Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
DECLAN
I pull my headphones out of my ears as we reach Wind Valley.
The car ride to the airport went quickly for me because I was on my tablet the entire time, working on his deal, but it probably went the quickest for Linc.
He got stuck with the middle seat in the back between me and Miles and still managed to sleep the entire drive.
How? I have no clue. Even with headphones in, I know Luca talked the entire time about all the things we could do in Vegas, while Hudson reminded him that this weekend is about the bride and groom, and Miles was on the phone with Quinn for most of it.
They were either talking or texting, which seems a bit excessive considering the girls were in the car behind us for the entire drive.
But I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt—Quinn just got back to Lovers yesterday after being away on her latest trip.
He missed her.
I get it.
Hudson steers his truck through the airport parking lot looking for an open spot, probably with two next to each other since the girls are in Sadie’s 4Runner.
I slip my phone from my pocket and look at the last text from my mom.
It’s a picture of Colt playing in the sand with Susie and Max. They seem to be covering him with sand so that only his head shows.
Susie is having fun.
But my heart breaks a little for her at the same time.
She’ll never know what it’s like to have two parents who put her first. Colt jumped at the idea of staying in Lovers just so Max and Susie, a little girl he’d met for all of two seconds, could spend it together.
He knew his son would have more fun with her than just with him and so he chose that route for the next three days.
He chose his son’s happiness.
He chose my daughter’s happiness.
And fuck, I’m getting all choked up again thinking about it.
The same way I did when he suggested it yesterday.
Not to mention the relationship Ruby has with Colt. They are friends. Actual friends. Not just for show to their families and friends. Real fucking friends.
I’m jealous as heck about it.
It was a bonus that Colter Davenport is nothing like his father. I wanted to ask him more about his father’s intentions with Collins Corp last night, but Colt hasn’t been included in anything, so I don’t know how much he actually knows.
Still, I wish it were him that I was dealing with and not his father.
“Get out of the truck, now,” Hudson says to Luca and then points at Miles. “And hang up. She’s right there.”
That older brother's annoyed tone makes me grin and earns a chuckle.
This trip is exactly what I need right now.
I need to relax and let loose, take a break from work, and forget about the things I can’t change.
Not only with my kid, but also how I had Ruby in my arms last night and everything inside of me screamed to kiss her, but then my mind re-reads her text. Despite being attracted to me, she doesn’t want this, so I backed off out of respect and hated every minute of it.
Yeah, Vegas sounds like a great plan.
Maybe the guys will branch off at some point and I’ll find someone to take my mind off Ruby.
I groan.
Who am I kidding?
I’d probably think of her the whole time.
We all pile out of the truck, grab our bags from the bed, and wait for the girls to do the same.
Miles and Quinn start making out as if it’s been a lifetime since they saw each other.
Luca kisses Shay’s forehead.
Hudson slings his arms around Sadie's shoulders, leaning in for a temple kiss, and then he grabs her bag.
Linc stands next to Brooke, who is texting on her phone.
Then there is Ruby, who is looking around the group the same way I am. Her eyes meet mine, and she forces a smile.
“Where are Dutton and Grace?” she asks.
“Here!” Grace rushes up. “Dutton drives like a grandma, so I made him pull over and switch so I could drive.”
“I don’t drive like a grandma,” he defends himself and then slugs his sister. She takes a fight stance, and Dutton steps back, glaring at her.
“Alright.” Luca claps loudly, gaining the attention of the group. “Are we all ready?”
Miles laughs. “The fact that we are standing here should be an obvious yes.”
“I don’t see Grace’s bag,” Luca says.
“Oh shit.” Grace runs to her car and comes back, bag rolling next to her.
Luca looks at his brother like told you so. This is going to either be a long-ass trip or one I’ll remember for a long time. My bets are on the latter.
“Let's go,” Luca says and waves for all of us to follow behind him and Shay.
Two by two, the group heads into the airport, leaving the tail end for me and Ruby.
She glances at me, and just when I’m about to smile, she rolls her eyes and walks off.
I sigh and follow.
I don’t even have to wonder why I got that one.
Nope, now I’m just left wondering why she’s mad that I didn’t kiss her.
That’s what she wanted, wasn’t it?
I should have known that the seats would also be paired up. When Hudson asked everyone for their information to book, I thought that the guys and girls would sit separately.
I take my seat, waiting for some of the others in our party to board along with a few other passengers. Wind Valley Airport isn’t large by any means, which means the planes that fly out aren’t very big either. Our group has twelve people—that’s about half the plane.
I watch as the guys each take their seats with their girls. Then Brooke with Grace and Linc with Dutton.
I let out a sigh as soon as I feel her standing next to me.
“I know you have long legs and whatnot, but if I sit by the window, there is a high chance that I'll puke.”
I glance up at Ruby, my head jerking back.
“Seriously?”
She nods. “Trust me, I’m not excited about it either.”
I stare at her for a moment, searching for any sign of her messing with me, but she shrugs. I unbuckle my seat belt and slide over.
The plane has two seats on each side of the aircraft, so by the time she sits, we are rubbing arms.
I adjust my legs, with one leg taking up a bit of her space.
She twists to make room but doesn’t say a word.
I don’t know whether her silence is because she’s waiting for me to say something, or if it’s because I'm starting to get the feeling she isn’t a fan of flying. But I do know I’m disappointed that she isn’t attempting even a little conversation.
“How many flights do you think you’ve been on in your life?” I ask.
“More than fifty.”
I let out a whistle. “That was a fast answer.”
“Well, Max is eight, and he and I have flown home three times a year since he was born. I also took a couple of flights before he was born.”
I nod slowly.
“So, he’s an expert flier?”
“Who loves the window seat.” She forces a smile. Then her eyes flash to the window, and she looks away quickly.
“We haven’t even started moving.”
“I know.”
“Just looking at it makes you sick?”
“Just thinking about it makes me sick.”
So flying isn’t her thing.
Got it.
I close the window shade.
“Susie isn’t a fan of flying either. The take-offs and landings always put her on edge,” I tell her.
“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”
“I’m not. It’s true.”
And distraction always worked best with her.
“So did Max get to see you freak out a little like this or did you keep it together?”
She lets out a soft laugh.
“Oh, I have to keep it together. I don’t want to freak him out too.”
“Well, Ruby Asher, lucky for you, you don’t have to pretend on this flight for my sake. Freak all you want. I’ll be right here.”
Her head remains resting against the headrest, but she rolls it to look at me with a smile.
I can't help but smile back.
Maybe she won't be mad at me for the entire trip.
“I hope you still say that if I throw up all over you.”
I let out a chuckle and nod.
“Guess we’ll find out.”
The flight attendant’s voice comes over the speaker, informing us that everyone is on the plane and that we will be moving soon.
Just as the words leave her mouth, the plane jerks to back up and Ruby’s hand slaps down on mine resting on the armrest that we share.
Her fingers immediately curl around my hand.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m aware that she needs some type of comfort and distraction at the moment or because I believe something between us changed recently, but I roll my hand under hers and let her fingers lace with mine.
She doesn't jerk, she just squeezes tighter as we start moving.
Everyone else on the plane is going about their day, chatting, reading, or watching a movie, but not Ruby.
No, Ruby is sitting here with her eyes squeezed closed so she can’t see a single thing happening around her.
She’s probably chanting something in her head on repeat to distract herself from listening to the stewardess.
Her hand in mine grips tighter, so I reach up and turn her fan on, adjusting it until I see the hair around her face blow slightly.
She lets out a breath but still doesn’t open her eyes.
I take this moment to admire her.
Typically, we don’t sit this close, so having a moment to take in her high rosy cheekbones and the few freckles scattered over her small nose is nice. Heck, this is the first time I've noticed that she has three piercings in each ear.
These little details are 100 percent all her.
I always knew Ruby was pretty.
But these last couple of weeks with her have made me see her in a new light. One I’m starting to like just a little too much.
And one I have no idea what to do about.