Chapter 21

Those pressure cracks that Nathan presence had created ran a little further into her heart, making her pause. “I know I haven’t been a good friend, not for the past several years. You’ve known it, yet you’ve been a far better friend than I deserve. ”

Hampson’s dispassion disappeared. Snatching the envelope out of Ella’s hand, she tossed it to a side table and put both hands on Ella’s shoulders. “Okay, you’re acting like this is the last time we’re going to talk, which is making it really hard for me to be pissed off at you. And that just annoys me more. ”

“Why are you pissed off at me?” Ella blurted out.

“You have your secret. That will just have to be mine. ” When Hampson pulled her down on the velvet sofa designed for longer male legs, she curled her legs up beneath her. Ella did the same, so they faced each other. In the mirrors scattered around the room, Ella thought they looked like bookends, connected by their joined hands, elbows propped on the back cushion between them. She st