Chapter Seventy-Eight
Ruby
One Week Later
Bella’s text said casual get-together. In Brookhaven, that means half the people you love crammed into one living room, three crockpots going, and someone arguing about football before the coats are even off.
I stand on the porch beside Xavier, laughter spilling through the door. His shoulder brushes mine, light, familiar, and I don’t move away.
We came together, but we’ll sit separately. We won’t give anyone a reason to ask questions we won’t answer.
“You ready?”
“Yeah.”
The door swings open before we knock.
“Finally!” Bella grins, pulling me into a hug that smells like vanilla and wood smoke. “You’re late.”
“We’re not late,” I say into her shoulder. “You’re early.”
Dominic steps in behind her, clapping Xavier on the shoulder. “Good to see you.”
“You too.”
The living room is already full. Sam is stretched across one end of the couch, Ben arguing with him from the other, Jake leaning against the wall with Emily tucked into his side, Caleb perched on the arm of a chair like he’s moving in.
“Ruby!” Caleb lifts his glass. “You survive living with this guy’s schedule?”
“Barely.” I smile as I step further inside.
Xavier veers toward the kitchen with Dominic and Ben without looking at me. Like always. Like we planned.
As far as everyone in this room is concerned, he’s only staying with me because of the break-in. Not because we’re together.
It shouldn’t bother me, but it does. I want it not to because when we’re alone, there’s no question he’s all in. But the second we take that first step out the door, all the doubts creep in like mist swirling in every direction, sucking the air out of my lungs.
I slide in beside Emily, her hand squeezing mine once before she lets go.
“You okay?” she asks under her breath.
“Yeah.”
Emily doesn’t ask any more questions. She knows the answers will be lies—or vague half-truths.
Even though I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone, Bella and Emily know. Or know a part of it anyway. They knew we’d had sex before we defined/didn’t define our togetherness. But since then, I’ve kept them in the dark about what’s going on between us. Because he asked me to.
I swallow over the lump in my throat. It’s fine. We’re fine. He’s not going anywhere. I repeat the words in my head to ease the clawing sensation in my chest.
Across the room, Xavier laughs at something Sam says. It carries, low and easy, the same way it always does. He doesn’t look at me. I don’t look at him. We’ve gotten good at this.
Bella claps her hands. “Okay, before the boys ruin the night. Ruby has something to tell us.”
I turn toward her. “Bella–”
Too late. I’d planned to speak to them in privacy, not announce my plans in front of everyone. Heat creeps up my neck, flows over my cheeks, and makes me want to fan myself.
Emily’s already leaning forward. “What is it?”
I let out a breath, pushing back from the couch. “I’ve been taking general studies for an associate’s degree the last couple of years and will be done at the end of this semester. And I’m thinking about enrolling in vet tech classes next semester.”
“Oh, my God.” Emily grabs my hands.
Bella’s eyes go wide. “Ruby!”
Sam leans forward. “Like… animals?”
“What did you think vet meant?” Ben asks.
I laugh, shaking my head.
Emily squeezes my hands. “That’s perfect for you.”
Triple lines form on Bella’s forehead as her eyes rake over my face. “I don’t understand. Why didn’t you tell us?” There’s no accusation in her tone, but there’s no mistaking the hint of hurt on her face. It matches the expression on Emily’s face.
“You both knew what you wanted to do after high school.” I lift my shoulder. “And I didn’t. I felt out of place with no goals. After about a year, I decided to start taking classes, but kept it to myself in case I dropped out.”
Bella rolls her eyes. “That’s bullshit. We didn’t have everything figured out. I went to school to be an accountant, and now I’m taking cosmetology classes instead.”
“None of us knew what we were doing at that time.” Emily’s face is soft with worry. “You didn’t have to keep it from us. We wouldn’t have cared if you took one class and dropped out after the first week. You can tell us anything.”
I know I can tell them anything. They love me unconditionally, except when it comes to Xavier and me. I inhale, straightening my shoulders. “I knew you wouldn’t hold it against me, but I wanted to figure it out before I said anything.”
Emily nods. “That makes sense.”
Bella studies me for another second, then pulls me into a hug. “I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks.” My heart pangs at her praise. Having their support is important to me.
When she lets me go, the room picks back up around us: conversation, laughter, someone already changing the subject. I lean back, and my gaze drifts to the kitchen without meaning to. Xavier’s there, leaning against the counter, talking to Dominic.
He looks up, just for a second. He gives a small nod, letting me know he’s also proud of me. For opening up about my fears. For sharing my plans. I nod back before turning away.
Later, I end up near the kitchen counter, reaching for a drink at the same time he sets one down.
“Here.” He slides one closer to me.
“Thanks.” Our fingers brush. Brief. Easy. Neither of us reacts even though my heart skips a beat. He leans closer, voice low, “I’m proud of you for telling everyone about school.”
I lick my lips, eyes meeting his. “It wasn’t as hard as I expected.”
“Good. These are your friends. You don’t have to worry about them making you feel less than.’
“I know.” The warmth from his touch makes my knees weak. But it’s gone too soon.
He shifts back toward the conversation, picking up whatever Dominic was saying without missing a beat.
I lean against the counter, taking a sip, listening to half a dozen conversations overlap. Ben and Sam arguing over a new recipe and whether it was a disaster. Jake trying to prove a point no one’s listening to. Bella laughing too loud at something Caleb says.
It’s familiar. All of it. Grounded.
Across the room, Xavier moves through it like he always does, talking, listening, scanning for me without making it obvious. He doesn’t stand next to me. Doesn’t need to. We’re not doing that here.
But now and then, he glances at me. Checking in. I don’t hold the look. Don’t turn it into anything that anyone else would comment on because that’s the rule. But I’d give anything to slide into his arms like Bella and Emily do their boyfriends.
By the time the room settles into smaller conversations, I’m back on the couch between Emily and Bella, half-listening, half-watching everything unfold.
Xavier leans against the far wall, arms crossed, talking to Jake now. He looks comfortable, like he belongs here. Like none of this is forced.
We don’t sit together. We don’t touch. We don’t explain.
But when his gaze finds mine this time, it’s easy to hold it for a beat longer. He winks with that half smirk that I both love and hate and shifts his attention over to Sam and Ben who’re arguing again about something else.
Somehow, we’ve found a rhythm that works. For now… that’s enough.