Chapter 8

• It was late the following evening before Ella eventually made it home, already curled up and dead to the world by the time James came home from work. Admittedly, he may have curled up a little tighter to her, glad she was home safe and sound despite the reassurance of her location just a click away on his phone.
• * * *
• It was a few days later while pottering around the city doing long procrastinated errands, that Frank eventually broached the subject of her date - using the ins of her excitedly asking about his. “How'd it go?” he asked carefully, relaxing slightly at the snort of laughter that bubbled out of her.
• “Well, despite being rusty as hell - it didn't go too bad. We had some laughs, and went somewhere nice for dinner that was surprisingly low-key...” she shrugged, fighting a smile as he fixed her with a look like he expected her to continue.
• “C’mon, I doubt you want all the details.” it came out laced with laughter as she nudged him with her shoulder as they made their way along the narrow sidewalk.
• “Is it bad that I kind of do?” James asked, at last, keeping his eyes firmly ahead with a very slight frown on his face. “Someone I care deeply about is getting cozy with a mob boss. Surely, you can understand my concern?” there's a resigned sigh at the end of his question, prompting Ella to clutch his hand tightly.
• “Thank you. But I'm a big girl... You don't have to worry, all right? You just focus on wooing that stunner some more - only you would manage to pick up a date after a hook-up, who also works nights.” Her laugh is infectious, prompting James to jokingly look bashful, at least somewhat reassured.
• Failing all else, she at least wasn't shutting him out, so he'd have plenty of opportunity to keep an eye on her. Plus, he'd already seen that Stewart had future bookings, so he'd be able to work to try and get a read on him as well.
• * * *
• Three further months, four hurried coffee dates, two encounters in the back of that damn Rolls Royce, and every extra shift Ella could get her grubby little mitts on.
• That's what got her to the place to be able to tour the Starling Properties' new apartments, having finally decided to move out as a push to James to get serious with his lady. The same one who had since met Ella, and who had been incredibly accommodating about giving Ella a chance to make herself scarce or dragging Rob back to her little studio.
• * * *
• She'd packed her bags, told Rob her plans, his lady was moving in - all was going to plan. Till she got the call on the walk to work. There was a delay in construction, they would have to push back her move-in date. When James instantly jumped at the suggestion, he halts his plans till they could give her a new date, she almost aggressively refused “Worst case scenario, I'll get a long stay Airbnb. It'll be fine, it'll be grand.” she responded firmly on their way out the staff locker area, unsure if she was just trying to convince him or herself as well.
• Never one to dwell too much, Ella took advantage of the quiet nighttime at the bar to prop her phone out of sight and casually browse listings. She'd either find a month-to-month or bounce between motels and Airbnb until the property managers got their damn construction back on schedule and could give her a new move-in date.
• A smooth voice snapped her gaze from the screen to the speaker, hurriedly worn customer service expression faltering slightly at the bearded face smiling cheekily back at her “Good evening, Mister Stewart.” keeping her demeanor professional as always, “What can I help you with, sir?”
• Clyde enjoyed Ella calling him that far too much, apparently breaking from habit to opt for brandy as he cast a glance back at the small group seating themselves at a table, adding on a round of beers for them.
• He remembered how excited she'd been, finally getting a place when she'd let him for coffee after doing the paperwork. Once he knew it was one of the Starlings, he chanced his luck - calling in a favor to Alto Starling to come up with a way to stall the move. It'd give him the perfect chance to swoop in like the hero, bring her just a little more under his influence and it wouldn't be half bad to come home to someone after a long day.
• “Looking forward to moving? Been meaning to get you a housewarming gift - maybe a nice set of tumblers,” he said reaching to brush his fingertips along the back of Ella’s hand as she set his glass on the bar. Ella let out a slow exhale, shoulders dropping a little.
• “Delayed, I'll sort something in the meantime though. It'll all be worth it when I get to move into my bright little space with its views,” she smiled brightly, the excitement still bubbling just below the surface despite the bad news.
• Clyde arranged his features into the picture of sympathy, taking a sip of his drink as he appeared to think for a moment before speaking slowly, casually. “You could stay at my place, in the meantime. I'm sure there's enough storage in the guest room for your things,” he added the second half at the way the color blanched slightly from her face.
• Ella seemed to stumble over her words, frowning slightly as she focused on pulling the table's beers and setting them securely on a tray. “You sure? Wouldn't want to intrude…” she'd barely finished speaking before he was waving off her comment with a slight smile
• “Of course, you won’t be at all. It'd be a much shorter walk for you after a good night’s sleep, as a bonus.”
• She tried to convey with her expression what she couldn't say at work - which would have been to admonish him for being a dirty bastard while she was trying to work. Rounding the bar, he followed her to the table as she put on that polite smile and set the glasses down in front of each of the men, grateful that they continued their conversations and essentially allowed her to move unnoticed. Only a couple of them silently took note of the way Clyde caught her elbow on the way past, dropping his head to speak close to her ear before she was briskly making her way back behind the bar, a flush fading from her cheeks as he joined them.
• The group would thankfully be gone not long after, meaning that the bar was once again quiet when James wandered through for his break and a probably unhealthy amount of espresso. Letting the machine whir and brew, she leaned her forearms on the bar with a grin “Meantime accommodation is sorted, so you now have no excuses to move in with that gorgeous girlfriend of yours.” Ella commented happily, setting the cup filled with rich coffee in front of him, and returning to the inventory stock list she'd been busying herself with most of the night.
• He perched at the bar; eyes closed as he took a long sip before apparently having the energy to interact. Perhaps it was a focus problem instead, it was archive-clearing night and that was always a bore - even for a star employee like James. He quirked a brow, watching her over the rim of his cup as if prompting her to continue, “Clyde offered his guest room.” she had been expecting concern, but the scoff caught her off guard “Chance to move you in... and he offers the guest room? He’s keeping his bloody options open?” There's a coldness to his voice the wariness had given way to firm dislike at some point.
• Ella bristles slightly, a gentle frown tugging at her expression, “Or maybe, he just knows fine well that this is a temporary thing, that I'm far too excited for my new place to even entertain moving in with him?” there's more bite to her words than she originally intended.
• Huffing out a sigh, she softens her features. “Sorry... didn't mean to snap,” she murmurs. James suddenly leans across the bar to catch one of her hands in his, his gaze saying he's sincere when she raises hers to meet it. “I'm sorry, that was out of line. Perhaps I just think so highly of you, nobody is going to be 'worthy' in my eyes.” Clyde’s gentle smile coaxes one from Ella in return. As he finishes his Joe, James flicks through the day's newspaper as Ella sets about turning all the displayed bottles the right way around.