Victor had already disappeared into the guest room with a cheerful “Don’t stay up too late, you two."
Alex walked in behind her, no words and no eye contact. Ella swallowed. “I can take the couch if...”
“No.” His voice came out rougher than he probably meant. He cleared his throat, turned toward the dresser. “Victor will notice. He’s already asking questions.”
She nodded even though he wasn’t looking.
The room felt smaller with both of them in it. The king bed suddenly looked like a very small island in the middle of a very large ocean.
Alex opened a drawer, pulled out a pair of sweatpants and black T-shirt. “I’ll shower first.”
“Okay.”
He disappeared into the bathroom without another word, the door closed.
Ella exhaled hard and sat on the very edge of the mattress, she stared at t
