He knew what that felt like, having someone he loved reject him. It made it worse. Ruby's apparent disregard for his ring and the sentiment behind it hurt as much as his dad's deliberate alienation.
He'd stood by Denver, and Denver hadn't had the decency to contact him once since his incarceration.
He'd stood by his mum through the trial and beyond, and she'd left him anyway.
He'd stood by Ruby, genuinely wanting to seeSeabornsucceed through her efforts, and she'd virtually thrown it back in his face.
Damn, it hurt. Hurt more than Denver and Jackie's betrayal together. Even now, after rehashing that last scene between them and mulling at length, he couldn't believe he'd got it so wrong.
He'd seen the love in her eyes so many times, he'd been sure of it.
Sure enough to order that ring.
But she didn't want a ring. She wanted an adjunct to her master plan to saveSeaborn. Man, he'd been an idiot, and made a prized ass of himself in the process.
Something Sapphire Seaborn had told him while warning him off hurting Ruby resounded.
"…It's what Ruby always does. Throws herself headlong into anysituation, giving one hundred per cent, living in the moment withoutthought for the future. Don't mistake her gung-ho nature for anythingit's not…"
Had Ruby done that with them? Thrown herself into making the marriage work for what she could get out of it,Seaborn'ssurvival?
Had he done exactly what Sapphire had warned, mistaking her gung-ho nature for love?
What a fool.
The kicker? He couldn't change the plans he'd instigated. Whether he liked it or not, he’d be stuck in Melbourne for the foreseeable future.
A boon for Maroney Mine; a kick in the guts for him.
Not that he had to see Ruby much. He'd cite city work pressures if anyone questioned their living arrangements. He was man enough to accompany her to the odd function forappearance’s sake and as soon as the time was right and his business deals in place he'd file for divorce.
Simple.
But it wasn’t, and he'd be lying to himself if he thought otherwise.
He couldn't get her expression when he'd given her the ring out of his mind. Disappointment. Sadness. And something akin to devastation.
That confounded him. She wouldn't have been devastated unless she cared, deeply. So why the disappointment? He'd told her it was a promise ring.
A promise he'd be around for the long haul, to explore their burgeoning feelings.
Terrified of his feelings and unsure of hers, he hadn't wanted to rush her. That ring had been a prelude to another that he wanted to give her, once he was sure she wanted this marriage to work as much as he did.
He stumbled as he disembarked, glaring at a hostess who offered a hand and a flirtatious smile.
In that moment, it hit him. Maybe the stumble had jolted something loose in his clouded brain, because he recognised what Ruby’s disappointment might have been about.
Maybe it wasn't disappointment in him?
Maybe it was disappointment he hadn't given hermore?
Had she wanted a proper engagement ring from him? Had she anticipated it with the ring box?
Damn, he'd screwed up.
He'd let his insecurities and trust issues mess with his one shot at happiness with a woman who accepted him for who he was, faults and all.
He strode through the domestic terminal, eager not to miss his connecting flight. The faster he took care of this handover atthe mine, the faster he could get back to Melbourne to take care of more important business.
