Chapter 8 Ruby
Guess who couldn’t sleep the whole night?
Yep, that’s right. This girl right here.
Even though I was tired, I tossed and turned and then tossed some more.
I rarely had trouble sleeping. That had only happened in the early days of opening the restaurant, when I’d been afraid that I wouldn’t make a profit.
But after Grant left, I didn’t sleep a wink because I kept thinking about him and his fantastic kissing skills.
When morning came around, I was a bit of a zombie. Not even coffee was going to save me today, I was sure of it—though I would still certainly try. I was supposed to be at the restaurant at eleven o’clock. Maybe I could take a nap before that.
After pouring myself a coffee, I went outside, smiling at the sky. I loved this time of year in Portland. It was still slightly chilly, but the air felt so fresh and rich. I couldn’t explain it. I loved coming out and soaking up the sun’s rays; it fueled me with energy.
After about ten minutes, I went to my shed. I’d set up my painting supplies in one corner and hung a hammock from the ceiling by the bookshelves. The space was small, so I optimized it as much as possible.
I climbed into the hammock and closed my eyes.
I’d fallen asleep in it a few times, but no such luck today.
I was still fixating on Grant and everything he told me.
I found his story absolutely fascinating.
I couldn’t understand how I hadn’t met him before in all these years, especially since Daphne had known him for quite a while.
Then again, we’d only had common friends in college.
Once we returned to Portland and started working, we both built different friend circles.
When we hung out together, it was usually just the two of us.
Since I couldn’t fall asleep, I got up and grabbed a book. When I wasn’t in the mood to paint, I read. It didn’t matter what it was. I liked reading everything, from poetry to mysteries to nonfiction books.
I didn’t even look at what I grabbed—but then I saw the title.
Oh no. It was one of the self-help books I bought back when I felt burned out at my previous job.
It had helped me back then, but I didn’t want to be reminded of those days.
I was too lazy to get out of the hammock to put it back on the shelf, so I just tossed it onto the small table next to me. Then I texted Daphne.
Ruby: Hey, can you talk? I want to ask you a few things about Grant.
Daphne: I’m at work. Can’t talk now, but I can text. Is he giving you a hard time? I’ll talk to him.
Ruby: Nope. He gave me a smoking hot kiss. He also said that you warned him off your friends.
Daphne: WHAT? I’ll definitely talk to him.
Ruby: No, please don’t.
Daphne: Come on. He should know better.
Ruby: I tempted him good. I lured him in, offered him a nightcap .
Daphne: You literally said nightcap? That’s so you. Sounds like a booty call.
I laughed and decided to be honest.
Ruby: That’s what it was. I was tired, and the man is hot.
I bit my lip and then texted again.
Ruby: You said he was a good guy.
Daphne didn’t reply right away. “Daphne is typing” appeared several times. Clearly, she was choosing her words carefully. Finally, her message came through.
Daphne: He’s a very good person, but not a good partner/boyfriend. He doesn’t do that at all.
So he was a womanizer? That would explain the excellent kissing skills.
My stomach bottomed out. I had an inkling that was what he meant last night, but it still sucked to read it on the screen from someone who was close to him.
Daphne: And I know you want something completely different.
She was right about that, of course. I’d always dreamed of having a relationship like the one my parents had. It was very gentle and loving. They rarely fought, and when they did, it was respectful. I’d never once heard them put each other down.
They supported each other fiercely as well.
One day, Mom came home from school exhausted and told Dad that she simply couldn’t do it anymore.
That she couldn’t go into school day in, day out—with the low pay and long hours, it was draining her spirit.
She loved teaching, but it was just too much.
My dad instantly told her, “Then work with me at the restaurant. We’ve been talking about it forever. Now is the time.” And that was that.
Growing up, I’d always assumed relationships would be effortless. Boy, was I wrong.
I’d never had anything even remotely close to what they had.
Sure, I’d had several relationships. My longest one was two years with a work colleague.
We’d even made it to the point where we wanted to move in together before everything just fell apart.
One day, he simply said, “Look, I don’t want to do this anymore.
I can’t.” I’d been so flabbergasted that I’d only replied with “Thank you for being so honest.”
I’d had questions for years after that. Had I done something? Did he just get bored? I guess I’d never know. I couldn’t just walk up to him after we broke up and ask, after all.
One year later, he had another girlfriend. They were engaged and married within four months. That made me question myself even further. But as I started to get increasingly more burned out at work, I didn’t even have much time to date.
I’d started dipping my toes into the dating world more seriously once I opened my business, but I found out the hard way that most men avoided self-employed women like the plague.
One flat-out told me to my face, “You’re looking for a rich husband so you can do your little hobby. ” I walked out on him on the spot.
But... that meant I hadn’t gotten any action in a very long time, and it was starting to cloud my judgment.
Biting the inside of my cheek, I texted Daphne back.
Ruby: Maybe I should be looking for something different. By the looks of him, the guy would be really good in bed.
Daphne: Just be careful, okay? Obviously, you’re a grown-up. I can’t tell you what to do .
Daphne: So, you guys really hit it off, huh? What happened last night? Was it just a kiss?
Ruby: It was a hot, hot, HOT kiss. I couldn’t sleep the whole night. Kept fantasizing about more.
Daphne: Damn, girl. I haven’t seen you this excited in a long time.
Even I couldn’t understand why I was so excited. I didn’t know Grant well, yet I’d climbed onto his lap as if we’d been dating for a while.
God, I couldn’t keep thinking about this. Daphne thought it was a bad idea. Hell, Grant thought it was a bad idea. What was I planning to do, throw myself at him? I mean, I’d already done that last night.
I shouldn’t be inviting a sexy man to my home when I was bone-tired and prone to making bad decisions.
I decided not to contact Grant again. It would be two months before I saw him again at Roger and Daphne’s event. Things would cool off. In fact, I was certain that by the time the party rolled around, we’d both have forgotten all about it. He wasn’t going to contact me again—I was sure of it.
But I was wrong.
I received a message from Grant later that morning, after I went back to the main house. I’d just put on a bright orange dress when my phone beeped.
Grant: How do you feel? Manage to get a good night’s sleep?
That was an odd thing to ask. And what was even weirder? The way my stomach somersaulted at the question. Yeah, it actually somersaulted, like I had butterflies or something.
Ruby: Nope. Didn’t sleep a wink .
Why lie?
Grant: Why not?
I’d backed myself into a corner. I couldn’t really say, “Because I was dreaming of you doing sexy things to me.”
So instead, I shifted the focus to him.
Ruby: Did you sleep well?
Grant: No. I kept fantasizing about you.