.
I was going to be her safe space.
“Buttercup,” I felt her tiny smile against my chest at the nickname. We might have found a winner. “Take all the time you need.”
I would’ve given her an hour. A year. Forever, if she needed it.
We ended up spending the entire morning at the florist. I’d never realized there were so many kinds of roses, or that people actually argued about ribbon width. After about an hour of nodding at arrangements and color palettes, my brain felt like mashed potatoes.
But Ellie’s eyes lit up when she talked about which flowers paired together, and I forced myself to focus. She didn’t even notice how animated she got, or how beautiful she looked when she forgot to guard herself.
I leaned against the counter, pretending to study a stack of bridal magazines, but I was really watching her hands as they smoothed over the petals and her concentration as she explained what she was looking for to the shop owner, Jennifer.
God, she’d make a stunning bride someday.
Not that I had any right to think that.
By the time we walked out, the sun was high in the sky, casting its golden rays across her hair. She stretched her arms overhead and laughed. The sound knocked something loose in my chest.
“That was a long time to sit,” Ellie teased, her knowing eyes recognizing that it was hard for me to stay still that long.
“Worth it,” I said, and I meant it.
Outside, I opened the passenger door for her and closed it gently once she was inside and then climbed into the car. Her hand found mine on the console, warm and tentative.
“I was thinking,” I said, “Maybe we could stop by the animal rescue league before the cake tasting?”
Her whole face lit up. “Really?”
“Really.” I’d make the time, even if it meant showing up late for Celia’s appointment. While Ellie might not agree, she was my priority.
She glanced at her watch, then at me hopefully. “Can we play with the puppies when we get there?”
“We’ll make it happen.” I’d move heaven and earth if it meant seeing her smile. “Can you text Theo for me to let him know we’re on our way?” I rattled off my passcode without thinking, eyes still on the road.
Silence. Too much silence. I risked a glance at Ellie. She was staring at my phone like it had sprouted wings.
“Everything okay?”
She smiled, small and almost sad. “It is. Your phone is blowing up–you must have at least a dozen texts coming in right now. And I just had the strangest revelation.”
“Oh, yeah?”
She nodded slowly. “Kyle was a total jerk.”
Not what I expected.
She tapped out the message, her brow furrowed. “Any time I asked to use his phone, he’d get cagey. Defensive. You just … handed yours over without blinking.”
“I don’t have anything to hide from you, “ I said simply.
