“She can figure it out for herself, but until she does, she can listen to us,” Sharon said. She looked at Ellie again. “And you deserve Michael. Although he doesn’t deserve to have you just ghost on him. At the very least, you should talk to him.”

Well that was true. Ellie’s heart clenched at the idea of having to face him, knowing he knew everything now.

“He’s really broken up,” Kate said squeezing Ellie’s hand. “We’ve told him not to blame himself, but he’s feeling really guilty about abandoning you in high school, and then pushing you too fast now.”

He had pushed her kind of fast but he shouldn’t be feeling guilty about pushing her... she could have told him no or to back off at any time and he would have listened.

She could have told him no or to back off at any time and he would have listened.

Instead she’d just walled him out. Pushed him away. Cut everything off without even trying.

She’d really messed up, but not in the way she’d initially thought. She hadn’t meant to lay it all on him. Or make him feel guilty or like she blamed him. Part of her wanted to spiral into self-recrimination again, but she’d already been doing that, and it hadn’t helped - it had just left Michael feeling broken up... for days...

Andrew’s hand came down on her ass, hard enough to knock her out of the guilt spiral she’d been about to descend into.

“He was at the club tonight, hoping you’d show up.”

“He was?” Strange, that tiny bit of hope lighting up inside of her. She still felt like she didn’t deserve him, but she wanted him.

Sharon was right though, he definitely didn’t deserve the way she’d treated him this week. She at least needed to undo the harm she’d done, make sure he knew she didn’t blame him – had never blamed him. Giving him what he apparently wanted might be a little harder.

Movement across the room made her jump. Crap. Olivia was standing up. Then Ellie saw the Domme’s face and the soft smile there. “I can see I won’t be needed here. Ellie, don’t short yourself. You deserve everything you want too. And since Michael and you both want each other, that should work out nicely.”

With that statement and a quick nod for everyone, Olivia strode to the front door and left, closing it firmly behind her.

“One of these days,” Andrew muttered. “One of these days someone’s going to get to impart snappy wisdom to her and I really, really want it to be me.”

All of the women started giggling at his aggrieved tone. Olivia did have a reputation for setting the couples straight - especially the Doms - when it came to relationships.