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She pops out of the back room. “Hey. Can you believe this?”
I frown. “I’m sorry I haven’t come earlier.”
She waves me off. “Please, I couldn’t get in until yesterday, and then it was filled with insurance people. The restoration people are supposed to show up sometime today too.”
I want to hug her, but Ruby isn’t really a hugging kind of person.
“Hi, Ruby, I’m Alara.” Alara puts her hand out between them, and Ruby stares at it.
“Who’s this?” she asks me. Always on guard with new people, this one.
“This is my best friend, Alara. She came in case…”
Ruby’s lips press into a thin line. “Yeah, Tweetie really lives up to his name. He was down here yesterday telling me what went down. I’m sorry.” She genuinely looks upset.
“Well, ultimately, it’s my fault. I lied.” I give her a sad sort of shrug.
“Landry still giving you the cold shoulder?”
I nod.
“If it helps, a big birdie with blond hair told me that he’s sucking it at preseason training. That he’s got that same droopy look on his face you do.” She points at me.
“I really wish he’d talk to me.”
“He’s a tough one. Has some issues deep down. Hell, a psychologist could buy a beach house in the Hamptons if he was their patient.”
“Ruby!” My mouth drops open.
“Damn, maybe I should work with adults, not children,” Alara says.
My head whips her way.
“I’m kidding.” She raises her hands, but we both know she’s thinking about the money.
“You were helping him get past his issues. And if he can’t see that, it’s his loss.” Ruby pats me on the shoulder.
“What can we do to help?” I ask, wanting to change the subject.
“Leave.”
My eyebrows draw down. “What? Why?”
“Because this one looks like she’s ready for brunch at Tiffany’s, and you’re heartbroken, which means you’re going to take it out on what’s left of this place.”
Alara raises her hand slightly, with a look as though she’s afraid to speak. “In my defense, had she told me where we were going, I would’ve dressed appropriately.”
“You’re not in grade school, stop trying to be the teacher’s pet.” Ruby walks behind the bar. “Come here.” She points at me, then her finger shifts to Alara. “You stay.”
Alara looks like a disciplined puppy who got too excited and jumped on the guests.
“I’ll be right back,” I say.
“Yeah, I’ll just, um, stand here on the wet wood floor, swollen from the water, and hope the electricity is turned off. Don’t worry about me.”
She pulls a small laugh out of me. At least it’s a baby step from being depressed all the time.
I follow Ruby past the bar, and I don’t look into the private room for fear I’ll see a hologram of Rowan taking me on the table like he did that one night. We walk past the storage room and the empty keg is still there, triggering the memory of him asking me to spend the night with him. How perfect it all seemed then. Why didn’t I tell him sooner?
