Chapter Three
“No reason,” Barrett replied, standing up straighter and leading the way out onto the street.
“Yeah, right. Don’t tell me, you were flirting with Iris right before coming here.”
Barrett snorted. “She left hours ago.”
Ruby stared at her in shock. “Iris did? Was she possessed?”
There was no fighting the amusement that coursed through Barrett’s system. Apparently, she’d done a poor job not talking about Iris and her habits. Perhaps that was understandable.
“No noticeable possession to report.” Barrett shot her a grin. “Sorry to disappoint.”
“Makes no difference to me. I only worry you’d miss your flirting if she was possessed.”
“That’s you assuming I wouldn’t flirt with a possessed woman?” Barrett slid both her hands into her pockets, bracing against the bitter wind.
Ruby’s mouth made a tiny, puckered ‘o’ shape before she tilted her head to the side, acquiescing.
“Yeah, okay, fair point. You absolutely would flirt with Iris no matter how possessed she was.” She giggled, hiding the sound in the back of her glove.
“Maybe she’d like you better then. Maybe she’d actually flirt back. ”
“We don’t know she’s not already flirting. Maybe she’s just supremely bad at it.”
“I really need to see you two in the same room. Like, she lets you call her princess without batting an eyelid, but you also say she can’t stand you. Let’s be honest, Barrett, I don’t let people I hate call me cute little nicknames.”
“Feel free to stop by the office whenever you like. I’m sure as hell not asking her why she doesn’t mind it.”
In truth, Barrett had thought about it. A lot.
She’d once spent an entire weekend unable to stop thinking about it.
Right after she’d taken up calling Iris that and Iris hadn’t faltered once.
She’d barely even reacted, as if it was no matter to her whether Barrett used her name or called her princess.
It was almost frustratingly intriguing. But that was Iris all over.
From the moment they’d met, she’d always been fascinating and frustrating.
A mystery Barrett would love to unravel, but one she knew she never would. Iris hated her. She wasn’t sure why.
Time around Iris was filled with the unknown, and Barrett always had been fascinated by the unknown.
Ruby pressed her lips together as she smiled at Barrett, the shimmery makeup she had across her cheeks glittering in the streetlights. “What would you even do if I came to your workplace and told you she clearly wants you too?”
“Assume she’d been possessed. Or that you had. Or you both had.”
“I don’t know,” she said, her voice sing-songy. “There is a fine line between love and hate. Maybe she’s sitting on one side of it because she thinks you’re not interested and it’s easier that way to avoid getting hurt.”
Barrett hung her head, shaking it quickly. “And that’s enough of that. Tell me where we’re going tonight.”
There was a loaded moment. Not silent, thanks to the crowds around them, but definitely loaded.
Ruby bit her lip, trying unsuccessfully to hide her smile and blush as she buried her chin in her soft, cream, cable-knit scarf.
Barrett’s insides warmed. She knew Ruby well enough to guess that whatever she wanted to do, it mattered.
With some people, the outfit might have been a giveaway—even just the bits of it Barrett could see under the heavy coat—but Ruby loved fashion.
Lived and breathed the stuff. Her showing up in a flowing, airy, floor-length skirt or dress wasn’t unusual. Even on a cold day.
They walked a block before Ruby finally cracked. “I… Well. I probably should have asked ahead of time, but… how do you feel about meeting someone I’m seeing?”
“Fantastic, naturally. Are they good to you?”
Ruby shot her a tender look. They both knew what Barrett was asking, the main thing she cared about.
Ruby was her best friend. She’d walk across hot coals for the woman.
And all that mattered in the world was that whoever Ruby dated was good to her, respected her, and didn’t come with those sneaky, deceitful sides of transphobia she’d encountered in the past.
“They are,” Ruby confirmed, looking even more glowy than usual. “She’s nonbinary, so they kind of get it, and she just… likes me for me. For who I am.”
Barrett nodded, registering the dual pronouns. “Then I can’t wait to meet them.”
“Amazing!” Ruby hopped the next two steps, her gloved hands clamping down on Barrett’s arm to keep her close. It had been a long time since Barrett had seen her quite so excited about someone she was dating. It must be going well.
“So, we’re meeting her somewhere?” Barrett glanced around. There were more than enough places in the West Village for them to meet someone.
“Ah. Yes. Their workplace.”
Barrett laughed. “I didn’t realize inviting you to Burrow was such a big deal, but apparently you’re waiting for an invitation to everyone’s offices.”
Ruby shook her head, brushing Barrett off.
“They work in a bar. It’s different. If I walk into Burrow, it implies I’m looking to get some specialist work done.
With bars, walking in and buying drinks is a perfectly reasonable thing to do.
” She shrugged. “Plus, I figured it would take some of the pressure off you two meeting for the first time.”
A part of Barrett was aware that some people would absolutely hate being introduced to their girlfriend’s best friend while they were working.
There was a level of pressure that would shut some people down.
Barrett, however, would positively thrive if she got to impress her partner’s friends by doing what she was best at.
And it wouldn’t surprise her in the least if the person Ruby ended up falling for was the exact same way.
But, before Barrett could ask more questions, Ruby stepped in front of her and held her arms out like a star, gesturing to a building Barrett had definitely walked past before but never paid attention to. “Ta-da!”
Barrett laughed again. “I take it this is the place?”
“Yes. Isn’t it amazing?”
Barrett looked at the building. It was a beautiful example of Greek Revival architecture. No stoop. “Gorgeous.”
Ruby beamed. “I’m so nervous I feel like I’m going to vomit. Let’s go!”
Laughing, Barrett followed her into the building and was surprised when she was led downstairs. Apparently, the bar in question was subterranean. Barrett could live with that.
And they’d done an incredible job with it.
The place was bustling but not uncomfortably busy.
Her eyes, as they always did in new places, skimmed over the gathered crowd and landed on exposed brickwork, metalwork signage, and stunning lighting design.
Since she’d been a student, she’d loved lighting design and its power to entirely transform a space.
Whoever they’d had working on this place understood that better than most.
Beside her, Ruby was bouncing on the balls of her feet. Barrett shot her a sympathetic smile, appreciating the moment she’d been given to admire the architecture. She waved her arm, gesturing Ruby on towards the bar.
“You’re going to like them, right?” Ruby muttered urgently as they crossed the floor.
“I’m certain I will. You have excellent taste in humans.”
Ruby laughed. “But not in cats.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Georgie’s just special.”
“No. Georgie just loves you and fuck the rest of us.”
She wondered how the ginger cat in question was going to cope with having to share Ruby’s affections and attention.
Whoever she was about to meet probably had some cat scratch scars in their future.
Though, at this point, they were rites of passage for Ruby’s friends.
Barrett had received such a great one that she’d had her tattoo artist capture it and then tattoo it into her sleeve once it had healed.
Georgie might not like Ruby loving other people, but all those other people loved Georgie.
They made it to the bar and Ruby spread her arms along it, leaning in closer.
Her new partner was easy to deduce. Her eyes were glued to the back of a person with a long, neat ponytail, and the architecture of the room no longer mattered as much to Barrett.
Ruby had never looked so simultaneously nervous and excited and awed.
Whoever the bartender was, Barrett thought they might be ‘The One’ for Ruby.
When she turned, their eyes found Ruby like a magnet, like every other person she’d looked at all night paled into insignificance now they’d finally found Ruby again.
Barrett smiled. Definitely ‘The One.’
“You look beautiful,” Ruby told them when they stood directly on the other side of the bar.
“This is just my uniform,” she laughed, her dark eyes positively glowing as they took Ruby in. “And it’s got nothing on you.”
Barrett looked away, giving them a moment—or as much of one as they could get in a packed bar while one of them was working. Her eyes caught instantly on blonde waves. Rich, deep, familiar blonde waves.
“Barrett?” Ruby’s voice cut into Barrett’s awareness and her tone made clear it wasn’t the first time she’d tried to catch Barrett’s attention.
“Sorry,” Barrett laughed self-deprecatingly. “You can’t take me anywhere.”
Ruby nudged her. “This is Deepti.”
Deepti beamed. Their energy was like sunshine. It suited Ruby so very well.
“Absolute pleasure,” Barrett said as she shot Ruby a glance. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Ruby this happy with anyone.”
She groaned. “Barrett… I’m trying to be cool here.”
Barrett simply grinned wider. Who ever managed to stay cool in love? What would be the point? If there was anything in the world worth losing your cool over, it was the way Ruby and Deepti were looking at each other.
Deepti leaned in as professionally as she could manage. “You’re always cool to me.”
“I’m glad,” Ruby muttered through a blushing pout.
“And, same here,” they added, before looking back at Barrett. “I’m so glad to meet you. Ruby talks about you all the time and I’ve been dying to meet you.”
“Well, you can feel free to come by my office for our next hangout, if you like?” She offered with a laugh.
“Oh, I was assuming we’d do Ruby’s next.”
“Of course, so right. Ruby’s office, then mine. Then, we’ll just start working through the offices of everyone we know.”
Ruby recovered and shot Barrett a look. “I feel like the first person on your list would just take us back to your office.”
Barrett raised her eyebrows. “I have no idea what you mean. Unless you’re talking about Oscar, who, of course, is a vital part of the Burrow workplace.”
Ruby glared. “That’s not what I mean and you know it.”
Barrett was saved from replying by Deepti pointing out that they needed to get back to work and would get them drinks. However, they didn’t let Barrett off the hook either—an excellent match with Ruby.
“I can’t wait to hear what that’s all about as soon as I clock off,” they said with a pointed look in Barrett’s direction. “What can I get you?”
Barrett wasn’t falling for the innocent grin. Deepti and Ruby might both wear virtuousness well, but Barrett knew her friends better than that, and she could already feel a friendship with Deepti blooming.
As they waited for their drinks, Barrett took the opportunity—and Ruby’s distraction watching Deepti—to scan the room again. She could lie and say she was taking in the space or the people if anyone asked, but she knew what she was looking for.
The crowd parted and she found it. Blonde waves.
Iris had changed after work. Now in a structured, tea-length skirt. Black with large purple flowers. Black was usually Barrett’s color, but there was no denying the way Iris’ blonde hair stood out beautifully against it.
Barrett pressed her lips together, watching the lights glimmering in her hair.
Hello, princess.