Page 48 of Together at Ruby's

After parkingher car in the small lot behind the bar, Tate waited for Aurora to catch up with her. The woman was absolutely beaming with satisfaction. Plastering a smile on her face, Tate led the way around the corner of the building toward Ruby’s front door. As they walked Aurora slipped her arm through Tate’s as if they were on a real date. Tate stiffened but did not dare to pull away. Aurora couldn’t have any clues to what Tate was planning. “This place you are taking me to,” Aurora purred. “Do you come here often?”

Tate shrugged. “Once in a while,” she said. “It’s one of the hangouts in Portland that is LGBTQ+ friendly.”

“Perfect,” Aurora said as they neared the door. “I can’t tell you how excited I was when you asked me out for a drink tonight. I’m glad you are starting to…” She hesitated for a beat. “…understand our relationship.” Tate didn’t comment as she opened the door and let the woman walk through. Ruby’s was half full of mostly familiar faces. Vivian was behind the bar while Allie and Marty were on stools across from her. Tate glanced at them, but the plan was to pretend she didn’t know anyone very well.

As she looked, Vivian gave a subtle nod in the direction of the horseshoe booth. “Let’s sit over here,” Tate said leading Aurora. Tate had no idea what the exact plan was but clearly something was in the works. She simply had to run with it and hope everything worked out. Sliding into the booth, Tate was surprised when Aurora moved to sit next to her rather than across the table. Uncomfortable, Tate went all the way to the middle of the horseshoe. Aurora followed. Even though there was space for eight or more people, they were almost shoulder to shoulder.All part of the game,she thought.I just need to get her talking.

Aurora picked up the drink menu already on the table. “What shall we have?” Aurora asked, giving Tate a knowing look. “I mean in a drink.” She winked. “I love a good cocktail, so I hope the bartender knows what she’s doing.”

Tate swallowed hard. “I’m more of a beer person.”

“How sexy of you,” Aurora said with a little laugh. “You really are something, Tate.”

Deciding there was no better time to act, Tate forcefully moved away from Aurora and looked her in the eye. “Actually, I brought you here because I wanted to have a private conversation.” Aurora looked surprised at her sudden movement but said nothing. “I don’t like the way you’re treating me at work. It’s harassment.”

“Oh Tate,” Aurora said with a shake of her head. “I think you are lying. You know you love it.” She reached across the table to rest a hand on Tate’s forearm. “But I appreciate that you’re playing hard to get. We both know there is incredible chemistry between us.” She gave Tate a sultry stare. “There’s nothing wrong with acting on it.”

“There is to me,” Tate said. “I’ve asked you more than once to stop coming on to me, but you’re not listening.” She looked hard into Aurora’s eyes. “In fact, I’ve made a few inquiries in Chicago.”

Aurora’s eyes narrowed. “You did what?”

“I contacted someone to find out if you did something like this before,” Tate answered. “You know, harassed someone at work.”

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Aurora said, rolling her eyes. “And what lies did you uncover about me?”

“Well, I learned you had to leave Chicago because of an incident with a young woman in the workplace.”

Aurora’s face grew angry. “I don’t like how this conversation is going,” she said. “If you talked to that Salvador woman, she is spinning a tale about something you don’t know anything about.” A sinister smile crossed her face. “I suggest that you rethink your actions here tonight.”

“Or what?” Tate asked, feeling her own temper rising. She did not like to be threatened. “What will happen to me if I continue to say no to you?”

Aurora laughed. “I don’t think you want the answer to that,” she said. “But let me guess, you were thinking of going to Chad with what you uncovered, weren’t you?”

“That’s exactly my intention,” Tate said.

Aurora rolled her eyes. “You’re being ridiculous,” Aurora said. “It would be your word against mine, and frankly, your position with the firm isn’t exactly solid right now. Let’s face it. You would lose.”

Sittingin her car across the street from Ruby’s front door, Liza had waited until she saw Tate and Aurora Price coming toward the bar. It was hard not to react when she watched Aurora slip her arm through Tate’s and cuddle in closer.That woman is going to be so sorry she messed with us, she thought.She really deserves this. Dialing Allie’s phone number, her friend answered on the first ring. “They are coming in,” Liza said. “Get ready.”

After Liza explained to her friends about the situation with Aurora Price, and asked them to help set her up, they were more than willing. They loved Tate too. The plan was simple. Allie was going to leave the call open and put the phone in the potted plant behind the horseshoe-shaped booth. Liza would be able to hear everything Tate and Aurora said and record it using Marty’s phone. All Tate had to do was make Aurora say something incriminating.

Listening, Liza heard them slide into the booth, Aurora flirting, and then Tate telling Aurora to stop. When Aurora laughed, Liza was about ready to storm into the building, but she needed the woman to say a little bit more. Aurora gave it to her. “It would be your word against mine and frankly your position with the firm isn’t exactly solid right now. Let’s face it. You would lose.”

After a fist pump, Liza turned off the recording and hung up the phone. With her own smirk of satisfaction, she marched into Ruby’s and strode to the booth where Aurora and Tate sat. Aurora looked at her, surprise in her eyes. She glanced from Liza to Tate and back. “Wait,” she said. “Aren’t you the girlfriend?”

“Actually, I’m not,” Liza said putting a hand on her hip. “I am the fiancée.”

Aurora looked at Tate. “Did you know she was going to be here?”

“Yes, actually I did,” Tate said with a small smile. “I lied about coming to Ruby’s. I come here multiple times a week, and I consider this place my second home.”

Just then Liza felt Allie and Marty and Vivian come up beside her. “It’s all of our second home,” Allie said. “And we’re all like family.”

Liza saw Marty cross her arms. “And we don’t like it when someone tries to hurt one of our own.”

“That’s all quite charming,” Aurora Price said with a smirk. “Are you going to take me out back and beat me up like some gang?”

“No,” Liza said. “We don’t have to do that.” She held up Marty’s phone. “We have more than enough of your conversation to do better.”

---