Better Late Than Leopard (A BBW Shifter Romance) (Sunset Valley Book 2) Read Online Free
Author: Alannah Blacke
couldn't deny that.
But she wasn't Ella. It wasn't even close to the connection he had first felt with her over the phone. He needed to set things right between them, or end it, if that was the way it had to be. Only then could he move on.
"I have to go, I'm sorry." He paid for both their bills, the least he could do for someone who hadn't meant him any harm, and left the bar in a rush. Taking his cell phone out of his pocket, he noticed a blinking notification of a missed call.
It was Ella!
He practically jumped for joy on the sidewalk. She had tried calling him back! There was no message, but the number was hers, he would recognize it anywhere. Jake wondered what she had wanted to say, so he hit the redial button as the door to his apartment closed.
The sound immediately went to a busy tone though, indicating that her phone was off. Although he was saddened that he couldn't hear her voice, at least she hadn't ended or blocked his call this time. He wondered just what she had to say, or what he would say, when they first connected. All he wanted to do was explain to her just what had happened, where the miscommunication was.
He sat by the phone, calling her every fifteen minutes, hoping to get through. After an hour, he began to worry. Why would her phone be off for so long? She almost always picked up right away. When they had been dating, she had never missed a call of his.
She was perfect for him, and Jake didn't want to lose her this time. Making a split second decision, he rushed out of the building and out onto the street. He had a purchase to make. A very specific purchase, one that he couldn't afford to mess up. It had to be just right.
Ella
She got off the plane, wondering just what she was going to do next. She had never been here before, had no idea where she was or where she was going, other than the name of the hotel. She hoped it would be enough information. Hailing a cab, she gave the driver the name of the hotel. To her relief, he didn't question her at all, simply pulling out onto the road. Hope flared within her, that perhaps this would be easier than she thought.
The cab pulled up to the hotel around seven. She hoped he would be back there by then, or else things might go a little differently than she had planned. There was a woman working the front counter, who didn't look all that interested in helping her as she approached.
"Hello there, how can I help you today?"
"Hi Cindy," she said, glancing down at the woman's name tag first. "I need some assistance."
"What can I do for you?"
Ella wasn't sure if she should make something up, or just straight spill the truth. After another moment of contemplating, she decided to go with telling the truth and hoping that perhaps this woman would take pity on her and give out some guest information.
"The truth Cindy, is that I messed up bad with the best man I've ever met. I'm trying to make it right, and I found out from his best friend that he's staying here for work. I need to know his room number, so that I can talk to him. Or even if you could like, connect me to his room via phone if you can't actually give me the number. If I could just talk to him he would come down to the lobby to see me."
She stopped herself abruptly, not wanting to rant on anymore to this woman. To her surprise, the stern look of disinterest that had inhabited Cindy's eyes evaporated as she listened to Ella's story.
"That's rough dear. Let me see what I can do to help you out okay? Do you have a name?"
She gave her his name, waiting patiently as Cindy tapped keys, looking for information. The longer she tapped, the more nervous Ella became. Her heart started racing in her chest while her breaths became shorter.
"I'm sorry ma'am, I don't have anyone by that name staying here. Are you sure it was this hotel?"
"I'm positive on that. He doesn't usually pay for the rooms though, because he's here on business. Are there any rooms under an architect firm or something along
But she wasn't Ella. It wasn't even close to the connection he had first felt with her over the phone. He needed to set things right between them, or end it, if that was the way it had to be. Only then could he move on.
"I have to go, I'm sorry." He paid for both their bills, the least he could do for someone who hadn't meant him any harm, and left the bar in a rush. Taking his cell phone out of his pocket, he noticed a blinking notification of a missed call.
It was Ella!
He practically jumped for joy on the sidewalk. She had tried calling him back! There was no message, but the number was hers, he would recognize it anywhere. Jake wondered what she had wanted to say, so he hit the redial button as the door to his apartment closed.
The sound immediately went to a busy tone though, indicating that her phone was off. Although he was saddened that he couldn't hear her voice, at least she hadn't ended or blocked his call this time. He wondered just what she had to say, or what he would say, when they first connected. All he wanted to do was explain to her just what had happened, where the miscommunication was.
He sat by the phone, calling her every fifteen minutes, hoping to get through. After an hour, he began to worry. Why would her phone be off for so long? She almost always picked up right away. When they had been dating, she had never missed a call of his.
She was perfect for him, and Jake didn't want to lose her this time. Making a split second decision, he rushed out of the building and out onto the street. He had a purchase to make. A very specific purchase, one that he couldn't afford to mess up. It had to be just right.
Ella
She got off the plane, wondering just what she was going to do next. She had never been here before, had no idea where she was or where she was going, other than the name of the hotel. She hoped it would be enough information. Hailing a cab, she gave the driver the name of the hotel. To her relief, he didn't question her at all, simply pulling out onto the road. Hope flared within her, that perhaps this would be easier than she thought.
The cab pulled up to the hotel around seven. She hoped he would be back there by then, or else things might go a little differently than she had planned. There was a woman working the front counter, who didn't look all that interested in helping her as she approached.
"Hello there, how can I help you today?"
"Hi Cindy," she said, glancing down at the woman's name tag first. "I need some assistance."
"What can I do for you?"
Ella wasn't sure if she should make something up, or just straight spill the truth. After another moment of contemplating, she decided to go with telling the truth and hoping that perhaps this woman would take pity on her and give out some guest information.
"The truth Cindy, is that I messed up bad with the best man I've ever met. I'm trying to make it right, and I found out from his best friend that he's staying here for work. I need to know his room number, so that I can talk to him. Or even if you could like, connect me to his room via phone if you can't actually give me the number. If I could just talk to him he would come down to the lobby to see me."
She stopped herself abruptly, not wanting to rant on anymore to this woman. To her surprise, the stern look of disinterest that had inhabited Cindy's eyes evaporated as she listened to Ella's story.
"That's rough dear. Let me see what I can do to help you out okay? Do you have a name?"
She gave her his name, waiting patiently as Cindy tapped keys, looking for information. The longer she tapped, the more nervous Ella became. Her heart started racing in her chest while her breaths became shorter.
"I'm sorry ma'am, I don't have anyone by that name staying here. Are you sure it was this hotel?"
"I'm positive on that. He doesn't usually pay for the rooms though, because he's here on business. Are there any rooms under an architect firm or something along
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