Chapter 28
28
CHUCK
As I leave the workshop, my hands stained with red and my mind set on finding Ruby, I feel a mix of determination and nervousness. I've never been great at expressing my feelings, but Ruby deserves to know how I feel about her.
I search, checking all the places I can think of – the dining room, the yoga pavilion, even a tucked-away little library I’d never noticed before. No Ruby. I'm about to give up when I spot a secluded area near the pool, hidden away behind some lush tropical plants and ornate fountains.
And there she is, sitting on a lounge chair, looking absolutely stunning in a simple dress. The sunlight filtering through the leaves dances across her red hair, making it look like a living flame. For a moment, I just stand there, taking in the sight of her.
Then I take a deep breath and approach. "Hey, Brooks. Found your secret hideout, huh?"
She looks up, startled. For a second, I swear I see a flash of... something in her eyes. Hurt? Anger? But it's gone so quickly, I might have imagined it.
"Chuck," she says, her voice carefully neutral. "I didn't expect to see you here."
I sit down on the edge of her lounge chair, trying to ignore the way my heart races at being so close to her. "I've been looking everywhere for you. Where have you been?"
She shrugs, not meeting my eyes. "Around. Exploring."
Something's off. This woman’s usually full of snarky comments and eye rolls, but now she seems... distant. Closed off. Which is especially strange after last night. I decide to try and lighten the mood.
"Well, you missed out on a riveting morning of finger painting," I say, wiggling my still-colorful fingers at her. "But that's not even the best part. There’s a storytelling workshop in an hour. And I think I have a great story to share."
Ruby raises an eyebrow, a hint of her usual self peeking through. "Oh?"
I grin, warming to my tale. "Yeah, I think you’re supposed to tell stories on the spot, but I’m cheating a little thinking about it in advance. Mine is about a hot little librarian?—"
I'm expecting a laugh, maybe a playful swat on the arm. What I'm not expecting is for Ruby to stand up abruptly, her face flushing with anger.
"Wow," she says, her voice cold. "I didn't realize I was such a joke to you, Newcomb."
I blink, completely thrown. "What? Ruby, no, that's not?—"
"Save it," she snaps. "I get it. The mousy librarian, what a laugh, right? I bet you and your new friends will have a great time making fun of me."
I stand up too, utterly confused. "Ruby, I have no idea what you're talking about. I wasn't making fun of you. I was trying to?—"
"To what?" she interrupts. "To rub it in? To let me know that while you're off having the time of your life with your new... playmates, I'm just the punchline to your jokes?"
"Playmates? Ruby, what the hell are you talking about?"
She lets out a bitter laugh. "Oh, please. Don't act innocent. I know about the 'partner swapping' and the 'sensual journey' this retreat is for. I saw you at breakfast, surrounded by all those women. I heard them talking about their plans for you."
I feel like I've stepped into some bizarre alternate universe. "Ruby, I swear I have no idea what you're talking about. What women? What plans?"
She stares at me for a long moment, full of suspicion, like she's trying to decide if I'm lying. Then, slowly, she says, "You... you really don't know?"
I shake my head, completely lost. "Know what?"
She sinks back onto the lounge chair, suddenly looking exhausted. "Well, I’m sure you know, Chuck, that the couples here are not looking to just ‘stick with the one that brung them’,” I explain, using air quotes.
Yup. She’s right.
“So… when that couple invited us to 'join' them, they didn't mean for drinks, now did they? You know that right?" I ask, laughing.
Is she really only just now putting all this together?
Despite herself, she lets out a small laugh. "No, they weren’t talking about just drinks."
We sit in silence for a moment, processing it all. Then I remember something.
"Wait, you said you saw me at breakfast? With women?"
Ruby nods, not meeting my eyes. "Yeah. You were surrounded by them. They were all over you, and you seemed to be enjoying it. And what about the women I overheard talking about you? They said you expressed interest in meeting up."
I groan, running a hand through my hair. "Ruby, no. God, no. I never said any such thing. I was trying to get away from them. I've been looking for you."
She looks at me then, a mix of hope and wariness in her eyes. "Really?"
"Really," I say firmly. "Ruby, I don't want anyone else. I want you."
The words are out before I can stop them, hanging in the air between us. Ruby's eyes widen, and for a moment, I think I've screwed everything up.
But then she smiles, small and tentative, but real. "You do?"
I nod, reaching out to take her hand. "I do. That story I was making up? About the hot librarian? It wasn't a joke. It was about us. About how this crazy trip turned into something great. Unexpected and great."
As her smile grows, and I feel hope. But then she pulls her hand away, her expression clouding over.
"I... I don't know. This is all so complicated. We barely know each other, and now with all this..." She gestures vaguely, encompassing the whole bizarre situation we've found ourselves in.
I open my mouth to protest, to try and convince her, but she stands up before I can.
"I need some time to think," she says. "I'm sorry."
And then she's gone, leaving me alone with the sound of the fountains and the weight of everything said between us.
I sit there for I don't know how long, replaying our conversation in my head, trying to figure out where it all went wrong. I'm so lost in thought that I don't notice the couple approaching until they're right in front of me.
"Well, hello there, handsome," the woman purrs, her hand already trailing down her partner's chest. "Room for two more?"
I look up to see the couple is already starting to... get comfortable with each other, right there in the secluded pool area. The man winks at me, reaching out a hand. "Care to join us?"
A week ago I might have been tempted. A no-strings-attached good time with two attractive people? That used to be right up my alley.
But now, all I can think about is Ruby. Ruby with her sarcastic comments and her love of books. Ruby who challenges me and makes me laugh and makes me want to be… different. Better.
"Thanks," I say, standing up. "But I'm good. I've got somewhere I need to be."
As I walk away, leaving the couple to their fun, I realize something. For the first time in my life, I'm not interested in easy or casual. I want something real. Something lasting.
I want Ruby.
Now I just have to figure out how to convince her of that. And in a place like this, that's going to be one hell of a challenge.
But as I head back to our bungalow, determined to come up with a plan, I can't help but smile. Because if there's one thing I've learned in my hockey career, it's this: the best wins are the ones you have to fight for.
And Ruby Brooks? She's worth fighting for.