Chapter 367: Beaulieu Manor

Friday, February 3rd, Evening (Eastern Standard Time)

There was a knock on the door, and Ellie looked up from her laptop. Canting an eyebrow, Ellie looked at the door. Sighing, she nodded and put the laptop to the side; sitting up, Ellie adjusted a stray bang.

"Who is it?" Ellie asked.

"Fallon," came back from the door.

"Come in," Ellie said and closed the laptop.

The door opened, and Fallon Stafford walked in. Ellie looked at the short dark brown-haired woman who came into the room and sat on the bed. The two friends looked at each other, and Fallon sighed.

"How are you getting along here?" Fallon asked.

"I'm good," Ellie said, just as her phone buzzed. Ellie looked at the phone and flipped it over.

"Who was that?" Fallon asked.

"No one," Ellie said.

Fallon sighed, "Ellie," she said.

Ellie sighed, "No one important," she said.

Fallon shook her head, "Ellie," Fallon said sternly.

"It's Ainsley," Ellie mumbled.

"Who?" Fallon said.

"Ainsley," Ellie said.

"The woman who sent you into hiding here?" Fallon asked.

Ellie nodded, "Yeah," she said.

"Have you been answering her?" Fallon asked.

"No, not really," Ellie said.

"Ellie, why don't I believe you," Fallon said.

"Okay, that's because you have issues," Ellie said.

"I also know you," Fallon said.

"Fine, I've only sent a text to tell her to leave me alone," Ellie said.

"I see, she isn't taking your request to heart," Fallon said.

Ellie shook her head, "No, not at all," she said.

"Have you ever given her hints that you two could be more?" Fallon asked.

Ellie shook her head, "I don't think so. I mean, she would stay at my place after being out at night. I'd always let her use one of the other bedrooms," she said and shrugged.

"Go on," Fallon said.

"Every time I would wake up the next morning with Ainsley in my bed," Ellie said.

"How did you react?" Fallon asked.

"I yelled at her and told her there were other comfortable beds," Ellie said.

"Comfortable beds? That's rather specific," Fallon said.

Ellie looked at Fallon and shook her head, "I said comfortable beds?" she asked.

"Yes, you did," Fallon said, "It is important?"

"It's the excuse Ainsley uses for why she likes sleeping in my bed," Ellie said.

Fallon nodded, "I think Ainsley likes you," she said.

"Well, we are friends," Ellie said.

"No, I mean, she likes you," Fallon said.

"What?" Ellie asked, "You mean? Oh shit!"

Fallon nodded, "I didn't want this," Ellie said.

"Sometimes, things just happen," Fallon said.

Ellie nodded, "Yeah, and I don't think what I said didn't help," she said.

"What did you say?" Fallon asked.

"That I needed time to sort out my feelings," Ellie said.

Fallon sucked in, "That's a mess," she said.

"Yeah, it's messy," Ellie said.

"Well, you'll get it sorted out," Fallon said.

"Speaking of messes, what about you and your beau?" Ellie asked.

"It's going well," Fallon said.

"Is it going well for Fallon Stafford or Fallon Adams?" Ellie asked.

"They're the same person," Fallon said.

Ellie looked at Fallon. "I don't think Grant would feel that way," she said.

"He's getting to know me," Fallon said.

"In his mind, he's getting to know Fallon Adams and not Fallon Stafford," Ellie said.

"She is me, and I am her," Fallon said.

"Grant could be building his vision of you through the lens of Adams and not Stafford," Ellie said.

"But he's getting to know the real me," Fallon said.

"All of which could be undone if you're not careful," Ellie said.

"Ellie, you don't get it. Most men I meet see me as nothing more than an ATM," Fallon said.

"Could some of it be only in your head?" Ellie asked.

"No, not always," Fallon said.

"Just think about Grant's feelings," Ellie said.

"You're one to talk with how you're handling Ainsley," Fallon said.

"As you pointed out, it was me missing the signals while you're consciously doing it," Ellie said.

Fallon nodded, "Look at us, sitting here in my step-mom's house, our personal lives a mess," she said.

"But a clean life is a boring life," Ellie said.

"But a messy life is a stressful existence," Fallon said.

"The unexamined life is not worth living," Ellie said.

Fallon shook her head. "I should talk to Grant," she said.

"Yeah," Ellie said, "and tell him the truth."

Fallon nodded, "The truth," she said.

"Not used to telling the truth," Ellie stated.

"The truth is subjective," Fallon said.

"Truth isn't subjective, Fallon," Ellie said.

Fallon shook her head. "No, you're thinking of facts. Truth is the interpretation of facts," Fallon said.

"That's a cop-out," Ellie said.

"That's a point of view," Fallon said.

"Let's agree to disagree," Ellie said.

"Agreed," Fallon said.

"You still have to tell Grant the facts," Ellie said.

Fallon sighed, "Fine, and you have to sort out your Ainsley situation," she said.

"I'll handle that," Ellie said.

"You better," Fallon said.

"You better, as well," Ellie said.

Fallon nodded, "So, what are you working on?" she asked.

"Some research for the story I'm working on," Ellie said.

"Another lifestyle piece?" Fallon asked.

"No, it's an investigation piece," Ellie said.

Fallon nodded, "Are you excited about that?" she asked.

Ellie nodded, "Yeah," she said.

The two smiled and nodded. Finally, Fallon stood up and left the room. Ellie nodded, turned to the desk, opened the laptop, and returned to her work.