Contrite ✓

Chapter 26.

When I woke up on Thursday, it was with a comforting feeling of calmness. For once, things felt right and I had nothing to worry about.

Well, maybe except Cole. But I still didn't know what he wanted from me. I honestly had a hard time understanding Harry's worries about Cole's interest in me. I was sure it was only temporary and that he would lose it pretty quickly when he realised how boring of a person I really was.

Getting out of bed, I showered and picked out clothes for the day. I was meeting Pam around noon in town for lunch.

I'd spent last night talking on the phone with Harry, he'd told me that his boss was expected to come visit today. He got me confused since I thought Cole was his boss and he explained that this other guy actually was the one running things.

I didn't know how I felt about that, but Harry didn't sound too nervous about it so I let it go. It was rare he decided to share things about his line of work with me and curiosity was eating me up from the inside every time.

I wanted to know how they all ended up here, why Harry couldn't just quit. How he ended up in this messed up life involving drugs and dangerous people.

As I got into the car, my phone beeped and smiled as I saw Harry's name flash across the screen. He asked me if I wanted to come over to his place tomorrow night to hang out with him and Dylan.

The sight of Dylan's name made me wince slightly as I remembered our exchange at the club. Harry had looked so pissed off when he saw us talking, and yet he was inviting me to hang out with them.

But things had changed since then. We'd slept together. He couldn't possibly be jealous of Dylan now.

I decided to accept the invitation since I had no plans and I really wanted to see Harry.

When I parked outside the restaurant Pam and I had agreed to meet in, I spotted her outside the entrance. Her dark hair was tied up in a neat ponytail and her eyes were covered by huge sunglasses. She waved excitedly as she saw me pull up.

"Hi," I smiled and walked up to her, throwing my arms around her.

"Hi, babes! Is it crazy that I've missed you?"

I laughed. "No, the feeling is mutual."

"Good to know. I wouldn't want to come across as a creep," she grinned.

"Let's head inside, I'm starving," I said and pushed open the door to the tiny pub.

"Remind me why we're eating here again?" Pam said as she took in her surroundings, a frown on her face.

"Well, they have the best fish and chips in town."

"I hope I don't get Ebola," she muttered.

I rolled my eyes and walked over to an empty table, putting my bag down beside me. We ordered and when our drinks came out, I narrowed my eyes at her.

"What?" she said.

"I heard you told Harry off last time when you asked me to wait outside the club," I smirked.

Pam laughed loudly and took a sip from her Coke. "You should've seen his face. First he was all nice and polite, probably thought I genuinely wanted to start up a conversation with him."

I snorted. "More like he probably thought you were coming onto him. I don't even want to try to imagine the kind of proposals he gets at work."

The girls swarming his side of the bar had been proof enough that he could have whoever he wanted.

"Maybe. But you should've seen his face when I told him I would rip out his vocal cords if he hurt you again."

"I can't believe you told him that!" I gaped and then started to laugh. "I would've loved to see his face in that moment."

"Well, he deserved it," she stated bluntly.

I realised I hadn't told her about everything that had went down after. Pam didn't know we worked it all out and that he spent the night. In my bed.

I cleared my throat and fiddled with the napkin laying in front of me.

"Ella?" Pam frowned.

"Uh. . . yeah, about that—"

"What the fuck did that wanker do now?" she hissed.

"No! No, nothing. It's not like that. I. . . We—we kind of had sex?" I mumbled.

Pam took a sharp breath. "You what?"

"Don't make me say it again," I begged.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Ella. Thanks for sharing," she muttered.

"I'm sorry! There's been so much going on."

"How did you end up here from him snogging another girl in front of you?"

I told her everything about Heather and Adam, and how Harry had fired her as soon as he found out.

"That actually made me like him just a tad bit more," she smiled smugly.

"I know, first I thought he might've known about Adam and Heather all along, but it's clear to me he didn't. And I can't express how happy I am about that."

If Harry had known, I probably wouldn't be sitting here talking about him now.

"Was the sex good?" Pam grinned.

I blushed and pressed my palms to my cheeks. "Yes."

She squealed. "I'm so excited! From the looks of him, you could almost tell he would know what to do in bed."

"Pam!" I said shocked. I would never get used to her having no verbal filter.

"What? I don't mean I would want to sleep with him, if that's what you're afraid of."

"Oh my God, please just shut up. Can we talk about something else? Why are you in Holmes Chapel?" I said, desperately wishing to not discuss Harry's skills in the bedroom any further.

"Max had work in the area, so I tagged along," she smiled.

"Oh, okay. No school?"

"Nah, we're on a break right now. A much needed one, that is."

"What does Max do?" I frowned as I realised I knew nothing about her boyfriend, not what he worked with, not even what he looked like.

"Uh. . . He's. . . Honestly, I'm not entirely sure. I know he runs a company of his own and has clients around the whole country," she said.

"He hasn't told you?" I scowled.

"Well, he has. But it's really confusing. Anyway, I'm just glad he needed to come here today. Otherwise I wouldn't get to see you."

"Yeah, me too," I said. "Hey, do you have a picture of him?"

She nodded and searched for her phone in her purse, scrolling through it before handing it over to me. "I took this of him when we were out having drinks with some of his colleagues a couple of weeks back."

Smiling, I looked down at the screen. And froze. A gasp fell from my lips as I took in the picture in front of me. Max was seated in the middle, a smirk on his kind-looking face. He had nice, brown eyes and equally brown hair. He was dressed in a light blue shirt and you could just make out the tiniest scruff covering his jaw.

"What is it?" Pam said.

"Uh, nothing, I thought I recognised him, is all," I said and handed the phone back with a shaky smile.

"Oh, okay. Look! Here comes our food."

I tried to keep it together and nodded politely to the waiter as he put the plate of steaming hot fish and chips in front of me.

Funnily enough, I'd lost all of my appetite after seeing the picture of Pam's boyfriend. It wasn't Max that had startled me, but the person sitting next to him. His colleague.

Cole.