I tell him, and I hear him tapping away on his phone.
“That’s weird, I can see it. She’s down in Dorset with friends.”
“What? She’s in Dorset? There’s no way in the world she’s in Dorset,” I tell him. My phone beeps as a screenshot comes through, and sure enough, it’s a picture of her and her roommate sitting by a fire with cocktails in their hands.
What in the actual fuck?
“Why the hell is she there?”
“Did you have a fight?” he asks, sounding as confused as I do.
“Nope. I spoke to her yesterday morning, and she was excited. Well, I thought she was, but I haven’t spoken to her since. What the hell does this mean?”
“I hate to say this, but I think she might be ghosting you,” Jasper explains.
“Ghosting me?” I ask, raising my voice.
There’s no way in hell she’d cut all contact unless …
Fuck! What happens if someone from her work finds out about this date and threatens her with her job. She told me that her job is important to her and that she’s striving for her dream. That would make sense why she’d pull away, but why would she not tell me about it. Why has she blocked me everywhere?
“You okay, man?” Jasper asks.
“I’m so fucking confused. That’s what I am.”
“Look, I know you liked this girl, but you know what she does for a living. She may have used you, and once she got what she wanted, she bounced,” he says.
“What did she get from me other than my time? I never gave her money. I never bought her anything. I helped her in a fucking cupcake stall. That’s hardly gold digger material,” I yell at Jasper, who’s silent on the other end of the phone.
“I guess at least she’s in Dorset with her friend and not with another guy,” he says.
“I need to message her roommate,” I tell him.
“No, Ali.No,” he screams down the phone at me. “Do not do anything. She’s blocked you, dude. She has disappeared. What more do you need to know?”
“Why?” I argue back.
“Does it matter why?”
“Yes, it does. I want to know what I did to make her disappear?”
“You did nothing. You’re a fucking catch, Ali, and if she can’t see that, then she’s a fool,” Jasper says quite angrily.
I’m thankful he thinks I’m a good guy, but I need to know what happened.
“I just want to know,” I murmur.
“Fine! Give me five, I’ll call you back. Let me find out for you,” he says before hanging up.
I crash down onto my sofa and hang my head in my hands.
What the hell happened, Eloise?
I don’t understand.
I sit there staring at the screenshot Jasper sent through, studying it, trying to see if there are any hidden clues. I zoom in and notice her eyes are bloodshot. Has she been crying? What is going on in her head?
My phone buzzes back and it’s Jasper. “What did you find out?”
“Nothing. They refused to tell me anything. I’m sorry, but I think this might be the end of the road for you both,” he says with a sigh.
“Thanks, man, I appreciate you helping me, and I think you might be right,” I tell him sadly.
“Chin up. You’re about to go to Australia, where there are hordes of gorgeous single women all ready and willing for you. Enjoy your holiday, Ali. London and all its drama will be here when you get back,” he says.
We say our goodbyes, my head falls back against the sofa, and I let out a long deep breath. I must respect what Eloise wants because she’s made it damn clear work is her priority. I can’t fault her for that, but I do wish she had told me.
She did though, many times, but you kept pushing her.
My conscience is right, she did, but I was so excited I’d found a spark with someone after Miranda that I kept pushing.