Elle began to write but after just a few minutes Adam returned, much sooner than she had expected. Elle quickly put her phone away and went to the front to greet him."You"re back." She said warmly. "What did you get?"
"See for yourself." Adam said, handing her a bag of food. Inside two bowls of ramen were stacked on top of each other. Elle recognized the store as the same one she had gone to to get dinner on Valentine"s day. It was one of her favourite places.
She looked up at Adam with bright eyes. "You really know me well." She said fondly. "Why don"t you go wash up and I"ll set the table."
Adam didn"t say anything. He only ruffled her hair and gave her a soft smile before leaving, presumably, to do as she said.
Elle set the table and Adam quickly returned and so the two sat down for a meal together. Elle dug into her food, letting out a satisfied sigh as the hot broth spread warmth throughout her entire body. However, her satisfaction didn"t last long.
The food was delicious, and a welcome comfort, but after a few bites Elle"s attention quickly turned from her food to Adam. Since coming back he hadn"t said anything at all.
Elle waited expectantly for Adam to ask her about the issue with her work. Knowing him a lecture would probably be what she got, but no such conversation happened. They continued to eat without conversation. Adam was a quite person after all, it seemed he was content to eat in silence.
"You"re really not going to ask me about it?" Elle asked finally, tired of waiting in antic.i.p.ation. She couldn"t tell if he was avoiding the topic out of consideration or if he genuinely didn"t care about the matter.
"No, I"m not." Adam said simply.
"Why not?" She asked out of curiosity.
"I think this time it"s a matter for you to consider and decide on yourself."
"What shall we discuss instead?" Elle asked cheerfully.
"Should we discuss where you want to go for our trip?"
Adam"s questions took Elle by surprise. She had been so caught up in her project and with the issues Jacob had created that she had completely forgotten about their little bet.
"I hadn"t thought about it much."
"Really?" Adam asked with a smirk. "Even though you were the one who so boldly asked me for it in the first place. I thought you would have had a place in mind by now."
"Anywhere is fine really." She mumbled, looking away bashfully.
"Is that so?"
"You have a bad habit of teasing me, I think." Elle said, eyeing Adam as he continued to eat, un-phased by the conversation.
"That"s because it"s so much fun." Adam said without looking up from his food.
"You ought to be more careful, Mr. Hayes. One day I"ll get you back."
"I"ll look forward to it."
Elle smiled, also content now to eat in silence. After dinner Elle helped Adam clear the dishes before he led her upstairs. She initially thought he might take her into his study as he did last time she had come over, but instead he took her into the guest bedroom.
"Stay here tonight." He said in his usual authoritative tone of voice. Elle raised her eyebrows at him. "Unless you want to go back home?"
"No." Elle mumbled.
"Then it"s settled." Adam said with a satisfied smile. "I"ll go get you a change of clothes."
While he was gone Elle looked around the room. Like everything else in the house, it was designed in a simple and elegant style. The only difference was that this room was also designed in a minimalistic style. Aside from the large bed, a bedside table, and a bookshelf here was nothing in the room. But the empty room was the perfect thing to balance out Elle"s overworking mind.
Adam returned a moment later with a plain white baggy t-shirt and a pair of pyjama pants. "I hope this will do." He said sheepishly.
"It"s perfect. Thank you." Elle said, accepting the clothes gratefully.
"The shower is through that door. If you need anything else my room is just down the hall." Adam said pointing it out to her.
"Thank you. Really." Elle said again. As dense as she was even she could comprehend how understanding he was being. To even prepare a separate room for her on such short notice. He gave her everything she needed without her needing to say a word.
They wished each other goodnight and then Adam left while Elle went into the shower. She let the cold water run over her for a long time, numbing her tense nerves and her soft heart. When she finally got out she dried herself off and changed into the clothes Adam had provided.
The shirt was soft and comfortable, but as expected the pants were much too big for her. Elle laughed as she held them up against her legs. Luckily, the shirt was baggy enough that it fell more than halfway down her thighs. Elle decided that the shirt alone would do and, yawning, got into bed.
Meanwhile, Adam had already gotten into bed as well, but was failing to fall asleep. It was true that he was considerate, and wanted to let Elle have the peace and quite she probably craved, but he was also human. The thought of the woman he loved sleeping not even fifteen feet away from him left him unsettled all night.
Elle couldn"t fall asleep easily either. She tossed and turned for a while before giving up and pulling her phone back out. She glanced at the words she had written, which were still open on her screen.
"She gets bruised, and gets used, by a man who can"t love."
Those had been her feelings at the time but now, only a few hours later, she didn"t feel that way at all. When she was younger she craved and coveted her father"s affections but now she had Adam. Adam who spoiled her in such simple ways. Adam who gave her all the love she could ever want.
It was true that she once needed her father, and he hadn"t been there for her the way she had wanted him to, but that time had come and gone. She didn"t need him anymore. So, for the first time Elle deleted her feelings from her phone. That night she reflected on herself for a long time before she was finally lulled to sleep by Adam"s comforting scent that surrounded her.