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Ruby’s not on the path, and she’s not in the kitchen gardens. I’m about to pull open the kitchen door when it slams open and one of the sous chefs ambles out with a trolley.

“Evening, sir.” His relaxed smile does nothing to help my urgency. And his trolley blocks the door. I go to skirt around it at the same time he tries to move it, and the damn thing bumps into me and almost runs over my foot.

“Fuck!” Another of my staff comes to see what the commotion is, and this is taking far too long. I leave them bewildered as I race back around the kitchen garden and to the main path that leads to a door near the breakfast room.

I run down the corridor to the lobby, my bare feet pounding on the carpet. One of my staff steps aside to let me pass with a confused expression on her face. They’ll be gossiping about this in the break room, but I don’t care. The only thing I care about is letting Ruby know how I feel before she leaves.

When I reach the double doors to the lobby, I push them open so hard that one of them bangs against the side of the wall.

The guests in reception turn around, and Mel bustles out from behind the desk.

“Are you okay, sir?”

I wave her off, scanning for Ruby. Through the throng of guests enjoying a pre-dinner drink by the fire, I spot her. She’s wheeling her suitcase toward the doors, her floppy hat pulled down low.

“Ruby!” I race toward her, and she doesn’t stop. “Miss Bennet!” I try again.

This time she pauses.

My shirt tails fly behind me; I’m barefoot, and my staff are staring. They’ve never seen me looking anything but put-together. But the only person I’m focused on is the woman before me.

“Wait.” I’m panting as I catch up with her.

“I left the army because of my sister.”

That gets her attention, and she turns around slowly. She’s got those damn sunglasses on, hiding herself from me.

The entire lobby goes silent.

“Someone hurt her once, in an online scam. She was broken, and I was too far away to do anything about it. When I got back, I went after the guy who did it. I went into security because of her. I built all this because of her.”

Ruby’s not the only one listening. The entire lobby hears my confession, and it’s freeing, speaking it out loud.

“But it didn’t change anything for her. She picked up the pieces herself. I should have learned my lesson, but when I saw you, and I saw that video of you, it reminded me of my sister, how she was before her humiliation and how long it took for her light to come back. But I should have realized that you didn’t need me to avenge you. You did that yourself when you walked away, like a queen.”

Ruby shifts her weight onto her other hip, and I can’t tell if she’s softening or not. I wish I could see her eyes.

“When you walked in here that first day, already scammed, it triggered something inside me, and then, it turns out the scam wasn’t the only thing. When I learned what some assholes were doing to you online, I needed to protect you. I wasn’t there when my sister needed me, but I could be there for you.”

She doesn’t say anything, and I can’t see her expression behind the glasses. The confession was easy; the next part is hard. I swallow hard before giving the apology she deserves.

“I should have consulted you, and I’m sorry for that. I wanted to avenge you, because I love you. I’ve never met anyone like you. You light up the room when you’re in it. You remind me what a good human looks like. I’m not as good a person as you are, but I want to be better. You make me want to be a better human.”

She presses her lips together, and damn it, I need to see her eyes.

“Don’t hide from me, Ruby.” I tentatively reach up and remove the glasses. She lets me slip them off her face. Her eyes peer up at me, no longer full of anger. She’s listening, and that’s a start.

“I won’t stop you from leaving, if that’s still what you want. But I love you, and I want to be by your side if you’ll let me.”

She huffs out a long breath.

“You reduced me to something that was petty, and I understand your reasons, but I have to deal with this my way.”

She’s not pushing me away, and for that I’m grateful.

“Any way you want to deal with this, I’ll be there by your side. Please. I love you so much. Give me another chance.”

She eyes me warily, sizing me up. My future is in her hands, and it’s agony waiting for her to decide.