I knew why.
I wasn’t twenty-five anymore, like when this had first started. Not even thirty.
I wanted something real. A life. A center of gravity.
And for me, that was Ruby.
I’d lived in theory for a long time, but Ruby—without either one of us noticing—made me want to live in practice.
But she didn’t feel the same.
We used to be on the same page, but now I was ready to turn to the next chapter, while she was content rereading the ones we’d written years ago.
My phone buzzed again. Another message from her.
“Dave says they’ll use the same support setup for the main house as the cabins. They want to start laying them Monday.”
The cabins were newer, lighter build. But the main house had two stories, heavy timber framing, and decades oflayered renovations, and that was a whole other load-bearing animal.
And the engineer knew it. I’d spoken to him just over a week ago when we toured the grounds together.
I ran a hand through my hair, then typed a reply.“Tell him to show you his math.”
“Why?”Ruby typed back.
“Because these are different structures, different stresses.”
I wasn’t officially involved. But I was already checking my Outlook for next week’s schedule.
I dialed my project manager’s number. “Hey, quick one. Do you need me here next week?” His answer satisfied me. I then blocked my calendar for new invites, just in case. I could do the axial load optimization review from anywhere.
Ruby’s reply arrived soon after.“He just answered. Says he’s streamlining the process that way.”
Streamlining ... right. More like padding the profit margin. I didn’t type that. Instead, I wrote,“The engineer said that? Ask him to present his calculations in full.”
“No. Dave, the contractor. Will ask and send it to you once I have it.”A second later, another line appeared.“Thanks, Sebastian. I really appreciate this. You’re the only one I trust not to screw it up. Math, life, parallel parking.”
I chuckled quietly. Life was made of math. And somehow, no matter how I ran the numbers, they always pointed to her.
IT WAS THE END OF JULY, the final meeting of the Force Alliance before we’d all scatter to our different colleges. A month and a half had passed since our graduation and prom, to which we all went stag, partying together.
To this final meeting at my house, Brandon and Ellie arrived together, holding hands, kissing, and letting us all know they were officially a couple.
“It started at prom,” Ellie said when Ruby asked.
I’d prepared one final trivia game, mixing everyone’s favorite shows and movies, so no one, even the two who sworeBabylon 5was superior, would feel left out. There were snacks and sodas and chats about dorm assignments, and nervous laughter about life ahead.
When the meeting ended, Ruby stayed behind to help me clean before my parents and little sister got back from Six Flags.
“That was an interesting plot twist with Brandon and Ellie,” she said when we brought the empty snack bowls to the kitchen.
I smirked. “Classic for a season finale.”
Ruby chuckled. She then grabbed the last of the paper cups and dropped them into the trash. “Do you think they’ll last?”
“Maybe. Young love and all that. Stranger things have happened.”
The truth was, I’d never been in love. Not exactly. Crushes came and went. Some girls I liked for a week, a month. I liked Ruby—a lot. But I wasn’t sure if what I felt for her qualified as love. It just ... felt good.
