Loving Leonardo

Chapter Five

As Ella held the straw to her lips, she glanced over at her boss, catching him glaring at her as she took a sip of the cold drink. He looked angry, and she wondered if she had done something to offend him. Maybe her table manners were lacking, and he found it offensive. She didn't wait to find out.

"Thank you for the pizza, Mr. Russo. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye."

She stood, avoiding eye contact with him as she walked out of the room.

When she had changed, Ella got into the elevator putting on her ripped coat. The elevator doors were about to close when Leonardo stepped inside, carrying the stack of pizza boxes.
"Here, you can take these with you. I am sure your boyfriend will appreciate them. How are you getting home? It's raining?" He asked and pressed the ground floor button and stood over her.

"I'm walking. It's ok. I brought my coat with me this time."

"What kind of boyfriend doesn't ensure his girlfriend gets home safe?" He questioned, a firm line between his brows.

One who doesn't exist, she thought, choosing not to correct him.

"I'll be fine," she replied.

"That thin cheap material won't stop the rain. Is this what you plan to wear home?" Ella was shocked at his cheek. Who was he to question her clothing?

"What I plan to wear is of no concern to you. Not everyone can afford a tie worth more than most people's homes! Just because you were left millions, it doesn't give you the right to judge and insult others!"

Ella didn't look at him as she stormed out of the doors as soon as it hit the ground floor, walking over to reception to scan her card. As she turned, he was nowhere in sight. Beginning her long walk home, she realized her harsh words could have cost her this job. How could she have been so stupid to talk about his finances? He might have insulted her, but she was the one who needed a job, not him.

Ella had overreacted. She knew it. But money was a sensitive subject for her. A few weeks ago, Sean had come home upset because of something someone had said to him.

Ella knew Sean had gone to ask his crush's father if he could take her to the dance. The next thing she knew, Sean was locked in his room for two days, and when he came out, he spoke about how he would prove to that man he wasn't a nobody who had no money.

As she fumed at herself for her reaction, a black SUV pulled up in front of her.

"Mr. Russo has requested that I take you home."

Ella wanted to be stubborn and refuse. However, she was keener to get out of the cold stormy weather. The pizza boxes were stacked up on the seat beside her with a hastily written note.

My driver will collect you in the morning for work. Do not wear that coat! - Leonardo

Luckily, it seemed she was still employed.

"I forgot how good pizza take-out was!" Sean said while putting a slice of each flavor of pizza on his plate. "It was good for your boss to pay for all this food."

"Yeah...I wish my boss were so kind. Travis's mom won't even give me weekends off," Lola commented, referring to Travis's mother, who she worked for. Sighing, Lola looked at Ella.

"Looks like you got another boss with a crush on you, Ella. Except this one gives us free pizza, I like him," Lola said, shrugging her shoulders and grinning at Ella.

"I admit him doing this was nice. But it's not like that. He was only being generous," Ella claimed.

Lola still carried on smiling at Ella's response and shook her head, her short brunette hair staying perfectly in place as she did. "Ok, whatever you say, Ella! The blush on your cheeks says otherwise. You like him, don't you?"

"Hey, do you mind? I don't want to hear you two talking about what guys you like!" They both laughed at Sean's outburst, which ended the discussion. 

Lola left after eating the pizza, and Ella spent time helping Sean with his schoolwork. The older he got, the more he resembled their father. The hazel eyes and chestnut hair were identical to that of her father. He'd always been shorter than Ella, but now he was almost the same height as her. Her father said she took after her mother with the same golden hair and piercing blue eyes.

 It was something she resented. She may have inherited her looks from that woman, but nothing else. Nevertheless, she would never abandon her family. 

Ella knew Sean had photos of their mother. She knew when he was a child, and he secretly hoped their mother would return and they'd be a family. But, when Sean got older, he stopped talking about the woman that abandoned them. Sometimes Ella wished he would tell her how he was feeling, he'd changed the last two years dramatically, but she guessed that was all a part of him growing up.