It's been a week since we returned home and I wish I could fly Ella and I back already. Since we arrived home, things have been tense not just between us, but between everyone.
After our phone argument, Katherine and I haven't spoken a word to each other. Ella also confronted Katherine about Roberto again, and she gave her the same stupid speel about Roberto calling soon. Because of that, Ella has been staying at my place for the last week, and things have been a little tense between us as well, but I'll be the first to admit that's on me.
Katherine told me to hold Willow off on finding Roberto and I did that while only giving her limited information, not wanting her involved. But I gave Katherine a week and Roberto still isn't here.
For the past week, I haven't been able to look at Ella, every time I do, I feel like I'm lying to her, so I've been distancing myself as much as possible.
At work it's easy, Ella has gone back to working in accounting, no longer working under me as my personal assistant, so during the day we don't see a lot of each other, but at home it's a different story. I want her here; I want to go to bed with her at night and wake up with her in the morning, but I just can't shake my thoughts and feelings, if I talk to her, like really sit down and talk to her, I'm going to blurt out the truth I just know it.
Tonight is Friday, and usually Friday night is family dinner night at Mom and Dad's place, but with Killen canceling to hang out with his on again off again whore of a girlfriend, Dad working on finding Roberto, and Jordan having dinner with Grayson there was no point.
Opening the front door, my nose is greeted by the aroma of a baked dinner. Following the smell, I of course end up in the kitchen where I find Ella pulling dinner from the oven.
"Hey, your just in time for dinner." She smiles.
I look at the tray she's pulled from the oven and the food looks amazing, she's cooked all of my favorites, pumpkin, potato, sweet potato, carrots and of course the roast meat which looks just as good as the one Mom cooks. She's gone to so much effort, how am I going to get out of this? We haven't sat down together for a week.
"Wow, this looks amazing." I smile as I make my way over and wrap my arms around her from behind.
"I knew you were sad about missing roast night, so I thought I'd surprise you." She smiles as she turns to me and presses a small kiss to my lips. "How was work? I didn't see you all day."
"I was swamped in work again, I didn't even have time to eat."
"Luckily, I cooked extra for dinner." She smiles before moving to the plate cupboard and pulls out two plates.
I can't do this, I can't spend another night avoiding her or lying to her, or keeping things from her. This ends tonight.
Moving back, I pull my phone from my pocket and send a text to Katherine. "Times up...."
"Ace." She says softly as she places her hand on my forearm.
"What? Sorry?" I say quickly as I lock my phone and side it into my pocket.
"I said dinner is plated up and ready. Are you okay?" She asks as she looks up at my, her eyes filled with concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine." I nod and head for the bench where I pick up our plates and carry them to the table when're I sit them down.
"You know how we always said we'd be honest with each other?" She asks as she sits down at the table across for me.
Fuck..... she knows.
"Yes." I nod
"I can't help but feel like something has changed since we've been home, you seem kind of distant, and I know your super busy with work and your swamped with paperwork and it's stressful, but I feel like I haven't seen you all week."
"I know baby and I'm sorry, it's just work stuff." I lie.
Buzz buzz, my phone vibrates against my leg. Katherine: One more day.
Signing I reply quickly. You said that a week ago Katherine. Fucking sort it, or I will.
Placing the phone down on the table next to me, I push my food around my plate, range now filling my body. How can she keep lying to her like this? And she's having me lie for her.
Buzz buzz. Katherine: I said one more day, let me do this my way Ace, this isn't your business.
I scoff at the message and reply. With all due respect Katherine, Ella is my business and so is her welfare, she's my girlfriend and I care about her and I don't want her hurting unnecessarily. Send.
Placing the phone down once more. I look over at Ella who is eating her dinner is silence, and I can't help but notice the sad look in her eyes.
"Sorry, work stuff." I lie once more.
"It's fine." She smiles softly.
Buzz buzz my phone vibrates once more. Katherine: The last thing I want is for her to be hurt, why do you think I haven't told her yet? Just leave it to me Ace.
With a huff I stuff my phone back into my pocket and look down at my food once more, pushing it around the plate.
"Is something wrong with dinner? You haven't eaten anything." Ella asks pulling my attention back to her.
"Oh, no dinner is fine, it looks amazing, I'm just not feeling very hungry. I think because I haven't eaten all day, you know." I lie.
"I can put it in the fridge and maybe you could have it later?" She offers.
"Yeah, that might be a good idea." I say as I stand to my feet and head toward the island bench, where I cover my plate in foil and place it in the fridge. "I'm going to head up to the office." I tell her as I make my way toward the stairs.
"Oh, okay." She whispers as she sits her knife and fork down.
Reaching the top of the stairs, I head for the office and pull my phone out once more, this time phoning Willow.
"Sup?" She answers after a few rings.
"This shit needs to end. I told her a week, and she's still messing about, I can't keep lying to Ella, Wills, I can hardly look at her. Help me find Roberto and I'll go speak the fucker myself."
"Okay calm down, I know your mad but that's Ella's Papá, and she loves him. Where is she now?"
"She's downstairs having dinner."
"What, on her own?"
"Yes, I told her I wasn't hungry."
"Ace, that's a dick move, she's going to think she did something wrong, your acting weird, and you have been all week, everyone has noticed it."
"She thinks I'm just stressed with work, and as I said this shit ends, and I'll tell her everything."
"So get his location?"
"Get his location and send them to me, I'll take it from there."
"On it." She says before hanging up the phone.
***
I spend the rest of the night in the office tracking down Roberto. If Katherine won't come clean, then I'll find Roberto myself and give him a message of my own.
Knock knock my office door sounds and I look up to find Ella standing in the doorway.
"Hey." I say before looking my eyes back to the screen in front of me.
"Are you hungry? You've been up here for hours."
"I'm working, and no I'm not hungry."
"I know your busy, I was just offering." She whispers. "You know I was thinking maybe I could go back to being your P.A, you seem so stressed."
Looking up at her, I nod. "I am, my workload is crazy at the moment, but I'm going to put out an add and hire someone qualified for the role."
"Oh." She says softly. "Okay, well um, I might take a shower, you could join me if you take a break for a second?"
"I can't." I shake my head and look my eyes back to the computer.
Ella's POV:
Not wanting to pressure him any further, I turn and leave the room, headed for the bedroom.
I have no idea what I did wrong, but I know something isn't right. Ace hasn't been the same toward me since we came back from Florida, it's as if he's keeping himself busy so he doesn't have to see me or spend time with me, and while I hope it doesn't make my a clingy girlfriend, I really miss the small things like sitting and eating dinner together.
Ace has always been hot and cold, and he knows how to push me away, he's done it before, but why is he doing it now? We had such an amazing time away, has he changed his mind now we're home?
Maybe I've overstayed my welcome, maybe he's sick of me being here so much, maybe he wants me to go back to Mom's even though we're not talking right now, or maybe I shouldn't have cooked his Mom's meal for him, maybe it's a lot of things, but I don't know because he won't talk to me.
Making my way into the room, I pull my phone from the charger and dial my Papa's number, hoping today will be the day he answers.
'Hola, it's Roberto, leave a message'
"Papá, it's Ella, again." I say sadly. "I know you said you'd be out of town for a while and you didn't know if you'd have reception, but it's been months and I still haven't had a single text. I really miss you and I'm worrying that something has happened to you, I'm sorry if I've made you mad with me, I seem to have a way of doing that to the people I love without knowing why. Please, just message me to tell me your okay, It's okay if you don't want to talk to me, just please let me know your okay and I promise I'll leave you alone if that's what you want."
Hanging up the phone, I hang my head, tears rolling down my cheeks, as I sob quietly, not wanting Ace to hear. Usually I make it to the shower before I start crying, but not tonight.
After a few moments, I pull myself together and stand to my feet, heading into the shower.
After adjusting the temperature, I step in and let the water wash over me as I cry softly once more. I've never felt more alone than I do right now, and maybe the biggest part of that is because Ace is shutting me out and can't even look at me, maybe it's because my Papá isn't talking to me, maybe it's because I don't know what I've done to push everyone anyway.
Stepping out of the shower, I head back into the bedroom and change into my simple black mid thigh nightgown and leave my wet, messy hair out to dry.
Quickly I make my way downstairs and into the kitchen where I make myself a hot chocolate quietly not wanting to disturb Ace and then head outside to the pool, where I sit with my feet in the water, gently swinging my legs.
Ace's POV:
Checking the time I notice it's after eleven and I'm not even close to Roberto's current location. Signing I close the lid of my laptop and stand to my feet, exiting the office and head for the bedroom.
The first thing I notice is Ella isn't in bed where I thought I would find her. She's always in bed at this time, usually fallen asleep with her phone or a book waiting for me to come in, but not tonight.
Making my way into the bathroom I check the tub but she isn't there either So I hurriedly make my way to the spare room. But she isn't there either.
"Ella?" I call.
When I don't get a response, panic sets in, and I run downstairs checking the kitchen and living room, but again she's not there.
Fuck....
Noticing the back door slightly ajar I feel my heart beginning to race and I push it open. It's then I see her sitting at the edge of the pool, a coffee cup in her hand and her feet swinging in the water. Relief washes over me instantly.
"There you are." I say as I make my way toward her. "I almost had a heart attack, I couldn't find you." I tell her as I sit down beside her.
"Sorry, I couldn't sleep." She mumbles as she sits her coffee cup down and looks up at me. "Ace, did I do something wrong?"
I take her in for a moment, studying her beautiful face, her eyes are red and puffy from crying, the light from her eyes is gone, and her lips are quivering gently.
"No, you didn't do anything wrong." I tell her as I place my hand on her cheek. "I'm sorry I've been so distant, you didn't do anything wrong okay?" I tell her as I stroke her cheek gently with my thumb.
"Okay." She whispers as she looks down.
"Hey," I raise her chin.
"I should get back inside." She says as she removes her feet from the water and stands to her feet.
"Ella." I call as I take her hand, stopping her from leaving.
As she turns back to me, she has tears streaming down her cheeks, and I feel my heart sink. Willow was right, me distracting myself has made her feel like she did something, and now I'm the person hurting her.
Standing to my feet, I wrap my arms around her and stroke her back. "Please don't cry." I whisper and place a kiss on the top of her head. "I'm sorry I've been so off tonight, I promise I'll make it up to you."
Sniffling she pulls back and dries her tears. "Just ignore me, I'm just being stupid."
"Your not being stupid." I shake my head. "Let's just go to bed, and we will talk in the morning, I think we should take the day off work."
"I- is everything okay?" She asks looking up at me.
"It will be." I nod.