Chapter Twenty-One
Ellie
“Ellie.” I hear Lee beside me, but not next to me. “Ellie, I have to go,” Lee whispers as he brushes hair out of my face.
“No you don’t. Leaving is a choice, Lee. I thought we discussed this.” I open my eyes, expecting to see his sexy-as-sin smile.
Wrong.
“Ellie.” Lee stands.
“I’m sorry, Lee. I’m an asshole in the mornings. They aren’t my thing. I thought I was being cute trying to get you to stay.” I pat the empty side of the bed. “It’s cold. I’m cold. Heat me up,” I blurt out, unsure of what I’m saying because mornings suck and apparently, I do too.
“I wish I could, but I really need to check on Grans,” he says before bending over and stealing a lingering kiss.
“You brushed your teeth?”
“I came prepared.” He winks.
“But I didn’t.” I hold my hand up to my mouth and breathe out.
“Don’t worry. I held my breath.”
“Shut it.” I reach over, pick up the first pillow I can find and chuck it in his direction.
“Do you care if I make a cup of coffee to go?” Lee asks but is already in the kitchen pulling out mugs and fixing the coffee before I answer.
“Not if you make me one too.” I climb out of the bed and sneak up behind him. “You know, if you were coffee grounds,” I whisper as I wrap my arms around his waist, resting my head on his back, “you would be espresso because you are so damn fine.”
His laugh vibrates through me. “That’s a good one. Here.” Lee hands me a mug while he twists the lid on his.
“Good enough for you to stay?” I pad over to the freezer, dropping a couple ice cubes into my coffee to cool it.
“I really need to go. Even though I’m trying really hard to have faith in my mom, I need to see for myself that Grans is okay.” Lee only has to take a couple steps to the door. “Call you later?” He opens the door. “Kiss me.”
Closing the distance, I rise up on my tiptoes and bare my neck. “Morning breath.”
“Uh-huh. I think you’re trying to tempt me.” He leans in, placing a soft kiss on his spot. “Dammit.” He drops his bag, puts down his coffee and lifts me into his arms.
“It worked.” I smile and he turns us so that my back is against the wall.
His kisses are slow and needy as he works his way up the curve of my neck. “It did.” He nips at my ear before he lets me fall slowly down his body.
“I really have to go.” Lee gives me a look of regret. “Next time I’ll make sure this is taken care of.”
“I get it.” I follow him out. “Call me later?”
“Of course.” He throws his bag over his shoulder and rounds the corner.
Just as I’m about to head back inside I see the girl from the other day carrying a basket of something that smells delicious.
“Whatcha got there?” I ask just as my stomach lets out a big growl.
Nothing.
What is it with this girl? “I promise I’m not the big bad wolf ready to take your basket of goodies. Although this thing here,” I point to my growling stomach, “says to knock you down and take the muffins and run.”
Her eyes are wide. She hurries inside and quickly locks the door. My apartment only has two basic locks. Deadbolt and the one on the doorknob. But every time Shapiro leaves I can hear his girlfriend or whoever lock up at least three more bolts. Which is really weird because there is already one lock and one keypad on the outside of the door.
I go back inside and debate: Do I fix myself something for breakfast, climb back into bed, or accept it is morning and start my day by actually getting ready?
Looking over at the bed, I swear it’s calling out to me. “Pick me. Choose me. Sleep on me.” How can I say no to that?
Giving in to the oversized pillowtop perfection, I make my way over there, but just as I’m getting ready to climb back in I hear a knock at the door.
Muffins!
Maybe she felt sorry for me. And if not me, maybe my belly. Running over to the door in hopes of all things lemon poppy seed, I swing it open, but instead of seeing my neighbor, Myles is standing there with some guy who has his back turned, talking on his cell.
“Myles? I thought you went back last night?” I close the door a little, peeking my head around. I’m suddenly feeling a little underdressed.
“I was going to, but…” She nods toward me. “How about you change and then we all can talk.”
“Talk?”
“Don’t ask questions. We have to be at the airport in three hours and it takes one to get there.”
“Okay. Give me one minute.” I shut the door and rush around to get ready.
Tossing on an oversized sweatshirt and last night’s jeans, I hurry and brush my teeth. Grabbing a hair tie, I secure my hair in a messy bun just as I reach the door and open it.
“It’s about time,” Myles jokes and pushes her way past me. The guy with a way-too-serious look, who is still on the phone, follows. “Ellie, I would like you to meet Jagger Richards.” She gestures at his hand. “Jagger, meet Ellie Thorne.”
“The Jagger Richards?” I take his hand, giving it an overly eager shake.
“Yeah, I’m him.” He swings his leather bag off his shoulder, setting it on the table. “I’m going to make this quick. As Myles just told you, we have a flight to catch.” He flips through some papers. “Here they are.” He hands me a thick envelope.
“What’s this?” I take it from his hands.
“It’s a contract.”
“A contract?” I can’t believe what I’m hearing.
“Ellie, you’re going to Nashville!” Myles screams.
“Nashville?” I’m in disbelief.
“Listen, I don’t have time to go through all the details but…shit!” he exclaims as he pulls out his phone again. “I’m sorry, I have to take this.
“Ellie, it’s everything we ever talked about.” Myles is standing in front of me, both hands clasped on my shoulders. “Your dreams are coming true.”
“Yeah.”
“Why don’t you seem more excited?” She scrunches her brows, confused, I’m sure, by my lack of freaking out. Nashville was a dream of mine. It was where I was going to find my freedom, my escape from all the expectations.
“I am, it’s just—”
“I’m sorry about that. Myles, we have to go,” he demands as he slides the phone back in his pocket. “Ellie, look over the contract and give me a call by next week.”
“You’ll need a lawyer too.” Myles winks.
Jagger shoots her a look.
“My card is in there. I’ll be expecting to hear from you sooner rather than later. Have a great day!”
“See you soon!” Myles waves and just as quick as they were here they are gone, leaving me standing here in the middle of my loft apartment, struggling with what I want.
Before Lee, Nashville was my one and only dream. After Lee, I want more. Crave more. Something I’m not sure Nashville could give me.
If I left now, would I be running? Would I be doing the exact same thing I accused Lee of doing?
If I stay, will it be enough?
Lee
In a perfect world, I would have been able to stay. To hold her, love on her, show her how much I need her in my life. But my world is far from perfect. It’s chaotic and unpredictable. It’s everything she doesn’t deserve.
Ellie, she deserves to have everything she has ever dreamed of. Unlike me, who had the love of two grandparents, she’s had two parents who cared more about themselves than about their only child—a beautiful, talented woman who is destined for great things. Dreams be damned, she will make it her reality.
My reality is far from wonderful, but it’s the hand I’ve been dealt and I’m playing it the best I can.
I’ve walked up this same path more times than I can remember, but today it feels different. With Grans you always knew what to expect, but now…I hang my head as I reach the door. The house which once was a home is now a building of foreign memories.
Pulling the storm door open, I walk in, the same as I do every day.
“Katie?” I call out.
“There you are. Did you have a good night?” She gathers her things she had set on the counter. I’m sure she’s been counting down the minutes till she can get home.
“It was.” I look around for Grans. “Where is she?”
“She’s lying down. Lee, there is something I think you should know.” I can tell from Katie’s eyes she’s beginning to worry.
I reach out and grab hold of the counter, bracing myself for whatever bad news she’s throwing my way but when I do, my hand slips and papers go flying everywhere.
“Well shit.” I squat down and gather the loose pages and straighten them on the counter. “I’m not sure if I got them back in order.” I quickly flip, through double-checking the page numbers when I see my grandmother’s name. “Katie?” I narrow my eyes, quickly going through the rest of the document.
This can’t be.
“Lee, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Your mom—” she tries to explain the situation, but the moment I hear my mom’s name. I lose it.
Waving the papers in the air, I demand, “My mom did this?”
“Yes, but—”
“What’s going on in here?” My mom swings the door open. “Oh! Hey, Presley.”
“Lee!” I seethe. “Why don’t you tell me?” I throw the papers down on the table. “Selling the house?”
“I better get going.” Katie squeezes my arm. “It’s going to be okay,” she whispers as she gives my back a little pat on her way out.
“You have no right!” I quickly turn to go face-to-face with the
woman who has never been here but is suddenly back.
“I do.” She watches me.
“The hell if you do.” I begin to pace, hands behind my head. “You left and I don’t care if you had a fucking drug problem or not. This house is more than a piece of property. It’s my home and I’ll be damned if you’re going to waltz in here after years of taking everything from her and take more.”
“Are you done?”
“Hell no, I’m not done! That woman is everything to me. She was my mom when you weren’t there. Fuck!” I run my hands through my hair. “She is my mom. She hugged me when I missed you. Kissed my tears away when I cried for you. She prayed with me when I had nightmares. She supported me when I was ready to give up. She made me the man I am now.”
She nods, taking everything I’m throwing at her.
“Nothing to say? All out of excuses?” I spit out.
“This was just to get an appraisal of what the house would be worth. Your grandmother put the house in your name. You are the only one who can put this house on the market and I thought, since you have had to handle all this on your own, that I could help you out, because that is why I’m here. To help.” She rips the papers up, tossing them in the trash before she continues. “She knew she needed help and she didn’t want to burden you.”
“She isn’t a burden,” I whisper.
“No, but she needs help. More than what we can give her.” She
digs in her purse and pulls out a few pamphlets. “I know it’s hard to talk about it. It’s not easy for me either—”
“What are those?” I choose to ignore the we part.
“I found a care center that is affordable, but the house needs to go—”
“I don’t give a damn about affordable, I want the best care,” I interrupt.
“Listen, the house is in your name. Only you can make the decision to sell it, but I have power of attorney. Which means—”
I start trembling. “Excuse me?”
“Three months ago your grandmother hired a lawyer to get everything lined up before she couldn’t do it herself. He suggested she give someone power of attorney. That is when she called me.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “Why you?”
“Because she didn’t want you to have to deal with it,” she tells me.
Something doesn’t make sense. The house, power of attorney, my mom coming back after all these years. Then it’s like a light bulb goes off.
“I get it now! You were hoping I would agree to sell the house so Grans could get the care she needs and you can run away again, draining her of everything she had left.”
I’m fuming. She has been nothing but a druggy whore looking for big break and now she is going to come into my home and strip it bare of memories.
I yank her purse out of her hands and toss it out the door. “Just go!” I walk down the hall and head to my old room where she is
staying. “Get your things and go.” I reach into the closet and throw her suitcase on the bed and throw clothes in, one drawer at a time. “You are not welcome here anymore.”
“Lee!” my mom cries. “Please don’t do this. I was only trying to help. Your Grans asked me to.”
“Oh! Because some old lady who is losing her mind asks you to help, you come running back. Come on. You don’t give a fuck about her.”
“Lee!” Grans hollers from behind us. “Get out of my house,” she shouts.
“Grans,” I turn around, pleading. “I didn’t mean it.”
“Out!” she screams. “I want you out and don’t come back.”
“Grans, please,” I beg.
“Sammy-Jo, how many times have I told you about having boys in your room?”
“Grans, it’s me. Presley.” I take a step toward her, but my mom holds me back, shaking her head.
“Mother, he was just going.” She looks at me, signaling for me to leave, but how can I?
“He better, before your dad gets home.” Grans’ eyes move from Mom to me. “You. Don’t belong here.”
I glance between my mom and Grans, wondering how this even happened. How did things start to go downhill so fast?
“Lee, just go. This isn’t her right now. I’ll take care of it.” Mom tries to comfort me.
Too late.
Too late to help.
Too late to be strong.
Too late to take back the words.