Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She ignored it. Third time in an hour, but she wasn't ready to deal with reality yet. Not when she had good food and better company and a few more days of pretending everything was fine.
“You're staying at our place tonight, right?” Jackson asked.
“If the offer still stands. I can find a hotel if it's weird.”
“Not weird,” Braden assured her. “We have a guest room that's criminally underused. Plus, Jackson makes excellent breakfast.”
“I make acceptable breakfast,” Jackson corrected. “Braden's standards are suspiciously low.”
“I have refined tastes.”
“You eat cereal for dinner.”
“That's efficiency, not poor taste.”
Ruby laughed, letting the familiar banter wash over her. They ate and talked, the conversation flowing easily. Mary launched into a detailed explanation of her tomato varieties that was somehow both informative and entertaining. She askedabout Ronan, and Ruby filled them in on her brother's latest startup success.
“He's thriving, annoyingly. His startup just got another round of funding. He keeps trying to give me investment advice.” She rolled her eyes. “Like I'm going to suddenly become interested in cryptocurrency.”
“What do you do?” Braden asked. “Jackson mentioned you paint?”
The question landed like a stone in still water. Ruby shrugged, aiming for casual. “Sometimes. Mostly I travel. See things. Try not to stay in one place too long.”
Run from pressing obligations,she added silently.Avoid phone calls from well-meaning relatives and disappointed mentors and art lovers who keep asking when I'll have new work ready.
But New Orleans would be worth it. The festival, the art, the chance to lose herself in something beautiful and uncomplicated. Even if it meant spending a week and half with a woman who'd probably rather walk on hot coals than make small talk with her.
Even if Celeste's face when she realized who her travel companion was would probably haunt Ruby's nightmares.
Mary reached across the table again, patting her hand. “You were always so brilliant in school. Top of your class that whole time you were here. Your teachers couldn't stop talking about you.”
“That was a long time ago.” Ruby shifted uncomfortably. “Different person, different priorities.”
“Still,” Mary insisted. “Such a bright future ahead of you.”
Ruby smiled, the expression feeling tight on her face. She'd heard variations of this for the past decade.So much potential. Such a waste. There’s so much more you can do.
Her phone buzzed again. She pulled it out under the table, just enough to see the screen.
Nora: Please call me. We need to talk about the gallery situation.
She turned it off completely.
“Everything okay?” Jackson’s eyes gave away that he knew everything was not okay.
“Perfect,” Ruby lied. “Just my mom checking in. I'll call her later.”
“Saturday morning,” Braden said. “Nine AM at the rental place on Fifth and Main. Don't be late.”
“I'm never late.”
“You were late to Jackson's twenty-eighth birthday party. He told me all about it.”
“That was one time, and there was a legitimate tiger situation.”
Jackson grinned. “I still don't believe the tiger story.”
“Your loss.”
