Chapter 48
Ellie finally gave in and agreed to go out with Alex. She didn’t want to escalate the situation, nor did she want him to freak out and drag his parents into it. Most of all, she didn’t want to worry Aaron.
Looking at Alex’s sleek silver sports car, Ellie hesitated before speaking up. “Just give me the address. I’ll take a ride over to meet you.”
Alex stared at her, his eyes narrowing slowly. “I’m just asking you to step out for a bit, not demanding your life. Why does it feel like you’re treating me like an enemy? What’s up with that?”
Ellie looked down, her voice quiet but firm. “I just don’t want to be left behind halfway.”
Her words weren’t loud, but they struck a chord with Alex. He studied her for a long moment, before he finally spoke up. “It’s not that big of a deal for you to hold a grudge over this. Just get in the car.”
Before she could protest, Alex reached over and forcibly pulled Ellie into the passenger seat. He drove while sneaking glances at her, but Ellie remained silent the entire way—something that was unusual for Alex, who normally thrived on conversation.
The car made a series of turns before coming to a stop outside a tattoo parlor. Ellie followed Alex inside, greeted by the lively hum of the shop. The vibrant energy and chatter made her feel out of place.
“Wow, you brought this girl along?” Layton exclaimed warmly when he saw Ellie, walking over to greet her. Ellie offered a polite smile in return.
As she watched Alex mingle with the staff, Ellie realized that the shop owner and everyone there were all his friends. It was clear this wasn’t a place he frequented on a whim.
Hearing several guys jokingly call her “Mrs. Warren” made her cheeks heat up. Embarrassed, she waved her hands in front of her, trying to laugh it off, but she quickly retreated toward the door.
Alex turned to look at her, and seeing her flustered enough to want to disappear, he couldn’t help but smirk. “Look at you, acting like a total rookie!”
He shot a glare at the group of men. “If you don’t know how to properly greet people, then just keep quiet.”
The guys hastily stopped their teasing, looking sheepish.
Alex pulled Ellie to sit down beside him and laid a design in front of her that a man had given him. “Help me figure out where’s a good spot for this,” he said, gesturing to the design.
Ellie’s gaze immediately fell on the tattoo, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the name written on it: Haley.
So that’s why he insisted on dragging her here. He needed her input on where to tattoo Haley’s name on his body.
It was surprising, really. Alex had always been opposed to getting random things inked on himself. But here he was, ready to permanently etch Haley’s name on his body.
A wave of emotion washed over Ellie, and her chest tightened. She felt a pang of hurt, a sharp sting in her heart as she realized the gravity of the situation. It felt like everything around her faded, and the only thing she could focus on was Alex’s question. “Should it go on the chest or the ring finger?” he asked.
Ellie remained silent, her thoughts swirling as she tried to process the sudden rush of emotions.
Alex, noticing her discomfort, continued. “If it were you, where would you want your boyfriend to tattoo your name?”
Ellie’s heart twisted painfully, and she struggled to hold her composure.
Layton, sensing Ellie’s unease, nudged Alex lightly. “Alright, can’t you see she doesn’t want to talk?”
But Alex dismissed him with a wave of his hand. “No way. I want her to answer.”
Ellie felt trapped, unable to escape the pressure of the situation. The question hung in the air, suffocating her.
