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“I’m afraid I have to decline. Again.”

He shook his head in incomprehension, which made me laugh again. “If you think playing hard to get makes you more desirable, I have to disappoint you. I’m not into having to work hard for sex.” He grinned wolfishly. “At least not until we’re in bed.” He tilted his head to one side and checked me over. “Or is it still because of your crush?” His question dripped with pity, as if someone who had a crush was to be pitied. The laughter died in my throat.

Was that why I wasn’t searching for anybody new?

“No!” I shook my head vehemently. Because if I were still pining for Ruben, I was a lost cause. Nobody was doing it for me. And that surprised no one more than me. No matter what Aiden was trying to imply.

“If you say so.” Apparently, Aiden had had enough of me. “Let’s get some soup or stew from over there.”

“All right.” My gaze followed Aiden’s hand gesture toward the food stands, and I stopped in my tracks. Ruben’s truck was parked in front of us. And Ruben was staring at us from a distance.

“That’s . . . ”

Aiden didn’t notice my inner shock and kept walking. I quickly ran after him, trying not to run into anybody on my way. When I turned, all I saw was the back door of the truck closing. Was he coming out to meet me?

I walked purposefully toward the truck, which was indeed selling various soups and was the one Aiden was headed to. But no matter how close we got to the shop, Ruben did not reappear. Aiden got in line, and I stepped behind the vehicle. My cook was nowhere to be seen.

I was absolutely sure that I had seen him. I checked between the rows of the other vendors, but Ruben remained missing.

My aching limbs were forgotten as I stormed back to Aiden. Anger boiled hot inside me. Had I imagined it all? Was it not Ruben’s truck?

We got closer, and I checked the inside. The girl serving was the same one Ruben had had with him on the beach.

“Is Ruben here?” I blurted out.

Surprised, she tilted her head up and stared at me. “Hmm. He’s on break right now.” Her gaze swept over all the people in front of her. Yeah, you and me, girl. We were both unhappy about Ruben’s Houdini act. I didn’t need to talk to her to agree with her completely. It was a terrible time to take a break.

Aiden looked back and forth between us. “Do we know each other?”

I shook my head and took my phone out of my backpack. Why did I still have Ruben’s number? He hadn’t been in touch for weeks. Admittedly, neither had I. But . . . I quickly called him, and his smartphone rang inside the truck.

Disappointment and frustration knotted chest into a tight ball. I instinctively rubbed it. That was a pretty damn clear answer. I had tried everything to get in touch but could hardly force him to talk to me.

Aiden ordered for both of us. Food in hand, we stepped out of the shadows into the autumn sun.

I stared at my chicken broth. Aiden tapped the lid with a wooden spoon.

“What now? Do you want to wait some more?”

I glanced around. Ruben still hadn’t shown up. The chokehold of finality took my breath away.

Shaking my head, I turned to Aiden. “No! It’s over. Nash is probably already waiting in the car.”

Slowly, we made our way to the parking lot. Nash and Lorena were indeed already there, rummaging through their shopping bags.

As Nash drove us south on the interstate, I thought about the look on Ruben’s face. Shocked. Incredulous. He couldn’t get the hell out of there fast enough. At least now I knew what his request to meet up had meant. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.