He didn’t bother to dwell on it. Letting the two of them get to know each other, he went into his mother’s room and checked the place out, making sure it was being cleaned properly and that her laundry was taken care of. He paid a fortune for her to live at this place, and he liked to stay on top of things. A few weeks after she moved in, Owen discovered that her laundry wasn’t being done regularly. They blamed staffing issues, but he didn’t accept that excuse. He’d laid down the law, insisting that his mom receive the best care, and he kept a close eye on things ever since.
Seeing that everything was in order, Owen returned to the living room to find that his mother had moved to sit beside Ruby on the loveseat. There was a photo album open on her lap.
“This is a picture of Halloween in 1995. That’s when Owen dressed as Sonic the Hedgehog. It was his favorite video game.”
“Oh my God, he’s so cute,” Ruby cooed.
Owen rolled his eyes. “Are you kidding me? I was in the other room for five minutes.”
“And while you were gone, I spotted the picture album on the bookshelf,” Ruby told him. “Your mom has kept so many pictures of your childhood. It’s amazing to see you grow up between these pages.”
“Amazing is not the word I’d use,” Owen mumbled.
“Don’t be so grumpy.”
Sighing, he sat down and folded his arms across his chest, knowing that he looked completely put out. But deep inside, he liked listening to them talk. By the end of their visit, the women were laughing and carrying on like they were old friends.
He hated that they had to cut the meeting short, but it was nearing dinner time for his mother, and he was eager to get Ruby somewhere alone. She didn’t want to eat in her room today, so Owen and Ruby walked with her down to the dining room, making sure she was seated comfortably before leaving.
As soon as they stepped through the outside doors, Ruby let out a long breath and giggled when she met his eyes. “I think that went well, don’t you?”
He put an arm around her shoulders and walked with her toward the car, “It went more than well. I never thought I’d say this after just an hour-long visit, but I think she might like you even more than she likes me.”
Ruby leaned against him as they walked, and he got that funny feeling in his chest again. “I guess I know how to turn on the charm.”
“She’s a good person, and she senses that about you,” he said.
They got into his car, settling into the seats. Before he could take off, she looked at him seriously. “Why did you bring me here today?”
He almost gave her the reason that he’d told himself, that he knew seeing him in a relationship would make his mom happy. But there was more to it than that, and she deserved to know.
“Because you’re important.”
It wasn’t his most profound statement, but Ruby gave him a soft smile.
He drove them back to his place. Ruby didn’t have to work tonight, so Owen headed into the kitchen to whip up some dinner. Ruby followed him.
“Do you need any help?” she asked.
Owen shook his head. “You just grab a bottle of wine for us.”
He pulled some pork chops out of the refrigerator while she picked a bottle from the wine rack. He found himself watching her as she opened the cabinet above and grabbed a couple of glasses, and it struck him how domestic this situation was. It felt good to share his personal space with her like this, and they’d been doing that a lot lately. It had only been a month, and it was laughable to think that he’d tried to avoid a relationship with her. She’d become a huge part of his life in such a short time.
Ruby turned around with the glasses in her hand and caught him staring. “What are you thinking?”
“That you’re here so much that maybe you should just move in.”
Ruby’s eyes went wide with shock. Owen didn’t intend to ask her to live with him, but once the words were out, they felt right. His home wouldn’t feel so cold if she was here.
“I-I’ll think about it.” Ruby said. She sat down the glasses on the counter and moved closer to him. Her palms landed on his chest and she looked up at him. “But I want you to know…”
She trailed off and her eyes darted side to side as she hesitated. He cupped her chin, tilting her face up until she met his eyes again.
“What is it?” he asked.
“I think I love you,” Ruby said, looking scared for the first time since he met her.
Shelovedhim. It seemed almost impossible to him that a woman like Ruby could have fallen for him. He knew he wasn’t a good man, but he was selfish enough to take anything she gave him anyway.
