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Jonathan's loft had big windows that lined one of the walls. There was a mattress on the floor, a TV and DVD player sitting at the bottom of the bed and shelves all over the place. Off to the right was a desk, a small kitchen unit, a table and the bathroom. And that was all there was but Elliot felt excited. She felt light, and carefree for the first time since before her and Mitch had started dated.
" Well, this is it. It's kind of a mess, sorry. I sort of use it for storage." Jonathan said, sitting down the boxes he had carried.
" It's perfect, Jay. Thank you." She said.
" Well, I don't know about that but it's something." He said. He watched as she walked over to the windows and looked out with her arms crossed over her chest. She sighed loudly then faced him with a smile. Madison started to wonder around, sniffing and checking out her new home.
" No, it's perfect, honestly." She leaned against the window sill with a smile. " I love it." Jonathan smiled and brought his right hand to his lips. He tapped against his bottom lip for a few seconds. Just taking in her smile and happiness.
" Well, I better go and reopen the bakery. Why don't you take the day to settle in?" He said when he dropped his hand to his side.
" I thought you wanted me to work in the shop." Elliot said.
" Yeah, I do but not today. It's been a big day for you. Settle in. You can start tomorrow. There is stuff in the fridge, I keep it stocked, so feel free to eat and drink whatever you want. And do whatever you want in here, okay? Move stuff around, whatever. Sheets and towels are cleaned and there is more in the bathroom." Jonathan asked.
" Thank you." She said, again.
" No problem. I'll check on you later." He patted her dog's head, they exchanged goodbyes and he walked out, closing the door behind him. A few seconds later his phone went off.
' Hey, Casey! This has been the best day already!' Her text said.
' Has it? What happen?' He answered as he started down the hallway towards the stairs.
' I was just given the chance to start over again. I have a fresh, new beginning. I got a job, a place to live and I'm single.' Jonathan grinned. She was happy and he had helped with that.
' That's great.' He answered.
He worked hard the rest of the day, texting her as he went. She hadn't come down once but he heard moving around coming from the loft. He was pissed that Mitch had put his hands on her and part of him wanted to wait for this boyfriend and beat his ass. Jonathan could, he wasn't scared of fighting and he was a good fighter and he knew it.
' What are you doing?' He sent her.
' Just setting up and thinking.' Her answer read.
' That's funny. I was thinking too. What are you thinking about?' He asked.
' You first.' Elliot said.
' I'm thinking about you.' Jonathan answered as he sat at his desk. He was bold but he could be, through the texts anyway.
' What about me?' She asked.
' How amazing your smile is. About how much I like the sound of your voice.' He answered without thinking.
' You have only heard my voice once and that was weeks ago.' She said. Jonathan smiled.
' Yeah well, it has stuck with me.'
' You flatter me. You make me feel good about myself.' She texted.
' You should feel good about yourself. You are beautiful.'
' You don't even know me. You saw me twice.'
' Doesn't matter. I can tell through your texts.'
On her first night of freedom, I brought Elliot dinner and she was so grateful, she hugged me. I couldn't stop grinning. I really like the way she feels against me. It was just fired chicken but she acted like it was a lobster dinner. We ate together at the small table in the loft, talking together and laughing. I almost told her about Art, almost. I almost asked her out but I didn't. She just broke up with her boyfriend. I wanted her to have time to recovery from him. I didn't want to be her rebound. I wanted to be more.
" Fucking bitch." Mitch spit out when he realized Elliot had moved out. He pulled out his phone and clicked on his GPS. " I'll find you, bitch."
NRNRNR
Three weeks Elliot has been working for me and it has been great. She learns fast and has a great new ideas. She made me a few samples of muffins and cupcakes, combining things I would never dared before. She made a cupcake we decided to call french toast. It was great. We have made others, one we even put bacon on. I was unsure of it but people love it. My profits have shot up, thanks to Elliot.
We continue to text each other, with her in the dark that it's me. She talks about me to me. She tells me, Casey, how grateful she is for me but I don't want her grateful. I want her to like me. I want her to want me like I want her. And man do I want her. Now more than ever. Since leaving Mitch and moving into the loft, she has changed, for the better. There is color in her cheeks instead of the paleness that was there before. She laughs, she jokes. Gone is the sadness that was all over her face before. Gone is the haunted look in her eyes. She's happy.
We have dinner every Thursday night. Because the bakery is doing so well, I have been able to hire a caregiver for Art. She sits with him during the day and on Thursday nights. It eases my mind to know he's cared for. I don't have to rush home at lunch or when the shop closes. I can spend more time with Elliot and I love that. We have dinner then either play a board card or cards, or we sit on the floor, leaning against the bed and watch movies. She loves scary movies, the more people getting their throats ripped out the better she likes it. Makes me laugh. No romantic comedies for her.
' I need to be honest with you.' Elliot's text read.
Jonathan was sitting in his car, outside the loft. Their dinner was in a bag, sitting on the passenger seat beside him. She didn't know he was there yet and was sitting on one of the window sills, just where he could see her. She was leaning back, giving him her profile. Her knees were bent and she had her phone resting against her knees.
' About what?' He answered.
' I really like talking to you and I'd like to meet you but I think I need to tell you that I have become interested in someone.' Jonathan's heart stopped. His mouth went dry.
' What? Who?' He texted.
' You remember the man I told you about? The one with the bakery and who let me live in the loft?' She asked. Jonathan's stomach dropped.
' What about him?' He looked through his windshield and up to her. She was smiling and playing with her hair, something he loved to watch.
' I like him and I want you to know because I don't want you to think I'm leading you on.'
' Like him how?' As his text reached her, she started to laugh as she covered her face. Jonathan started to grin. This was it!
' I'm really attracted to him. I like him a lot. He is a good man. He makes me laugh and feel good about myself. He tells me how smart he thinks I am and he laughs at my stupidness. He's playful and I can just be me. Crazy, stupid me.' Jonathan stepped out of his car, slamming the door loud. He glanced up to find her looking down at him. She waved as she smile. He waved back, feeling a surge of bravery flow through him.
' Are you going to tell him?' He texted back.
' No. I mean, he's my boss and I'm sure he doesn't look at me like that. I don't want to make things weird between us. Anyway, I just wanted you to know because we talk so much, I just wanted to be honest with my feelings.'
' You don't think about your ex? You're not thinking this guy could be a rebound, do you?' He asked. He couldn't handle being her rebound. If she just wanted to have sex, he'd fuck her. He'd have no problem having sex with her, but he wanted more. He liked her, he wanted more from her then just casual sex.
' No, no rebound. I'm completely over Mitch. I was over him before we broke up so I'm not worried there.' Elliot's answer floored him. He jogged up her stairs, needing to see her.
I told Elliot tonight that I was the one texting her. I asked her out to dinner, as a date.
" So you remember you were telling me about your friend? The one you text but have never met?" Jonathan asked as he watched her take their dinner out of the bag he had brought. He was fumbling with his phone, twirling it around in his hand while he watched her back. He was standing by the bed.
" Yeah, what about him?" Elliot asked. She waited for Jonathan to say something and when he didn't, Elliot turned around and smiled. " What about him?"
" Would you ever want to meet him?" He said as he started towards her. He was staring down at his phone, glancing up at her every once and a while.
" Why are you asking about him?" She asked as she laughed quietly. Jonathan took a deep breath then held his phone out to her, text messages up. " What are you doing?" She asked.
" Take it." Jonathan said. Elliot laughed again but reached out and plucked his phone from his hand. "Look at it." She shook her head and rolled her eyes with her smile firmly in place. She looked down at the screen...then back at him...then back at the screen.
" I...I don't...understand." She said. He could hear how hard she was breathing and see the flush that was creeping over her face. He put his hands in his pockets and just waited. Elliot looked back up at him. " It's you? You're the one I have been texting?"