Chapter 310
Ellie’s POV
I was already sitting at the kitchen table with my coffee when they came back inside.
Dominic entered first, holding the door open. Vivian followed, leaning heavily on his arm. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I watched him help her over to a seat like she couldn’t do it herself.
“There you go,” he said as she sank into the seat. “Take it easy.”
Vivian pressed her hand to her chest and nodded. “Thank you, Dominic. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
I took a sip of my coffee and said nothing.
Dominic glanced at me, then back at Vivian. “Do you need anything? Water? Tea?”
“Just some water would be lovely,” Vivian said quietly.
I watched as Dominic went to the sink and filled a glass. He brought it back to her, and she took it with both hands, giving him a grateful smile.
It was a performance. I could see it clear as day. And I didn’t know why Dominic couldn’t see it, but I’d decided a while ago that it wasn’t my problem. The only problems I’d made for myself lately were ones involving the heart.
I was a fool. A naive, stupid fool. Last night had felt like something real, like maybe we were actually making progress. But it had just been another illusion. Another moment I’d let myself get swept up in, only to wake up and find him right back where he always was.
With her.
“Ellie?”
I turned. Vivian was looking at me now, her head tilted slightly.
“Are you alright?” she asked. “You look upset.”
I forced a smile. “I’m fine.” I stood and picked up my mug, carrying it to the sink. “Glad to see you’re feeling better, Vivian.”
“Oh, I’m still in a lot of pain,” she said. Her hand went to her chest again, fingers splayed over where her heart would have been if it wasn’t made of stone. “But thanks to Dominic’s help, I’m on the mend.”
“Mhm,” I muttered as I rinsed my mug and set it in the dish rack.
“I heard Vivian calling out this morning,” Dominic said. “The healer told us she should get fresh air when the pain gets bad, so I took her outside for a walk. I’m sorry I left you by yourself.”
I turned off the faucet and dried my hands on a towel. “It’s fine.”
Vivian’s eyes flashed. “Oh, right. I forgot you two were doing that last night.” She looked between us, and I saw the corner of her mouth twitch. “How was your little sleepover?”
“It was fine,” I said.
I folded the towel and set it on the counter, then turned and walked out of the kitchen. Behind me, I heard Vivian say something else, but I didn’t catch it. I was already halfway up the stairs.
In my room, I shut the door and went straight to my closet, pulling out a pair of trousers and a plain t-shirt. The fundraiser started at noon, and I needed to leave soon if I wanted to get there on time.
I was halfway through getting dressed when there was a knock on my door.
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“Ellie?” Dominic’s voice came through the wood. “Can I come in?”
I sighed and pulled my shirt over my head. “It’s open.”
He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it’s true.” I sat on the edge of my bed and started putting on my socks.
Dominic walked over and stood in front of me. “Last night was fun,” he said.
I looked up at him. “Yeah. It was,” I said. “But don’t let that make you feel like you have to plan another one.” I pulled on my second sock and stood. “I know it was a one-off thing, anyway.”
Dominic blinked. “Oh.” He paused. “And here I was, planning on asking if you wanted to do it again tonight.”
My cheeks warmed, and I looked away. “Well. I’m going to the fundraiser today, so I’ll probably be too tired anyway.”
“Right. The fundraiser.” He folded his arms. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come?”
“I’m sure.”
“Ellie, I’m not trying to keep tabs on you,” he said. “I really do just want to be supportive. Just like the therapist said.”
I grabbed my bag from the chair and slung it over my shoulder. “I appreciate that, but I’m really fine going on my own.” I turned and walked out the door. “Enjoy your day with Vivian,” I called over my shoulder.
I didn’t look back as I left the room, although I could feel his eyes on me the entire way.
The fundraiser was being held at a park in the neutral territory, just down the street from where the initial meeting had been held. By the time I arrived, the park was already bustling, mostly with volunteers running around in matching blue t-shirts. I parked on the street and walked over to the check-in table near the entrance of the park, currently being run by a young girl around my age.
“Hey,” I said. “I’m here to volunteer for the fundraiser?”
The girl smiled, handing me a clipboard and a t-shirt. “Sign your name on the form, then put on the shirt,” she said. “You’ll be helping with registration for the first hour, and then you’re on clean-up duty. Sound good?”
“Sounds perfect, “I said, signing my name with a flourish and handing the clipboard back to her. The girl grinned, writing my name on a laminated name tag with a marker, which she handed to me.
I clipped the name tag to my shirt and got to work.
The first hour was easy. I stood at the raffle registration table, taking names and numbers as people pair the small t*e to enter the raffle. The large glass bowl started to fill quickly as the park bustled with eventgoers. After they signed up, one of the other volunteers would direct them toward the main area, where chairs had been set up in front of a gazebo that had various little pedestals on it with various rewards for raffle winners: coupons to local businesses, small, handmade trinkets made by local artisans, and the grand prize was a free mani-pedi at the spa.
I was just finishing up at that station when I spotted a familiar face moving through the crowd. I knew it was Dominic before I even did a double-take. To my horror, he was wearing one of the staff t-shirts.
The girl from the sign-up table was walking past, and I tapped her shoulder. She turned, smiling, still holding the clipboard with all the names on it. “Everything okay?” she asked.
“Yeah,” I said, then nodded toward Dominic. “But what’s he doing here?”
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She followed my gaze and smiled. “Oh, him? He asked to help out this morning. We need all the hands we can get, so of course we said yes. ”
Of course they did.
I pressed my lips together and turned just as Dominic looked up. His eyes found mine across the park, and he broke into a grin. He waved and started jogging over.
“Great,” I muttered. I should have known he would come today anyway, despite my best efforts not to let him.
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