Chapter Thirty-Nine
Garett
Rubes has talked to people for the last hour. The hugs she gave Jem and Kalen is another reminder of the family I’ve never had. But that’s less important to me tonight because this family has welcomed me. Even Kalen hugged me. It hurt because the guy is like a brick shit house, but I loved it.
Every time Ruby smiles at me, a zip of happiness fills my belly.
“Hey, big bro. Stop making goo-goo eyes at Ruby, or everyone will know how much you like her,” Flora says as she bounds up to me. She nudges me hard. “You did good, though. I’m really proud of all your hard work tonight. Any news from you-know-who?”
My phone burns a hole in my pocket. I was checking it for messages from Flora and Ruby’s parents about when to arrive at the party, but as we were leaving, I received a message from Ciara.
“She’s formally offered me the job.”
“And?” Flora whispers.
Ruby looks over, and I grin at her.
“And I’ve got to tell her by Christmas Day if I’m going to take it.”
“And?” Flora raises her voice, but no one is close enough to hear us.
“And,” I whisper, “I will decide by then.”
“I want what’s best for you, and so will Ruby. But make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons.”
I don’t know what the right reasons are anymore. Before I worked at the cookery school with Ruby, my decisions were always determined by what would make me the most successful.
“Okay,” I reply before yawning so wide it hurts my face. I’m exhausted from going to Neil’s house as backup for Jem. I briefly spoke to the jerk and told him to leave Ruby alone. Jem was okay with me during the trip, although he made it clear several times that I wasn’t to date his sister. Thankfully, he’s already left, because I’m unsure how long I can hide my “goo-goo eyes.”
“I told her you made all the food for the party, by the way,” Flora adds.
“For Amber’s party.”
“For Ruby’s sister’s party,” she teases. That’s the other reason I’m tired. I didn’t go to bed last night because I wanted it to be a banquet.
“It’s really kind of you to help plan this. Party planner, secret keeper. Is there anything you can’t do?”
“Make you make the right decision,” she says with a half-hearted laugh. “Besides, I owe this family. They gave you a job, helped us rescue Cookie, and Ruby’s mum told me I could stop by their house whenever. They gave both of us a chance. Ruby thanked me for helping, too.”
“You didn’t mention Clive, though?” I ask sharply.
Flora shakes her head. “No, he’s still a brilliant chef and competition organiser as far as she’s concerned.” I let out a sigh of relief. “She’s mentioned a couple of times that it was your ex-girlfriend that kept your dog. Are you going to tell her the truth?”
Ruby looks over again and smiles. I hope she doesn’t know we’re talking about her. She’s savvy as hell with an impressive sex toy collection that I haven’t forgotten about all day.
“I will tell her about Clive once she’s won the competition. She’ll walk it based on the things we’ve baked together over the last couple of weeks. That win will give her money for her sister, raise her profile, enable her to start her business, and bring attention to the cookery school. It will be the future everyone deserves.”
“But what if you’re also her future?”
At that point, Iain, Liz, and Ruby join us. “Thank you again, Garett, for all you did for the party. The food is incredible.” Iain pops one of my chicken, cranberry, and brie canapés into his mouth in one.
“Although I might send you a hospital bill if Iain eats anymore of these. He’s going to have a stomach ache all night,” Liz adds, winking.
I laugh with them.
“You’re wasted at our cookery school. You should be running your own restaurant,” Liz says.
Flora shifts awkwardly next to me.
“I love working there,” I reply. Ruby stares at me, her head cocked.
“But if you could work in a restaurant again, would you?”
Is Liz a psychic?
“Sorry, this might be a sore subject after what happened,” she adds when I fumble my words.
“What do you mean?” Ruby asks.
She can’t find out about Clive, but I can’t get my words out.
“Well, you know how Garett came to us.”
Before I can jump in, Iain explains, “His old partner told every restaurant in the area not to employ him. He had no job. When they tried the same with us, your mum told him to go cook himself.” Iain lowers his voice. “Only your badass mother didn’t say cook.”
“Mum!” Ruby exclaims.
Liz shrugs, although a smile tips the corners of her mouth up. “He had it coming. How dare C—”
“Aren’t they cute?” Flora blasts, changing the subject as Liz is about to reveal Clive’s name. I owe Ruby’s parents more than I realised. I believed Clive hadn’t bothered calling them. “I suspect the party will wind up soon.”
Everyone looks to where Flora is staring. Kalen holds Amber close. He whispers in her ear and occasionally bends to talk to her belly.
“My daughter is very handsy with her husband,” Liz says. To Ruby, she adds, “You may prefer to stay at ours tonight, honey. Give them their space.”
“Mum, I’m all for sex positivity, but—” As if on cue, Amber’s hand slips to Kalen’s bum and squeezes it hard. “Okay, never mind. I’ll stay with you.”
“How about you stay at mine for a girl’s night?” Flora offers. “Garett could give you a lift there while I tidy up. He needs an early night.” She gives me and Rubes a wink when Iain and Liz aren’t looking.
But one of the rules is no visiting each other’s places. Although we’ve already broken the staying professional one.
“Good plan,” Ruby replies. “I’ll get my bag and pack everything I need.” She elongates the word everything, fixing me with her stare and raising her eyebrows twice quickly. The purple vibrator is going on a trip. “Meet you in the car.”
Before I can catch up and consider the problems with this plan, she’s said her goodbyes to everyone and rushed from the room.
◆◆◆
Thank God my place is Ruby ready. Flora popped around this morning while I was at the cookery school to tidy up as if she’s planned this all along. Before going to Neil’s, I stayed up all night cooking for the party. I should be exhausted, but the prospect of another night with Ruby has my nerves buzzing.
My conscience takes a stay of execution, too. After what I’ve learnt tonight, I should be doing everything I can to keep the Cloud family happy, especially Rubes, but the mixture of seeing her smile at me all evening, those kisses at the cookery school, and then the promise of watching her use her vibrator demands that I take her to mine and reward her with all she wants from me.
Ruby runs to my apartment’s front door. My place isn’t good enough for her. She deserves a beautiful space with fairy lights everywhere and plush furnishings, not a bedsit where damp covers the room’s edges and a mysterious bad smell lingers in the bathroom.
Her energy is addictive, but I still take my time prowling towards her. We haven’t got any bookings at the cookery school until tomorrow evening, and we tentatively discussed spending the whole day together. I lock eyes with her and stop a couple of metres away. Her stare rakes down my body. The temperature has dropped to zero, fitting for December, but my whole being burns with fire for her.
Christmas trees light up the houses and apartments around us, a reminder that our world will change in less than ten days.
“Are you going to take all night?” she says, her voice carrying on the bitter breeze.
“That’s the plan,” I growl. She sucks her bottom lip into her mouth. “Did you bring your toy with you?”
She nods slowly. “And I want to use it while you watch. I want you to guide me.”
“Are you sure, Rubes?” I tease. “What if you can’t control yourself? What if you beg me to be inside you?”
“I’ve had a fantasy where I’m on my knees begging you to do things to me,” she replies raspily.
“Good girl.” Her smile makes me hard. “You have a thing for men telling you what to do in the bedroom.”
“Maybe I have a thing for you telling me what to do. All those times you’ve instructed me during our private classes make me needy for you.”
My heart thuds in my chest. I’m not usually this alpha, but I will be anything she wants me to be, and I want to be the only person she desires. “Have you played with your toys while imagining me instructing you?”
“Yes,” she gasps. “Many times.”
“Then let’s make our fantasies happen.”
Her grin eclipses her face. It hits me like a lightning bolt. I need this woman on top of me, underneath me, against my wall.
But first, it’s toy time.