Page 26 of Together at Ruby's

“You’re not late,” Allie said with a wave of her hand. “I just finished up early with a client a few blocks over, so it was an easy walk. I haven’t been here long.”

Tate started to read the menu on the table. “What are you having?”

Allie pointed at the turkey with pickled beets and Havarti cheese sandwich. “I’ve eaten here before and they have great food.”

The anxiety in Tate’s stomach made her hesitate to order something as heavy as a sandwich but she knew she had to eat, especially after her workout. “That will do,” she said and put the menu back in its holder with the salt and pepper shakers.

Allie was quiet for a moment, before touching Tate’s hand. “Tate, I’ll be honest, you don’t look quite yourself. I know things have been rough on all fronts for you lately, so please, tell me how I can help?”

Tate sighed as she ran a hand over her face, trying to figure out where to begin. “I’m not even sure,” she said. “You’ve seen parts of what’s happening between Liza and me.”

“I have,” Allie said. “But I got the impression from a voicemail from Liza this morning that she was in a better state of mind. Hasn’t she contacted you?”

“Oh, she contacted me,” Tate said pinching the bridge of her nose. “And you’re right, early this morning when she first called and left me a voicemail it was wonderful. She even told me she loved me.”

“Okay. That sounds promising. What is wrong now?” Allie said, holding Tate’s hand tighter.

Tate shook her head. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get the voicemail until it was too late.”

“What do you mean?”

Looking at their clasped hands on the table, Tate felt her eyes burn as tears threatened. “I accidentally left my phone at home when I went to the gym this morning. By the time I found it, Liza had come and gone from the house, planning to surprise me at work.

“Oh no,” Allie said. “You weren’t there.”

“Exactly,” Tate answered. “And that made Liza upset, so now she wants to know where I am.”

“And you haven’t told her anything about us going shopping?” Allie asked.

“No,” Tate said. “I don’t know when I will have another opportunity to take time off work to look for a ring. I want to propose soon, so we must do it today.”

Allie leaned back, a sympathetic look on her face. “I see,” Allie said. “Having to do it today means you can’t tell Liza what you’re doing.”

Tate nodded. “I can’t tell her, but I don’t want to lie either. So, I haven’t called her back. All I did was send her a text and said I was sorry that I couldn’t explain, but she had to trust me.”

“What did she reply?” Allie asked.

“She hasn’t.”

19

Throwing her clothes haphazardly into a suitcase on the bed, Liza was fed up. She was not going to stay another minute in the house until people, particularly Tate, started telling her the truth. The wineglass on top of the dresser threatened to spill when she slammed the dresser drawer, but she picked it up in time and took a hearty swallow. It was her second and she felt the effects already.Probably because I haven’t eaten much for the last three days, she thought.But I better slow down if I’m going to Ruby’s and help them with prep for Pride later tonight.

The other option was to take an Uber and go home with Allie and Vivian again. She didn’t love that idea. Another night would feel like she was outstaying her welcome, but she didn’t know what her options were other than a hotel nearby.Or maybe an Airbnb?She wondered. The idea grew on her as she finished stuffing everything into the carry-on suitcase and zipped it closed. Renting a cute place somewhere in the Pearl District would help lift her spirits.And give me time to figure out what I’m going to do with Tate. She still could not believe after all her messages, starting with the loving a romantic one and finishing with absolute fury, that Tate had only sent her one text in return. All it did was ask Liza to trust her.And it did not explain where the hell she was all day. She wasn’t at work and not at the gym. Liza could not imagine where Tate would be if she wasn’t at either of those locations. They were her life. The idea Tate was with Aurora Price reared its ugly head, but Liza refused to believe her girlfriend would do it.Unless she’s at Ruby’s? But that made no sense either.Why would Tate be hanging out there in the middle of a workday?

Wandering into the living room with her glass of wine, she wasn’t sure what to do next.I could text Allie again, she thought.But she’s not answering me either. It was another thing irritating Liza. Allie always wrote back, and the fact she was too busy for Liza hurt. Not that Liza expected everyone to be at her beck and call, but these were dire times, and she needed her friends. She could always text Vivian to find out where Allie was, but Liza didn’t want to drag more people into the situation. Breaking up was always ugly.Is that what is happening here?Tate and I are breaking up?Taking another drink of her wine, she realized the glass was nearly empty. Liza closed her eyes and sighed. Her life was simply a disaster.

Frustrated,Tate looked through the clear glass at the many different engagement rings available for purchase. They were at their fourth store and still Tate could not settle on any of the options. All the rings were starting to blur together, and she didn’t see what she wanted. The salesman lifted one of the rings from under the glass and held it in front of her so it would catch the light. It was a beautiful emerald cut single diamond on white gold. Truly precious but Tate shook her head. “I’m sorry,” Tate explained. “But I’ll know it when I see it and that’s not it.”

“Then we will keep looking,” Allie said from beside her. The woman had been infinitely patient through the entire afternoon. They had looked over dozens of engagement rings, but, if Tate was being honest, each store had basically the same inventory. Modern engagement rings were simply not that original.But maybe that’s what Liza wants, she thought.Maybe I’m making this too difficult.

After replacing the ring in the display case, the salesman folded his hands. “Is there anything else you would care to look at?” the salesman asked, also being very patient as Tate asked to look at one ring after another and saying no to everything.

Tate ran her hand through her short hair. “No,” she said. “But I’m afraid there really isn’t any place else I know to look.”

The salesman paused before leaning a little closer. “Have you considered looking at heirloom pieces?”

Tate raised an eyebrow as she considered the man’s words and glancing at Allie, she saw a hopeful look in her eyes. “An heirloom piece,” Tate repeated. “Something unique. Something with history. Where would I find a ring like that?”

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