I drop my head and smile shyly. “It’s not so much a look, as a feeling.”
He stares at me.
“When you’re happy, it makes me happy,” I whisper. “When you smile, really smile, I feel it all the way to my bones.”
He frowns and drops his head and stares at his shoes.
I kiss his shoulder. “You’re very special to me, Elliot,” I whisper. “You know that, don’t you?”
He inhales sharply and sits forward in his seat. “I have to work.” He gets up and takes his briefcase out of the overhead and moves his things to the desk a few rows behind us.
I lean around the chairs. “Last call to watch The Greatest Showman.” I bat my eyelashes to try and make myself look cute.
“It’s a hard pass,” he says flatly as he falls into his seat.
I chuckle and put my headphones on and click the screen. Mr. Boring Businessman is in town.
The plane comes to a halt on the tarmac and I frown: Elliot is still back at his desk working. He hasn’t come near me for the entire flight.
I mean, I know he had to work, but . . . it was unlike him.
He appears beside me and opens the overhead. “How was your movie?” he asks.
“Good, great.” I smile. “Did you get your work done?”
“No. Not all of it.”
He seems stressed. “Anything I can help with?”
“No.” He holds his hand out for me. “Come.”
He thanks the cabin crew and we make our way down the stairs; Andrew and the Bentley are waiting.
“Hello Kate.” He smiles as he puts our things into the trunk. “I trust you had a good week away?”
“Hi Andrew.” I beam. “We had the best week.”
Elliot gets into the car and slams the door. “Dropping Kate home at her house please, Andrew.”
Andrew’s eyes flick up to him in the rearview mirror. “Yes sir.”
I frown over at Elliot.
“I have work to do, sweetheart,” he whispers.
“I don’t mind.”
He picks up my hand and kisses my fingertips. “I’m not having you sit there alone while I work. Go home and see your friends.”
I stare at him: something’s wrong.
“Is everything alright?” I whisper.
He stares at me as he presses his lips together, as if he’s stopping himself from saying something.
My heart drops.
If there’s one thing I do know about Elliot Miles it’s that he can’t lie. His inability to answer that question just cemented my concerns.
Something is wrong.
What is it?
Elliot’s gaze goes outside and with his elbow on the window he watches the world go by. My hand is held tight inside his hand but he’s not here with me, he’s miles away.
I just don’t know where.
We arrive at my house and Elliot climbs out and retrieves my suitcase.
I don’t want to be here, I want to go to Enchanted to see the girls and check on Gretel the goat.
“I’ll carry your suitcase up the stairs—” he says.
“I’ve got it,” I cut him off.
He stares down at me, and I don’t know why but I get the feeling he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. “Goodbye, darling.” He kisses me softly. I lean into the kiss and he pulls out of it. “See you tomorrow.”
I nod, and before I can answer he’s back in the car and the door slams shut.
I wheel my suitcase across the street and the car pulls away. I frown as I watch it disappear.
What was that about?
I carry my suitcase up the steps and open the front door to the apartment. “Hello,” I call. “I’m home.”
Silence.
My shoulders slump. “Great, they aren’t even home.” I exhale and begin to drag my suitcase up the stairs.
Oh well, I suppose some time to myself will do me good.
I haven’t done it in so long.
I’ll put a treatment in my hair and a face mask on, get some Uber Eats. I smile as my little room comes into view.
One night without Elliot Miles won’t kill me.
It’s late and I lie in the darkness.
I messaged Ed earlier tonight when I got home but he hasn’t yet replied.
Elliot hasn’t called to say goodnight either. It’s not like him, he’s usually so attentive.
Weird.
Did he have something on? Was he going somewhere?
I’ve got this sick feeling in my stomach, like something is wrong but I don’t know what. I mean, he was a little bit evasive today but surely not enough to warrant this anxiety.
Is my gut telling me something?
My phone pings with a notification and I smile. Ed.
I jump out of bed and grab my phone and flick the table lamp on.
Hi Pinkie,
Sorry I haven’t messaged you in a few days. I’ve been away seeing my family.
How are you?
I smile and reply:
That’s okay, I missed you.
Tell me about your trip.
His reply bounces in.
My trip was incredible, Kate came with me and met my family. Although I should have known it was all going too well.