The differences in their bank account hadn’t bothered Cash. He got that Rubi was wealthy; he just didn’t care. He didn’t want her money either. He wanted her, plain Rubi with smudged mascara and bed head and her bare feet up on his knees. “Hey, I’m a working-class guy.”
“No, not big wallet. Big thought! If you’re going to give her flowers, then by all means make it personal. You’re going to deliver them.” She pulled out her phone and tapped the screen. “I’m going to need your driver’s license info in order to book a flight.”
“I’m sorry?” Cash reached for his wallet, not sure what had just happened.
Carolyn swirled her hand in front of him. “You, on set, diving into her world, being there for her! And a bouquet of something simple yet stunning Don’t forget a kiss that will knock her socks off. That is something no other man has ever given her on set.”
“Really?”
“Really.” She cupped her fingers around her mouth. “She misses you,” she whispered.
Cash groped for the counter, overwhelmed with the idea that Rubi missed him as much as he missed her. They were in contact several times a day. He was getting all the right signals, like she didn’t want to hang up the phone, and she laughed or giggled at his stupid jokes—like she really got his sense of humor. “Okay.” He pushed off the desk. The thought of seeing Rubi soon was like a magnet he couldn’t resist. “Okay.” He bobbed his head.
Carolyn lit up. “Okay.” Carolyn’s thumbs spent money fast. Five hundred dollars on his credit card later, she had him all set up to leave that day. She had the same color of eyes as Rubi, except hers were guarded. Although they were considerably less guarded now that he’d fallen in line with her plan and handed over his ID and a credit card faster than you can saycredit card fraud. She leaned over the counter and grabbed a pen and a pad of paper. “Do you mind?” she asked Daphne.
“Not at all. Are you sayin’ this boy’s been telling the truth?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Well, he’s said the sweetest things about your sister.”
Cash scrubbed at the back of his neck, feeling like a schmuck for pouring his heart out to this stranger. One good kiss and he’d become a softie. He’d have to work on his image a little. Standing taller, he pushed out his chest.
“I heard.” Carolyn winked at Cash. “And that’s why I’m helpin’ him.” She rounded on Cash, a piece of paper in her hand. “If you break her heart, I’m coming after you. Understand?”
“Understand.” He wasn’t joking. Rubi asked him about kids and where he saw himself in five and ten years and where he wanted to retire. They talked about finances, about his vision for his business, about folding towels and closet space. She apparently needed much more than he did, which was fine with him—he needed a man cave for his hunting and fishing gear. They went over food preferences—almost all the same, except she hated any food with seeds in it, including jam, and he hated peanut butter, which she claimed was just plain wrong. He knew more about Rubi than his last three girlfriends combined.
And he wanted more.
Carolyn sent him on his way and the next thing he knew, he was racing home to pack with a bouquet of lilies in the seat next to him.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Rubi, you have to look at him withcouple’s confidence.”
“Couple’s what?” Rubi leaned closer to the director. They were halfway into week two of their three-week schedule and she couldn’t wait to get back home. There was a slim chance they could wrap up a day early and she was doing everything in her power to nail every scene. The sooner they were done, the sooner she would be back in Georgia with Cash in reach.
“Couple’s confidence,” said the director. “It’s that knowledge that he’s going to stick around until the day he dies and you’ll do the same. You trust him, he trusts you. None of this—” He waved to the pieces of gold, the rubies, the sapphires, and the scrolls surrounding them on set. “—matters unless you can have him first.”
Like Cindy looked at Beau. The two of them wandered around the small production city in the middle of the desert like they were starring in a romance novel with all their longing looks and stolen kisses. Rubi could copy that. “Got it.”
The director headed back to his chair. He had on a tan vest with a hundred pockets and pens in every one.
Rubi rubbed her lips together and then smiled at Beau. “Couple’s confidence, is that a real thing?”
“If you don’t know, then you’ve never had it.” Beau took a sip of water and hid the bottle behind one of the props. “Not that I’m a guru on the subject or anything. Do you feel that with your mystery man?”
Even though she’d given them Cash’s name, Beau still called him hermystery man. Rubi didn’t mind. Although, Cash was much less of a mystery now than he had been a two and a half weeks ago, thanks to their nightly phone calls that went on so long she finally understood the benefit of unlimited talk and text. They’d covered every sensitive subject she could think of, including a few Beau had come up with that had her soul-searching for answers. Their beliefs weren’t always the same, but they had been able to discuss them in a respectful, thoughtful way that gave her a sense of peace when she thought about being with him forever.
She smiled at Beau. “I do. And, I’ll tell you this: seventeen days is a heck of a long time to be apart.”
Beau sagged. “Tell me about it.” Cindy had left two days ago to scout a location up north. They’d originally planned to film on the banks of the Dead Sea, but with the political unrest in the area, Cindy felt they should look for a viable alternative. The Great Salt Lake was an option and there were several production companies in the area they could work with. Not only would they be safer on US soil, they’d save millions of dollars not having to ship and store their equipment, backdrops, and people overseas.
Rubi appreciated Cindy’s concern for their safety, but Beau had sulked around in her absence. He was always a professional and did a great job when the cameras were on, but there was no mistaking his long face as soon as the director yelled, “Cut.”
“You’ve only had two days to miss her—ya big baby,” she teased him.
“Yeah, but we’ve been together longer than you and Mystery Man, so that makes it harder,” he argued back.
