The Girl in the Hoodie is Mine

JASON POV:

Okay, so I know I was pushing my luck here. Showing up to take her out? Yeah, that was a bold move. That’s why I carefully refrained from calling it a date. It was a celebration, plain and simple. And no, it wasn’t a lie—I did manage to seal the deal of a lifetime earlier today. If that wasn’t worth celebrating, what was?

After Ella chased me out of the diner earlier (in the most adorable way, might I add), I went home, took a quick nap, and got myself ready. Nothing fancy—just jeans, a plain tee, and my leather jacket. Casual but good enough to not look like I just rolled out of bed.

By the time eight o’clock rolled around, I was standing outside her door, knocking like I said I would.

Persistence was the key, right?

She took her sweet time answering, which, honestly, was exactly what I expected. I could practically hear her pacing inside, debating whether or not to open up.

I continue knocking on Ella’s door. Well, knocking might be putting it mildly. It was the kind of knock that meant business. Firm, rhythmic, and intentional. The "I’m-not-leaving-until-you-open-this-door" type of knock. Subtlety wasn’t exactly my strong suit, and with Ella, it wasn’t going to work anyway.

I stood there, tapping my foot impatiently as the seconds ticked by. She knew I was here—her lights were on, and there was no way she’d gone to bed already. Ella wasn’t the kind of person who could just ignore a knock like this. Or me, for that matter.

"Ella!" I called out, leaning a little closer to the door. "I know you’re in there."

I grinned, imagining her on the other side of the door, probably rolling her eyes so hard she was seeing stars. That was Ella for you—tough on the outside, with just enough softness underneath to make her even more intriguing.

Still no response.

Alright, time to escalate. "Ella, come on! Don’t make me cause a commotion and disturb your neighbour. You know I will."

Would I actually do it? Nah. But she didn’t need to know that. Mentioning the neighbour was bound to get under her skin just enough to make her move.

I heard movement inside—soft footsteps and a low groan. Bingo.

The sound of the lock turning made me straighten up. I couldn’t help but grin as the door swung open, revealing Ella standing there with her arms crossed and a look on her face that screamed Why are you like this?

"What?" she snapped, her tone sharp but not entirely unwelcoming.

She looked like she’d been debating whether to open the door for a while. Her hair was slightly messy, and there was a faint flush on her cheeks that only added to how effortlessly beautiful she looked.

"You’re late," I said, grinning like I wasn’t the one who had invited myself over.

"I didn’t even agree to this," she shot back, her voice dripping with annoyance.

I shrugged casually, leaning against the doorframe. "You didn’t say no either. So, here I am. Ready when you are."

Her glare could’ve melted steel. "I’m not going."

"Yeah, you are."

"No, I’m not."

We went back and forth for a moment, her eyes narrowing with every word while I did my best to look as relaxed as possible. This was classic Ella—stubborn as hell, but I wasn’t exactly known for backing down either.

"Ella, come on," I said finally, shifting my tone to something softer. "You’ve had a long week. You deserve a break. And, if it helps, there’s chocolate involved."

Her brow arched, and she gave me a look that could only be described as skeptical. "Bribery now? Really?"

"Absolutely."

I couldn’t help but smirk as she leaned against the doorframe, mirroring my posture. She was trying so hard to look unaffected, but I knew better. Ella liked her routines, sure, but she also wasn’t immune to the idea of a good distraction.

"Jason, I’m tired," she said after a moment, her voice quieter this time. "And, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly dressed to go anywhere."

She gestured down at her outfit—jeans and a plain shirt. To me, she looked perfect, but I knew better than to say that outright.

"You look fine to me," I said, keeping my tone light. "And if you want to change, I can wait."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and for a split second, I thought she might actually kick me out. Instead, she just stared at me, her expression caught somewhere between exasperation and something else I couldn’t quite place.

"You’re impossible," she muttered.

"And yet, here I am. Still standing. Still waiting. Still charming."

That earned me an eye roll, but I caught the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Progress.

"Fine," she said at last, her voice so low I almost didn’t catch it. "Give me ten minutes."

I didn’t bother hiding my grin. "Take your time," I said, stepping back and let me in. she then went up to her room and close the door.

Just before it shut completely, I heard her mutter under her breath, "What the hell am I even doing?"

The door clicked shut, and I let out a small laugh. Oh, Ella. If she thought she was the only one wondering that, she had no idea.

Standing there in her small sitting room, I couldn’t stop the grin spreading across my face. This was a win. A big one. Sure, she might have acted like she was doing this against her will, but she agreed. She was coming with me, and that was all that mattered.

I glanced down at my watch. Eight-fifteen. I had time.

Leaning back against the wall, I ran a hand through my hair, thinking about how the night would go. I wasn’t expecting miracles—I knew better than to push too hard with Ella. She was like a skittish cat sometimes; too much too fast, and she’d bolt. But tonight wasn’t about grand gestures or declarations.

It was about showing her that she could let her guard down around me.

A soft click pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned just in time to see Ella stepping out of her apartment, locking the door behind her.

She looked...amazing. Still simple, still casual, but there was something about the way she carried herself that made it impossible not to stare.

"Stop looking at me like that," she said, not even glancing my way as she stuffed her keys into her pocket.

"Like what?" I asked, playing dumb.

"Like I’m some kind of charity case."

I chuckled. "Trust me, Ella, that’s not what I’m thinking."

She finally looked at me then, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Then what are you thinking?"

I tilted my head, considering my words carefully. "Just that you’re going to have a great time tonight. Whether you admit it or not."

She rolled her eyes again, but I caught the faintest hint of a blush on her cheeks as she walked past me.

I followed her down the hall, feeling a strange mix of nerves and excitement. Ella had no idea how much of a win tonight already was for me. She could think this wasn’t a date all she wanted, but I knew better.

Because to me? This was the beginning of something I wasn’t about to let go of.

Not now. Not ever.

As we walked to my car, I could feel Ella’s skepticism radiating off her in waves. She wasn’t thrilled about this, that much was clear, but she wasn’t backing out either. That was good enough for me.

When we reached my car, I moved ahead and opened the passenger door for her. "What are you doing?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

I leaned on the door slightly, giving her my best innocent smile. "What does it look like I’m doing? My mother taught me the basics of being a gentleman. Get in."

She huffed, clearly debating whether to argue or just accept it. Finally, she muttered something under her breath—probably an insult—and slid into the seat.

"Thank you," she said begrudgingly, her tone making it clear she was only saying it because she had to.

I shut the door behind her and walked around to the driver’s side, my grin widening. Getting her to agree to this was one thing, but I had to play this just right.

My plan was simple: take her somewhere nice, but not so fancy that she’d feel out of place. Ella wasn’t the type to be wowed by over-the-top luxury, but I couldn’t exactly take her to a burger joint either. It had to be the perfect balance—classy enough to impress her, yet relaxed enough that she wouldn’t feel like she was on display.

I slid into the driver’s seat, starting the engine. "So," I said casually, glancing her way, "how’s your day been?"

She shot me a look that said, Seriously? but answered anyway. "Fine. Uneventful."

"Uneventful, huh? I find that hard to believe."

"Well, not everyone spends their day sealing multimillion-dollar deals," she retorted, her voice laced with sarcasm.

I chuckled, keeping my eyes on the road as I pulled out of the parking lot. "Hey, not every day is like that. I just happened to get lucky this time."

Ella didn’t respond, but I could see her out of the corner of my eye, looking out the window as if trying to figure out where I was taking her.

"You’re not going to tell me where we’re going, are you?" she asked after a moment.

"Nope," I said, grinning. "That would ruin the surprise."

She groaned, sinking a little lower into her seat. "I don’t like surprises."

"Good thing this isn’t a surprise, then," I said, glancing her way. "It’s a celebration. Big difference."

She rolled her eyes, but I could tell she was trying not to smile. That was the thing about Ella—she liked to act like she didn’t care, but the little tells were always there if you knew where to look.

As we drove, I made small talk, mostly to keep the mood light. Ella responded in her usual clipped manner, but she wasn’t shutting me down completely. That was progress.

By the time we reached the restaurant, I could feel her curiosity starting to bubble over.

"This is it?" she asked as I pulled into the parking lot.

"This is it," I confirmed, turning off the engine.

It wasn’t the fanciest place in town, but it had a certain charm—soft lighting, warm wood accents, and a menu that balanced sophistication with comfort food. Exactly the kind of place I knew Ella would appreciate, even if she wouldn’t admit it.

I got out and walked around to her side, opening the door for her again. She stepped out, eyeing me suspiciously.

"You really don’t have to keep doing that," she said.

"Doing what?"

"The whole gentleman act. It’s weird."

I smirked. "Weird or not, it’s happening. Deal with it."

She rolled her eyes again but didn’t argue. As we walked toward the entrance, I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of satisfaction.

This was going to be a night she wouldn’t forget. And neither would I.