Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
RUBY
Declan has been quiet all day.
I’m sure it’s over what he asked me yesterday.
Living together is huge.
Living together was just supposed to be temporary and there was an end date.
What he's asking me doesn’t come with an end date.
Or at least I hope it doesn’t.
Is he already regretting asking me?
Was it an in-the-moment question?
I glance out the kitchen window to where he’s sitting with Hudson. Hudson is talking away, using his arms, and Dec is just nodding.
Now, I know he isn’t the kind of guy to chat your ear off, but he usually gives more to a conversation than a head nod.
We had invited my brothers and the girls over for pizza spontaneously—maybe having a full house isn’t what he wanted today.
“What are we looking at?” Shay asks.
“Oh, crap.” My hand goes to my chest. “You scared me.”
She smiles.
“Are you standing here just admiring your man? You know, now that it’s been a couple of weeks since everyone found out, you can finally go out without sneaking around?”
Her eyes start to well with tears.
This surely isn’t something to cry about.
“I miss sneaking around. It was so much fun, and it was hot, too,” she says and then looks to her left, then her right. “Is anyone upstairs?”
I laugh and then try to find something to keep myself busy.
“No, and you’re not taking my brother up there.”
“Dang it. Was I that obvious?”
“And more,” I laugh.
She smiles. “Seriously though, that wrinkle between your eyes was in full force.”
“I don’t have a wrinkle.”
“All of you Ashers have it.” She shrugs. “Spill.”
I cover my forehead with my hand.
“Yesterday Declan asked me to move in with him when his house is finished, but today, he’s … off.”
“Off how?”
“It’s just a feeling I get. He’s not been as touchy-feely.”
Declan chooses this exact moment to walk into the house.
He freezes.
“Is everything okay in here?”
I nod.
Shay copies me.
Dec smirks and then kisses my forehead, rubbing my shoulder as he passes me to head down the hallway.
“That didn’t seem off,” Shay whispers.
My gaze follows his backside as he disappears up the stairs.
“No. I guess not,” I say, but a weird feeling still nags at my stomach. Like the moment you know you’re about to be sick.
I give Shay my best smile though.
There is no need for us to both worry when it’s probably nothing.
“Good. Now, come hang out with us.”
I follow, but my mind is still in the house with Declan.
“Hey, did you tell him you’d move in?” she asks as if it’s an afterthought.
“Not yet.”
She pauses to open the sliding door.
“Well, I bet that’s your answer. You haven’t given him one, so now he’s all nervous.”
“You think?”
That’s not a completely unreasonable suggestion for his behavior.
“Yes. It has to be it.”
Her words set me at an ease I didn’t know I was missing.
I’ll tell him tonight after the kids go to bed and it’s just us.
Then I’ll show him how every single night is going to be.
I make my way out to the table and take my seat.
My phone is sitting by my plate, and I happen to glance down at it at the same time a text comes through.
My entire body freezes when I see the name.
Barton Davenport.
Colter’s dad is texting me?
With a shaky hand, I pick up my phone and open it.
Barton Davenport:
Call me. I have a deal you’ll want to hear to erase the debt you have with me.
Phone in hand, I retreat to the house quickly to get this over with. I know that man well enough to know his persistence until he gets what he wants.
Closing my bedroom door, I start the call.
“I knew the mention of money would make you call me,” he greets me.
“It’s the mention of being done with you that spiked my interest,” I say and my eyes go wide.
I’ve never spoken to him like that.
He chuckles, and it makes me cringe.
“Where was that fire when you were with my son?”
“What’s the deal, Barton?”
“Also cutting to the chase. I like that too.”
I wait in silence for him to go on.
“Your new boyfriend is getting in the way of my next business move. Convince him to back off, and I will consider all the debt you owe me as clear.”
“I can’t do that,” I tell him without a second thought.
“Okay, then I retract my comment to not charge you interest. I will include interest on back payments as well.”
“You can’t do that.”
“Oh, dear, I can do anything I want.”
“I …”
Saving that money would be huge for me. Just about as huge as if he were to start adding interest.
Shit.
“I’ll sweeten the deal for you, Ruby. Get him to back down and I’ll not only forgive your debt, but I will be sure that your design company is the required one for all my companies and my colleagues’ extended companies.
You’ll never have to worry about money again.
All you have to do is convince Declan to remove Young Technologies from this deal. ”