The Last Thing She Wants (Chestnut Hills #1)

2

ellie

The ceiling in my room was very interesting from my position on my bed. Lying flat on my back, I looked straight ahead and stared at the blank, white ceiling. Allowing my thoughts to distract me and delay my first trip to the gym, I examined a gray speck, questioning if it was a spider or dust.

Obviously, this meant I needed to go out at this exact moment and buy a new duster. First, though, I decided I would lie and look for more dust, or spiders. Hopefully not spiders.

The vibrating of my phone on my chest pulled my eyes away from the riveting scene above me.

Daisy

Did you get your lazy ass out of bed yet?

Or are you still avoiding the gym?

I bet you’re avoiding it.

You wrote it down as your first goal, so you have to do it.

If you get to use putting yourself first as a reason to not spend your golden years sleeping around, then you have to nut up or shut up and get your ass up.

Get up.

Get up.

Are you up?

The texts came so fast in quick spurts that the chime of each new text barely registered before the next one began.

Ellie

Oh. My. God. Stop.

Daisy

No.

Get up.

Look at this ass. You want this ass? Get up.

Daisy attached a picture of Kim Kardashian. You know. The one where a wine glass is perched on her bum.

Ellie

No

I shot back with a snort.

Daisy

Yes, you do, we all do.

Get up.

Silencing my phone and squeezing my eyes shut, I hoped that if I squeezed hard enough, I would fall back asleep. The memory of my dream lingered in my thoughts.

I was lying in a vast field of wildflowers. Bursts of color were all around, flowers were swaying in the wind. The sky was so light; it was almost white. The sun shined brightly, and my skin felt warm all over. Golden rays illuminated her body as if the sun were feeding into me. Hills stretched endlessly, and as I settled deeper into the ground, the brighter the flowers became. I felt at peace. I felt reborn. I felt new.

Lifting my phone for a split second, I took in her notifications, 13 new messages. If anything, Daisy was persistent. Ignoring the texts, I texted her directly.

Ellie

I'm up

Begrudgingly, I slowly got up from bed and pulled on my workout leggings I sat out the night before with the help of Daisy. “The cuter the outfit, the more the confidence, the bigger the motivator,” Daisy said over FaceTime while snacking on grapes.

Moments later, she helped me pair the blue leggings with a matching blue sports bra. “And you better not put a shirt over that! The whole point is the matching outfit and you will look amazing in it. A shirt will distract from... your assets.” I reminded my crazed friend it was only my apartment complex’s gym. It was most likely that no one was even going to be there. Daisy’s response? “All the more reason to wear what you want.”

After taking a few minutes to stare in the mirror, dissecting my appearance, I finally decided that the bra and leggings were too revealing for my comfort. Grabbing an oversized T-shirt, I threw it on and headed out the door. Stepping into the hall, I paused at the decision in front of me. To my left was the elevator, the sweet, sweet elevator that would take me down three stories to the main level. To the right was the door to the stairwell, which would also take me to the main level, but require more effort. After a few beats of internal strife, I pivoted on my heels to move towards the stairwell.

Halfway down, the stairwell’s entry door on the main level opened and shut, filling the space with noise. Rounding the corner, making my way to the bottom, Mrs. Hudson appeared with a gasp and clutched her necklace.

“Oh, hi dear,” she said with a small smile. Continuing to move past her, I nodded and smiled in acknowledgment. “Would you mind helping me with her bags?” Looking at Mrs. Hudson, I noted two large totes at her feet full of groceries. “The elevator seems to be stuck, and I thought I’d try my luck on the stairs, but the bags are quite heavy, especially after the walk from the corner store.” One thing about Mrs. Hudson was that she was a pro at giving sweet old lady eyes. One thing about me was that I was a sucker for helping people.

“Of course,” the words came out strained as I said them, struggling to talk while attempting to lift my elderly neighbors’ bags off the floor. What the hell did she buy? Bowling balls?

Mrs. Hudson smiled in approval. “I’m making watermelon salad. The grandkids are coming to visit and it’s their favorite.”

“How on earth did you carry this all the way here?” I asked between huffs .

“I’m stronger than I look,” throwing a wink and encouraging smile my way, Mrs. Hudson continued, “but I’m sure you are as well.” After a few moments of silence as we worked our way up the stairs, Mrs. Hudson peeked over her shoulder. “I’m so sorry about you and Shane, dear.”

Glancing up, I said nothing in return.

“It’s such a shame. A true disgrace, if you ask me.”

We made it back to the third floor, where I walked her to her door, one over from mine. “Here you go Mrs. Hudson. Have a wonderful day.” Perturbed by the discussion somehow becoming about Shane, I was ready to make my escape. I attempted to stretch my lips in what was supposed to be a smile.

Mrs. Hudson paused when her hand reached her door handle. “I didn’t mean to upset you Ellie, dear. Just, I’m sorry is all.”

“It isn’t for you to apologize for, Mrs. Hudson. I appreciate the thought, though. Have a nice evening.”

With a nod, Mrs. Hudson opened the door, brought her bags in, and shut the door behind her. Standing there a moment, I took a determined step towards the stairwell, then swiftly turned and headed into my apartment. With a soft thud, the door shut behind me.

Self-improvement tomorrow, ice cream today.

Loop & Scoop hadn’t changed a bit. The illuminated ice cream cone still dangled from the awning out front, like it did on my first day. The pink and white checkered tile flooring still shined brightly, despite the occasional scuff mark. The wall to the left had turquoise booths lined up against it, while trendy clear café chairs and tables were scattered about the middle. In a direct path from the entrance sat the cash register counter with a clear case displaying their signature in-house made flavors.

Nostalgia struck the moment I entered the shop, but quickly waned when I saw who was working at the register. Stuart the Second. His acne had cleared up, but his slicked hair remained, neatly tucked beneath the signature Loop & Scoop paper hat that looked more like a paper boat.

Great.

“Oh, hi Ellie.” Stuart didn’t bother to hide his contempt for me while he attempted a shy smile.

“Hey Stuart, I didn’t know you still worked here.” The gallon of More O’ S’mores was calling my name. If I had to have a brief conversation with Stuart, then so be it.

“Well, dad retired and was going to sell, but I could tell how much it was upsetting him to let this place go. So, I took over.”

“Charming,” gracing him with a small nod, I placed my order, “I’ll take a large More O’ S’mores waffle -”

“- Stuart, you little rat. Don’t have some women to grope?” Daisy stood at the threshold of the small shop. “Just kidding! Wipe that look off your face,” she said with a chuckle, throwing her hands in the air. Striding up to the register and weaving her arm in mine, I turned to look at my best friend. “Let me guess, More O’ Smore? I’ll have the same, Stuart Little.”

Stuart rolled his eyes. “We’re not children anymore Daisy. You can drop the attitude.”

“And you weren’t a child when you tried to take advantage of your ‘authority,’” she emphasized with air quotes.

Stuart quickly scooped their cones, “On the house,” we both raised our eyebrows in surprise, “sorry for being a dick all those years. Enjoy.” He offered a small smile and I almost felt bad for the guy.

Settling into a booth towards the front of the shop, Daisy suspiciously looked me over. “I know what you’re thinking.”

“What?”

She scoffed. “Don’t you dare feel bad for him.”

“I don’t.” I did. “He just genuinely seems remorseful, that’s all.”

Daisy rolled her eyes and took a large bite of her ice cream, something I still couldn’t get over. “Who bites ice cream?” I gasped aloud.

“You have known me for ten years and we worked in an ice cream shop. This ice cream shop. Together. You know this by now.”

“Doesn’t change how appalling it is every time,” I giggled to myself. After my run in with Mrs. Hudson earlier today, this was just what I needed. Reading my mind, Daisy interrupted my thoughts.

“So... what happened?” she asked, expectedly waiting, still biting into her ice cream.

Diving into my day in deep detail, I toldher about the dust on the ceiling I thought was a spider. I told her about needing to buy a duster. I told her about how I had to put a shirt over the sport outfit. I told her about Mrs. Hudson’s bags that weighed thirty pounds apiece. Finally, I told her about the pity in Mrs. Hudson’s eyes.

Daisy reached across the table, placing her hand over mine and gave me a small smile that said, it’s okay, bestie, I got you. I smiled in return and stared down at my half-eaten ice cream cone.

“Hottie at twelve o’clock.” Daisy was now looking from beneath her eyelashes at someone on the street.

With my back to the front door in one of the blue-green booths, I shifted in my seat to look over my shoulder. Peering out onto the street filled with people walking from one end to another, I searched for who Daisy was talking about.

“Who?” I asked, squinting to get a better look.

Just then, the little bell above the ice cream shop door rang its cheery tune. Sounds from the street floated in, accompanied by an airy laugh. My eyes shifted to the couple that entered the shop. With a gasp, my eyes flew wide, and I slowly slithered down the booth seating, trying to squeeze under the table.

Daisy nearly choked on her ice cream with an abrupt laugh. “What the hell are you doing, Ellie Branson?”

I slowly raised the top of my head above the table, just enough for my eyes to meet Daisy’s.

“That’s Theo!” I whispered in a frightened tone. First Mrs. Hudson, and now Theo. Must all who were front row to the embarrassing end of my longest, most serious relationship be present in my life today? Had I not suffered enough already with the 30-pound watermelons, pitiful eyes, and Stuart the Second?

Quietly hiding beneath the booth table, I listened as Theo and his date ordered their ice cream, paid, and shuffled out the door, the woman laughing again at something he said. Daisy shook her right foot around, kicking my arm. Huffing an explicative, I shot up and returned to my seat.

“So, that was Theo, huh?” Daisy raised her eyebrows. “Today is not your day, sister. Also, you didn’t say he was hot!”

“Sorry, I was too busy being mortified and having my heart broken,” I shot back. To be honest, I hadn’t thought about it, but I also hadn’t not thought about it.

I had seen Theo a few times before. Once in the main office, once in the atrium at the mailboxes, and once on the sidewalk. Yet, we have never spoken.

If Shane hadn’t spilled every painstaking detail, I wouldn’t have even recognized who Theo was. While so graciously providing me with every detail, he mentioned that Theo and Mrs. Hudson were the ones to stumble on their package room quickie. Obviously, Mrs. Hudson was their next-door neighbor, but I didn’t recognize Theo’s name at first.

To this, Shane responded with a disgusted look. You know, the guy with the hair. The hair that screams I’m an asshole and live off daddy’s money.

At that, it clicked in my memory. I recalled him saying the exact same thing once when we walked past each other on the sidewalk during one of our late evening walks.

Theo offered a polite smile and shifted to the edge of the sidewalk to provide us with ample room to pass. Shane mumbled “asshole” beneath his breath. I didn’t understand why he’d said that, and when asking him for an explanation, he simply played stupid.

After much probing, he went on to explain that he just looked like one. Somehow, Theo’s hair made him look like a prick living off his parents’ money. Looking back now, I realized that must have been jealousy speaking.

Theo had glorious hair. It was the kind of ash brown that seemed to glisten in direct sunlight. Meticulously cut and maintained, with shaved sides and longer top and front sections that swooped back with a slight curl. It was both well managed and laid back.

While sitting at one of the outdoor picnic tables near the main office, a week after the incident that shall not be named, I caught two older women from the Speedwalking Gang gossiping. One pointed out who I was, and I caught that apparently Celine and Theo were in the early beginnings of a relationship as well. One woman heard they went on only one date, while the other heard they were serious.

Of positions to be in, I was glad to have found out from Shane. Being the one to walk in on them would have broken me completely. But who knows.

Spending time with Daisy always helped, and after our ice cream date, I was beginning to feel better. I walked home as the sun began to set. The sky was glowing pink, orange, and purple. I took my time, leisurely dragging my feet, soaking up my favorite time of day. Gazing at the sky, I felt an overwhelming joy and peace.

The vast, beautiful sky reminded me of my life and the beauty of it. There was so much to do. There were so many people I could be. I had a thousand lives left to live. What happened sucked. No one was saying otherwise, but that didn’t mean I had to hide away. What reason did I have to be embarrassed? I wasn’t the one who got caught with their pants down, literally. I was not the one with questionable morals. I was Ellie fucking Branson.

As I rode the elevator up to my floor, I texted my revelation to Daisy in a frenzy. Without looking, I stepped out and abruptly stopped, colliding with a muscular wall. The crash caused me to drop my phone and bend to pick it up as it scattered across the floor.

“I’m so sorry. That was my fault. I wasn’t looking,” I breathed, both embarrassed and flustered.

From my bent over stance, I saw a man’s hand grab my phone that had rolled just between his feet.

“No worries,” a deep voice said smoothly. As I straightened to stand, my eye level was met with all chest. Shamelessly taking my time, I worked my gaze up to the strangers’ face, pausing a second more than socially acceptable on each feature. The wide shoulders, the vein in his neck, the defined jawbone. Meeting a pair of emerald eyes behind black round frames, I realized who I bumped into.

In stunned silence, I processed the scene that just unfolded. I didn’t know Theo lived on the same floor as her. What were the chances? His lips curved into a light smile .

“Ellie, right?” Heat crept up my cheeks as he said my name. His voice reverberated through me, causing vibrations I hadn’t felt before.

While stepping to the side to allow them to trade places, me on the landing now, him on the elevator, I took my phone from him.

“Ellie Branson,” I nodded and smiled. Surely, I must’ve looked crazed with the aggressiveness of my agreement.

Just as he raised his hand to wave, the door shut and he vanished. Looking at my phone in my hand, the text conversation with Daisy was still up. I was reminded of the last text I sent.

Ellie

I am Ellie fucking Branson.

Daisy had responded.

Daisy

Yes, you are. Now start acting like it.