Chapter 9 Ruby
I nearly dropped my phone. Holy shit.
I wanted to write so many inappropriate things in response to that. Daphne’s warning rang in my mind, but I decided to completely ignore it.
Ruby: What a coincidence. I was doing the same thing about you.
I didn’t expect him to reply, but then he surprised me.
Grant: Fuck.
I started to laugh so hard that I really did drop my phone this time as I doubled over. I had to be careful because my bedroom was tiny; if I wasn’t paying attention, I might just hurt myself. Oh, I hadn’t had so much fun in a very long while.
When I calmed down enough, I picked my phone up off the floor. Grant had sent me another message.
Grant: Are you able to take today off?
I blinked.
Ruby: Why would I take off?
Grant: Because you were up late last night.
It was endearing that he worried about me.
Ruby: The earliest I have to be at the restaurant is 11, so I sleep in some days, but not today. I’m almost late. Got to go.
Grant: Sure. Don’t want to keep you. Just make sure you take care of yourself.
My knees went a bit weak at that, and I smiled all the way to the restaurant. I was certain that I’d come to my senses soon enough.
Only I didn’t.
The next day, I was still thinking about Grant.
But I was banking on the fact that nothing would happen.
Grant and I had no reason to be in contact again.
Not at all. But when I got home in the evening and checked my personal messages, I noticed a couple from him from a few hours before.
My stomach did that weird butterfly thing again.
Grant: Text whenever you see this.
Grant: Do you have plans tomorrow evening?
Energy fueled me, and I was almost certain I had another sleepless night ahead of me. I texted him immediately.
Ruby: I’m always busy in the evening, but I can take time off for a good reason.
Such as a sexy man. Oh yes, I could.
I wasn’t sure that Grant would reply. It was late, after all. Maybe he’d fallen asleep already. But then my phone pinged as I toed off my shoes and went over to my couch. I sat down and curled my legs under me, grinning at his text.
Grant: I’ll give you a very good reason.
Ruby: I’m all ears.
Well, technically, I was all eyes, but potayto, potahto.
Grant called me the next second. Oh, I was going to hear his sexy voice. My night was getting better and better.
“Hi, Ruby,” he greeted me.
“Hey,” I replied.
There was a long pause before he added, “How was your day?”
“I’m more interested in how my day will be tomorrow,” I teased, and he laughed.
“I never know what will come out of your mouth.”
Huh. The way he said “mouth” was giving me very strange ideas. My body was already getting hot and bothered.
“So,” he said, “I heard you like movies.”
“How exactly did you hear that?” A split second later, I added, “Oh my goodness. Daphne called you?”
He laughed. “Yeah, she did. And she gave it to me good.”
“I’m so sorry about that. Oh, why would she do that?” I groaned.
“She was just defending you. Anyway, one thing led to another, and I asked her about you.”
“Really?”
“You mind?”
“Not at all. After all, I did the same.” Was Daphne playing double agent? Why would she tell him I liked movies? “So, we’re going to the movies? It’s been so long since I’ve been.”
“Yes, we are.”
“Grant?” I asked carefully. “What changed?”
I heard his sharp intake of breath, and damn, it had a weird effect on me. I pressed my thighs together. Oh yeah, my pussy was on fire. What was this man doing to me?
“I can’t stop thinking about you.”
He didn’t say anything else, but he didn’t need to.
“I’m very excited about tomorrow,” I confessed to him.
“So am I.” I could hear the grin in his voice. “So, what exactly did Daphne tell you about me?”
“Hey, that’s not fair. I’m not asking what she told you about me.”
“I can relay everything.”
I hesitated a moment, then said, “She just confirmed what you said... about her warning you off her friends.”
He didn’t reply. What was I expecting him to say? “Oh, Ruby, you’re different, the woman of my dreams. I’ll change my womanizing ways for you .”
That only happened in movies. People didn’t just change.
“Listen, Grant. I want to have fun. God, I haven’t had fun in so long, and—”
“Say no more.”
That made me smile.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Ruby.”
“Okay.”
Why was he cutting this short? I wanted some more teasing and tempting. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
“We should go to sleep,” he said, “and rest.”
Oh, he was looking out for me. Well, hot damn.
“Have a good night, Ruby.”
“Thanks. You too.”
* * *
Guess who barely got any sleep that night? Yep, me.
Excitement coursed through my body. I tossed and turned for a few hours before eventually falling asleep.
The next morning, I woke up at ten thirty when my alarm blared through the house.
I always had one set so I could make it to the restaurant in time.
I rarely slept in that long, but it had happened on occasion.
I hurried through the motions, putting on a cute pink dress and high heels. I was going to knock his socks off tonight.
When I stepped into the restaurant, Sherry was sitting at the bar, typing on her laptop. She looked up as I approached her.
“Boss, hey. I figured you might be late today.”
“Sorry, I overslept. Listen, Sherry, I’m not going to be here this evening.”
Her eyes bulged. “You’re taking time off?”
I smiled. “Yes.” I only did that on a few occasions, when it was one of my parents’ or my brother’s birthday.
Sherry gave me an enigmatic smile but didn’t say anything.
“What? I know you want to say something.”
“I’m taking this as a good sign. I told you that I want to take on more responsibility, and I can’t really do that if you’re here.”
That felt like a slap, but I kind of deserved it. She was the restaurant manager, but in truth, I didn’t allow her to manage too much. I was treating her like my right hand... but that was the role of an assistant, not a manager.
“What time will you leave?” she asked.
“I’m not sure yet.”
Grant hadn’t texted me at all today. What if he changed his mind?
No. I knew deep in my bones that he wasn’t the type to do that. Still, I would’ve liked to know what we were doing tonight.
As the day went on, I kept checking my phone. Just after the lunch rush, Grant finally texted. I stopped in the act of rearranging red wine bottles in the bar to check it.
Grant: Pick you up at six?
I immediately replied.
Ruby: Yes, please. I’ll be ready .
Grant: We can eat before the movie too.
That was perfect. I was elated . I couldn’t remember ever feeling like this when someone asked me out. Well, not recently, anyway.
I was transported right back to my college days when I still got super excited that the popular, good-looking guy was asking me out. When had I lost that sort of enthusiasm? I hadn’t just dated duds over the years, had I?
Well, that was debatable.
“Boss?” Sherry asked. Richie was with her too. They’d probably gone out for a smoke break.
I looked up from my phone. “Sorry, I didn’t see you.”
She gave me that same enigmatic smile from earlier. “I take it you know your plans for the evening now?”
“Yes, I’m leaving at six.”
“I’ll hold down the fort,” Sherry said proudly.
I had absolutely no doubt that she would. She was very competent. It was why I hired her in the first place.
Richie, however, was giving me the side-eye. “Am I still going to be able to reach out to you if something happens?”
“What could possibly happen that I can’t handle?” Sherry asked him.
“I’d just like to know where we stand.”
“Of course you can reach me,” I assured him.
Though if some sexy stuff happened tonight, I’d put my phone on Airplane Mode. I had complete faith that Sherry could handle anything that came up.
Richie looked unconvinced, but then again, he was suspicious of everything.
After the two of them left, I grabbed my laptop.
I often used the hours between lunch and dinner to strategize and look at our ads.
I ran them myself on all social media platforms and watched the budget like a hawk.
I’d found out the hard way that even a $5 ad could end up costing you a lot of money in the long run if you forgot about it, which had happened in our first year.
I became strangely antsy as the afternoon went by. I’m going on a date. It was finally starting to sink in.
Shortly before six, I went to the bathroom to redo my hair and makeup.
I finger-combed my hair—it was wavy and shiny, blonde with darker strands interspersed.
It was my natural color, and I loved it.
I put on my favorite eyeshadow palette but didn’t bother with lipstick. My lips were on the plump side anyway.
I forgot to ask him which theater we were going to.
I grabbed my phone from the sink, about to text him, then realized something—I wanted to be surprised.
Honestly, I was a bit tired of being in charge of all the details all the time.
I was turning over a new leaf. After all, Ms. I Want To Find The Love Of My Life was now going to a movie with Mr. I Fuck Everything I See.
That sounded crass even in my mind. Daphne would never say something like that—she was far too well-spoken—but I could read between the lines. Her warning him off her friends was a giant indicator.
I was certain that he’d earned his reputation, because Daphne wasn’t the type to label someone so quickly. But honestly, it didn’t matter. I was going on a date with a handsome man, and I didn’t care about anything else. Life had a way of surprising me lately, and I was starting to like that.
I did get a little bit nervous, though, as I returned to the front of the restaurant, even more so when I noticed Grant outside.
I ran out to meet him so my team wouldn’t see and ask a million questions.
I didn’t exactly want to keep him a secret, but I also didn’t want them to know all of my comings and goings.
As I stepped out, he flashed me that gorgeous smile, and I wasn’t nervous at all anymore.
Let the fun begin.