Chapter Three

Ruby stood at the back of the press room, watching as Alec, Connors, and Coach Reddick talked near the podium. After Alec’s articulate speech, Connors had taken the stage and basically backed up everything Alec had said. The reporters had all left, and although she should have already been headed home herself, she hung back, wanting to speak with Alec in private.

He’d handled himself well. She needed to tell him that after the hard time she’d given him. Tell him she believed in him and would do all she could to help him do what he promised—put the last month behind him and focus on what was important…his career.

That’s what he meant, right?

Maybe it was wishful thinking, what with him staring straight at her during the entire press conference, but part of her wondered if he’d meant something else. If he’d meant that she was his new focus.

She had to admit, she was pretty darn pleased when Alec had said there was no chance of him and Colleen reconciling. Considering everything that had happened between them and the fact Alec’s statement hadn’t addressed whether he still loved Colleen, Ruby’s reaction to it only proved what an utter fool she continued to be for the man.

Finally, Coach and Connors left, waving at Ruby. She waved back and tried not to feel nervous about Alec walking straight toward her like a male model strutting down the catwalk, hands in his pockets. He stopped a few feet short of her but didn’t say anything.

She cleared her throat. “You did great, Alec. You didn’t stick to the script, but you did it your own way. I’m proud of you. Maybe now you can start over fresh.” She hadn’t meant that in a personal way—she’d meant it, as in his career—but now the subliminal message was out there.

Start over fresh, Alec. Start over with me.

“I meant what I said. I haven’t been myself, but that’s behind me now. I know it’ll take work to repair the damage I’ve done to my reputation this past month—”

“That’s what I’m here for.” Their gazes locked. She had a hard time pulling away from those dark brown eyes and chiseled face. “I’ve already got some ideas. I just needed to know you were ready before I brought them up to you.”

He smiled slightly. Not the shit-eating grin he usually wore but finally, a sincere one. “Well, I’m ready. And thank you for sticking by me. You’re a great publicist, Ruby.”

She mentally winced. Right. His publicist. That’s what I am to him. Remember that, Ruby! Ugh. “Why don’t I give you a call this week and we can schedule an appointment to talk about where to go from here? I—”

“Do you want to talk now?” He gestured to the door, as though they should get going. “I know you said you already ate, but I’m starving, and Giraldi’s is just a couple of blocks away. Want to keep me company?”

“Alec…”

Would this be crossing the line? It wouldn’t feel like it with any of her other clients, but she didn’t have feelings for her other clients like she did for Alec.

“Strictly publicity strategy over dinner,” Alec added, noticing her hesitation.

Ruby pondered the idea. It would be far safer if they scheduled an appointment and spoke in one of the meeting rooms in the next day or two. On the other hand, she was making this a big deal. The more she treated it like one, the more it would be. What happened to Focused Ruby? In-charge, Confident Ruby? “Sure.” She smiled, plucking her bag from a chair in the back row. “Sounds great, Alec. Let’s do this.”

Twenty minutes later, they were sitting at a table, as Alec browsed a menu and Ruby pretended to check emails just so she wouldn’t have to stare at Alec. He looked so incredibly handsome still in his suit, overdressed for this place, but then again, so was she.

It was almost like a redo of her date earlier with Greg, but instead of sitting across from a perfectly nice attorney who did nothing for her, she was sitting across from Alec.

Ugh, this is nothing like a date, Ruby! She nearly slapped herself back to center. This was business. Nothing but business.

Alec leaned over to look under the table. “You okay?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Your leg’s shaking.”

“Is it?” She laughed nervously. “Force of habit, I guess.”

“So, you always shake your leg?” he chided her.

Or only when you’re nervous? She could almost hear his thoughts. It was becoming more and more obvious that she was attracted to him and stupid to think she could make it through the entire meeting without giving herself away.

“Not always. Just when I’m thinking.” That’s right, Ruby, you’re a thinker. A smart, confident publicist, not at all a nervous woman on a date—business meeting!—with her crush.

“It’s good to think.” He chuckled. “Good for the brain.”

“Yes,” she said. “You should do it more often.”

“Oh!” Alec’s eyebrows rose. He pointed at her with a smile. “Touché, Miss O’Brien. I will endeavor to think clearly and not fuck up your life from now on.” He returned to studying the menu.

Ruby second-guessed everything about that exchange. She loved that she’d regained the upper hand but hoped she hadn’t come across as scolding him again when they had agreed to start over—start fresh.

“You sure you don’t want anything?” Alec asked.

She shook her head. “Just a cup of coffee would be great. What are you going to have?”

“I’m thinking filet mignon, polenta, and a salad of some kind. What are your thoughts on arugula?”

She couldn’t stop the laugh that burst out of her.

“What’s so funny?”

“Endeavor. Arugula.” She shrugged. “Who knew that Alec LeBrun had such an extensive vocabulary?”

He grinned. “Hey, I’m a man of many talents.”

“That you are.” Good God, she hadn’t meant it that way, but there it was. It was the least she could do for taking two digs at him in the same minute.

He beamed, positively pleased with himself.

Was that sweat beading up on her forehead? She swiped at it, disguising it as fixing her hair. After he ordered, and the waiter brought her coffee, he leaned back and pinned her with his gaze.

“So, I get it. My behavior has been jeopardizing your job.”

“Ah. I believe what I said was I was currently in danger of losing my job because my father doesn’t think I can handle a hotshot like you.”

“Evidenced by my bad behavior of late.”

“Well, yes.”

“Damn, sorry about the stunts. But they were great stunts, weren’t they? Especially the drive in the Ferrari.”

“No, Alec, there was nothing funny about them.”

“Not even a little?” He cocked his head.

Okay, she was starting to get it. Alec LeBrun liked to cover up pain. She totally understood how he would act up in the wake of his breakup—the joy ride, the fights, the excessive dancing in the end zone—but now that they were together, in private, he didn’t need to call them “stunts” and pretend they were for show.

“Alec, I’m not the press. You don’t have to slap on a charming smile and pretend it’s all fun and games. You can tell me what’s really going on. I can help you fix whatever is wrong. Fixing problems is my job.”

He scowled, obviously bothered at the suggestion that he might be any kind of problem she had to fix. “Just life, Ruby. I’ll get my shit together, don’t worry. I always have.”

And he had tonight. He’d pulled things together so well, it’d given her hope he might finally be on track. That was one thing she always liked about Alec, as evidenced by the suit, the apology, the action… It might take him a while, but eventually, he always owned up. The man knew when he was fucking up. He worked to fix it. If there was anything she hated, it was clients who never believed they were in the wrong.

“I believe you, Alec.”

“Good.” He gave her a soft smile, a moment of contemplation, then he folded his hands, ready to change the subject. “So, this thing about possibly losing your job, sounds like you have a complicated relationship with your dad.”

She took a sip of coffee and shrugged. “My dad just wants me to do well. He’s always been that way. Sometimes it seems like too much, but he’s always believed in me. The last thing I want to do is disappoint him.”

“You’re not a disappointment to anyone, Ruby. You’re the best. Everyone on the team says so. I’m sure your father knows that, too.”

“Thanks, but I still have a job to do.”

“And you’ll do it. You already have. Eh?” He held his arms out, as if showing just how much she’d already reined Alec in. She’d dressed him up, cleaned him up. And damn, did he look hot as hell.

“Very nice, I have to admit,” she replied.

“Thank you. But this is killing me.” He loosened his tie, removed it, and unbuttoned the top button. Now, he looked more casual and relaxed but still super sexy. “There we go.” He smiled at her. “Now, what do you want to talk about?”

She wanted to talk about a lot of things. But the only thing they could talk about was strategy. She folded her hands on the table. “Okay, so… I have some ideas to follow up on the positive turn you took at the press conference. Obviously, the past month has been an aberration, so we need to focus on what you’ve done so well in the past. Let’s have you photographed attending a bunch of charity events, especially ones with kids but also—”

“Well, well. Look who we have here.” A woman’s voice interjected. High-pitched, Southern, and not at all welcome.

Immediately, Alec shot her an evil glance. Colleen stood a few feet away from their table, almost as if she was too afraid to come any closer. She wore jeans and a ruffled, yellow top, and a scowl. She was gorgeous. Tall and lithe, her skin a honey-brown, the epitome of an NFL cheerleader. Every inch of her, meticulously beautiful.

Ruby spotted two other women—her friends, Ruby thought—waiting for Colleen next to a column inside the restaurant. They must’ve just dined and were on their way out.

Alec’s entire body became rigid. His face, which had been relaxed, amused, and dare she say…almost happy since the press conference…hardened. His jawline clenched.

Colleen’s knuckles turned white because she was grasping her purse so tightly. Her gaze was on Alec as she shook her head. “I can’t believe I’ve been calling you, and you haven’t returned a single call. Yet you have time to be having dinner here with her.”

As she spoke, pretty damn loudly, as a matter of fact, from the looks of restaurant patrons at nearby tables, it immediately became apparent that Colleen was intoxicated. God, no, please. This had the makings of disaster all over it. After the success Alec had had at the press conference, she prayed he and Colleen could act civilized while in public.

Maybe a friendly face would diffuse her? Ruby stood and held out her hand. “Hi, Colleen. I don’t know if you remember me, but I’m Ruby O—”

“I know who you are, Ruby-O,” Colleen hissed.

Okay, Ruby thought.

Alec stood and positioned himself between her and Colleen, facing his ex. His body language was clear—get the hell out and don’t mess with my life. “What do you want, Colleen?”

“I want you to stop ignoring me.”

“I’m not ignoring you. We’re not together anymore, which is different. Now, please leave.” Alec’s voice was low and edgy.

“Alec…sugar.” Her tone changed, as she approached him. Ruby got a sinking feeling in her stomach.

Note to self: Never call Alec sugar.

“I know you’re upset, but we can work this out.”

“No. We can’t. And this is the wrong place to do this, Colleen.”

“Alec, I was your fiancée. Doesn’t that count for anything? Have you forgotten everything we had together?” Colleen pleaded.

“You were my fiancée until I found out you lied and betrayed me. Do you think I haven’t forgotten that? What you did to me?” He looked like he wanted to shake her, his anger barely leashed. “Don’t push me, Colleen. Just turn the fuck around…and go.”

Ruby looked around, gave a gentle smile to the onlookers, and wrung her hands. Earth, swallow me now. This was all she needed—another “stunt” to appear in the morning news. Luckily, there didn’t seem to be any lingering reporters.

“I only did what I did because I love you and wanted you back!” Colleen tried to touch his face, but he jerked away. “It was bad of me, I know it. It wasn’t the right thing to do, but if you’d just listen to me, I’m fixin’ to—”

“You’re fixin’ to leave, Colleen. Right now with your friends. I’m not doing this again. I’ve moved on with my life.”

“Moved on? Seriously? After only a month? And with this little slut?” She gave Ruby a pointed look. Colleen’s scoff was the loudest thing in the room.

You could hear a pin drop, the silence was so deafening. Ruby wanted to stand up, yell, say something, but she couldn’t. Her voice had been sucked from her soul. Slut? She gasped a breath, but Alec took over before she could say a word.

Alec blocked all of Colleen’s nasty self from Ruby’s view. “Enough. You just bought yourself trouble. First, you’re going to apologize to Ruby. Then, if you want any chance of keeping the next victim you’re currently seeing, you’re going to leave right now, otherwise I will make what happened between us public.”

Wait, what? What did he mean by next victim? What had Colleen done to piss Alec off so bad? And why all the hullaballoo if she was already dating someone new?

Alec’s voice was harsher than Ruby had ever heard it. She was glad that anger wasn’t directed toward her. He practically vibrated with it. “Apologize,” he prodded.

“I’m not apologizing for shit, and I’m not seeing Bryant anymore, sugar. I’ve already ended things with him. You’re the one I belong with. I’m not giving up. I’m going to show you we belong together.” With a final glare at Ruby, Colleen turned and left, her gait unsteady.

Ruby shielded her eyes from what would certainly be a train wreck any minute now.

“Do you think she’ll be okay? She seemed pretty lit.”

Alec shook his head. “Not my problem. Not anymore.” Out front, they heard a commotion—the manager dealing with Colleen ranting and raving about Alec to her friends. Just on time, the waiter brought Alec his food, but he simply stared at it, his appetite seemingly completely gone.

“She lied and betrayed you?” Ruby asked, leaning in. Why didn’t she know about this? And how come she wanted to know the details, not as his publicist, but because she cared? “Never mind. It’s not my business.”

“Actually, it is.”

“What do you mean?”

Alec sighed and looked at her with his soulful eyes. She felt a flutter inside her chest. “I mean I’m into you, Ruby. I’ve been into you since the moment I first met you. My relationship with Colleen was already headed toward a close, but I made sure it happened sooner than later because I wanted to ask you out.”

She stiffened. “You did ask me out. Then you got engaged to her.”

“Yes, but not because I wanted her more than I wanted you. I didn’t want her at all, in fact.”

“Alec…” Ruby shook her head. “You’re not making any sense.”

“I know. I’m going to explain. I wanted to wait to tell you, to prove to you that I was in a good place and had my shit together, but it doesn’t look like that’s the way to go. Because Colleen isn’t going to give up, and before she messes things up for us even more than she has, I want to tell you the truth.”

Messes things up for us? What truth? “I don’t understand, Alec.”

“I know you don’t, but you’re going to. It’s just that—we were having such a good time. And I don’t want Colleen to direct the show, if you get what I mean. I’ll tell you on my terms, not hers. Can we just have tonight?”

Was this still a business meeting, or had Alec just turned it into a date? Because the truth was, Ruby would be perfectly okay with a date, except…she felt scared. Scared Alec would mess with her emotions again, claim to like her again, then run off when things got inconvenient again.

“For what, Alec? Just tell me your intentions, please, and make them clear, and be honest,” Ruby said.

“Fair enough. I want this meal. I want to talk with you. I want to enjoy your company, if you’ll let me. And then, I’ll tell you everything. The reason I’ve been acting strange. I just need…your trust. Does that sound okay?”

Ruby stared at Alec, confused and her heart thumping, feeling as if something momentous was about to happen. She took a deep breath, then nodded. “Of course. You have my trust, Alec. But I have to say, this has been a crazy, wild-ass evening, and I’m going to need more than coffee.”

Alec called the waiter over. “Hey, man, the lady and I will have a drink.”

“Yes, sir. What would you like?”

Despite the weirdness of the night, Ruby was having fun with Alec. She bit her lip and shook her head. Somehow, he’d snuck his way into her life and claimed his date with her, after all. Not a bad way to end the night.

Or was it just beginning?

Before Alec could reply to the waiter, Ruby ordered for them. “Two shots of your best whisky,” she said. “Actually, make them doubles.”