Chapter 813 - Good night, Ellie (1/2)
After Jeff and JoAnna left, most of the people went to their rooms. The wedding party was over.
Some guests still lingered in the event hall. The resort staff was available to serve them.
Jasper and Ellie stayed in the garden, unwilling to end the night and part ways.
Jasper knows that Ellie will not spend the night with him even if he promises to keep his hands (and the rest of the body) to himself. So, this is the best he can do to stay close to her.
Part of him fears that tomorrow she will act like nothing happened, and he needs to start wooing her again. So far everything about getting close to Ellie was more difficult than usually, but for some reason with every small progress made, he felt a big sense of accomplishment.
”For tomorrow… when and where should I pick you up?”, Jasper asked Ellie.
”Anytime after two o'clock is fine. As for where… how about you tell me where to meet you?” Ellie doesn't want Jasper to find out that she has a villa in the Bel-Air neighborhood, or to come to her office space downtown LA. In both cases he might discover her little 'boss-secret' , and she wants to keep this as a secret at least a bit longer. She is having too much fun with that.
”I will not be a gentleman if I don't pick up my girlfriend for a date.”
Ellie didn't miss Jasper's emphasis on tha word 'girlfriend' , but she pretended that she didn't hear it. Based on his smile, he likes saying that word.
”I am a strong, independent woman. I have no problems meeting you halfway… or meeting you wherever you say. And I promise that even with that, you can still be a gentleman.”
Jasper has a lot of fun talking with Ellie. Her answers are… unconventional. He got an idea…”OK. How about… you come to my place?”
Ellie was intrigued by his playful tone of voice. What was with that pause? ”Where is your place?”
”In Chicago.” Jasper saw her complex expression and chuckled. ”You said: wherever.”
She can tell that he enjoys that he led her up to that point of conversation, and she will let him have it. She didn't know that he is from Chicago. For some reason she assumed that he is local to Los Angeles area. Chicago… that means that he will leave. ”How long will you stay here?”
”I was planning to go back tomorrow morning, but something came up so I will stay longer.” Jasper gave her a meaningful look.
Ellie smiled at the thought that SOMETHING that keeps him longer in Los Angeles is her. She realized that she does not know much about him. She needs to find out more. Little at a time. ”You can't work from here?”
”Not really. I'm tied up to my office. You?”
”My company is based in Seattle, but we have office space in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.”
”Chicago?” Jasper's eyes lit up. ”Can I count on you to come there?”
”I will be there first half of the October, for the fashion events…” Ellie explained that she moves while following fashion events. September she spends mostly in New York, first half of October in Chicago while second half in Los Angeles. During summer she goes between London, Paris and Milan which are bustling with various fashion shows.
Jasper enjoys how Ellie's face lights up when she talks about her work. He can tell that she loves it. She mentioned Tom and Brian and many others who are accompanying her to fashion shows.
They spoke for a long time, until Ellie yawned and hid her embarrassed expression while suggesting that it's time to call it a night.
Jasper and Ellie were walking down the hallway, approaching her room, when Jasper summarized her schedule, or the part he is interested in: ”If I didn't miss anything, after October you have few months break.”
Ellie confirmed, and added more information: ”There are no major events to attend, but that does not mean that I'm on a break. I have custom orders to take care of, as well as designs for next season.”
”You sound like you do everything. Why don't you get that boss of yours to work more?”
”Oh…”, Ellie forgot that she has an imaginary boss.
She cleared her throat while getting her cardkey from the purse to unlock the door.