Joe put his finger over his lips as Caleb entered the apartment. Caleb glanced at the sofa and whispered, "Is she sleeping over?"
"I'm not waking her."
He stood and followed Caleb right into his room. Looking around, he observed the mess with papers strewn across the floor and video games piled on his desk which should be used for homework. The worst were the clothes littering the floor.
"I hope you know what's clean, because I'm not lugging clean clothes to the laundromat to wash again."
"Yeah, what do you want?" His voice was full of attitude.
"I wanted to know what you did tonight."
"Nothing."
"Nothing for four hours sounds pretty boring."
"I hung out with Gaby."
"Where?"
"Um... her basement."
"Is she your girlfriend?"
"I don't know. There's another guy she hangs out with..."
"Is she screwing both of you?"
"Um, privacy! You want me to ask if you're doing my teacher."
"No, but you better wear a condom, if you're going to fool around."
"Can you just shut up?"
"Shush!" Joe reminded him.
"You're the one invading my space."
Joe held up his hands and left Caleb's room. Ella was still asleep and he wished he could fit next to her. He really didn't want to go to bed with her on his sofa.
She had been out late the night before having drinks with Christa, Tony and his friend, who went to meet Christa. He heard the evening went well and Christa was smiling when Joe saw her at school.
Joe had almost given up waiting up for Ella's call. By the time she had driven home, it was well past her work night bedtime. She was dragging all day while Christa drove Ella crazy, because she was full of energy. Apparently, she was going out with Dylan again.
Meanwhile, Ella came over and dozed off around nine. Joe sat correcting paper and glancing at her every few minutes. She looked beautiful, and Joe was still pinching himself because she was really there. Every so often after he glanced at her peaceful face, he would check his phone to see Caleb's whereabouts. He had been in one place all night not far from their apartment.
Joe debated and decided to move Ella. The biggest risk was not waking her, but her deciding to go home after she woke. She was so light he could easily lift her. He knew she had lost weight because of him. Her slight figure caused him guilt and so much regret.
When he lifted her, she stirred enough to nuzzle into his neck. He put her down on his bed and climbed in next to her. More nights than he could count, he had longed to be sharing his bed with her. He gathered her in his arms and she nuzzled into him. He instantly regretted his decision for fear he would be too distracted to sleep, but her calming vanilla scent enveloped him and he drifted off.
He woke to her stirring beside him. He opened his eyes to Ella looking at him.
"Were you watching me sleep?" he asked with a dry cotton mouth. She smiled. "I watched you all night. I still have trouble believing you're here with me."
She reached up and caressed his cheek. "I kept thinking I would never see your peaceful face again. I'm sorry I fell asleep."
"You were tired."
"But I wasted our evening."
"El, we have a lifetime of evenings ahead of us. I understand you were out late on your double date."
She smiled. "It wasn't a date, but you like to tease me. Dylan dragged his feet for over a week about meeting Christa and then it took a while to find a night the four of us were available, I didn't have high hopes for the meeting. Truthfully, it was fun. Dylan was a lot more fun trying to impress her than when it was me."
Joe asked, "Did anyone have a chance with you after I came back to town?"
He wasn't teasing, because in the few weeks since she came back to him, she admitted that she only agreed to see Dylan because his return had confused her.
"No one ever had a chance with me."
She leaned over and kissed his lips. Joe pulled her closer and growled. "I've been hoping to get you in my bed."
"Did you carry me? I thought I was dreaming."
Her body was pressed to his. "I think I'm dreaming." Joe wanted her. "It's been so long."
"Since the night before you left me."
He pulled back and studied her face looking for the veil of sadness she had when she spoke of the past. What he saw instead were her dark eyes and her rapid breathing. He knew she wanted it as much as he did.
"I love you more than words."
She smiled. "You love words."
Joe was completely happy and sated, as he watched Ella roll off the bed. He loved how her naked ass wiggled. He loved everything about her naked body and had taken his time reacquainting himself to it.
She picked his shirt up off the floor. "I'm gonna go make coffee."
When he came out of the bedroom she was looking at her phone with a cup of coffee in front of her."
She looked up and smiled and he felt himself stiffen. "Christa's date went well last night. She has deets on her story."
Joe nodded, because he wasn't a huge fan of social media. "My date went well this morning."
She giggled and he resisted the urge to carry her back to bed which was a good thing because Caleb walked out of his room and groaned. "Urgh, my worst nightmare. My teacher is wearing my brother's shirt and giggling." He studied Joe. "Thank God, you finally got some you were too damn uptight."
Joe was mortified, but Ella's laughter filled the room, which made Joe forget about Caleb's comments. The worst part was his brother was probably not far off from the truth. Joe felt whole again.
"I can cook breakfast if you have the ingredients," Ella said to Caleb.
Joe said, "I can run out to buy anything you need. I've missed your pancakes."
"Yeah right! I bet that's what you missed!" Caleb scoffed.
"Cay! If you scare her away now, I'll never forgive you!"
Ella laughed. "He could never scare me away. I like him."
Caleb had a cocky grin on his face. "See!"
Joe handled Caleb better when Ella was around to balance him. Truthfully, Caleb was a different kid with her. He was the one who had been hiding behind all the hurt and grief. Joe was certain Ella wasn't just saving him but Caleb too.
Ella made a list for him and he put on shoes and left. What he didn't expect was to find the two of them singing together when he returned. Joe could get lost in her voice, but he had to admit that Caleb sounded really good, as well. The minute, he saw Joe he stopped and looked embarrassed.
Joe wanted to spend all day with Ella, but she had some errands and chores before her gig. Joe had his own domestic work to do including a trip to the laundromat. He was planning to go see her perform.
"Tony's going to be there." She sounded nervous.
"He doesn't know me. I'll sit in a dark corner. Can I convince you to stay here tonight?"
"I'll go home. Sometimes Tony and I go to the diner, so I might be out late. You know Sunday I go to my parents."
"Not the lake?"
"No, I think it's easier for Fiona's nap. You know with them next door."
Joe nodded and wished he could be invited to the Burke family Sunday dinner. He loved watching football with Tim and the others. Caleb didn't like sports.
Joe sat at a table in the back nursing a beer and checking his phone to see Caleb was at Gaby's house. He had finally had a glimpse of her in the halls but hadn't met her yet. He shrunk back into the wall, as he saw Ava walk in with Tony.
Ella looked equally surprised and glanced nervously his way. He watched, as Ella hugged Ava while both sisters jumped up and down.
After Ella stepped away, he had a text notification.
🗨E: She surprised me. She got the job.
🗨J: Great!
🗨E: She's moving back. Maybe you should go.
🗨J: I'm in the shadows
Ella didn't reply, but she was on the stage a few moments later. Joe listened to her sing, and it felt different than last time when his heart was aching from missing her. He knew he was the one she loved even in a roomful of admirers.
When he wasn't watching Ella or checking on Caleb he found himself glancing over at Ava. He observed something Ella knew nothing about. As much as he hated secrets it wasn't his secret to share, and he had to assume there was a reason for it. He knew who Tony's mystery girl was. There was more to the way his arm was draped across the back of Ava's chair. Joe recognized intimacy between them.
Who was he to tell someone's secret when he had one of his own? He and Ella wanted privacy and apparently Ava and Tony did, too. His privacy was threatened when Ava glanced around the crowd and her eyes stopped at his dark corner. She quickly looked away.
He decided it was best, if he left before the last song. It made him look like he was stalking Ella. Hopefully, Ava would not suspect anything different, he mused as he drove home. It was best for him to be home before Caleb's curfew, anyway.
He received a text from Ella.
🗨E: Going out to celebrate. Talk in am. Love you.
🗨J: Love u too. Have fun. I think she saw me.
He went to sleep in his bed, which suddenly felt very empty.