Page 47 of Lessons in Heartbreak

I gave him an incredulous look. “How the hell do you remember that?”

“Because I almost got alcohol poisoning the night you turned twenty-one.”

“That sounds like something that happens to you weekly. I don’t think you can blame me.”

“I’ll do that as long as I can.” He notched his chin up. “Someone there with you? You keep looking at something.”

“An old friend,” I told him, eyes locked on Ruby, who crossed her arms and sighed heavily.

He made a knowing noise. “You going to introduce me? You know I enjoy making new friends.”

“Not a chance in hell.”

“Why not? If she’s your friend, I can guarantee she’ll like me. I’m definitely better looking, and I’m a hell of a lot more fun.”

“She’s way too smart for the likes of either one of us.”

Ruby’s eyes locked with mine, then quickly darted away.

He snorted. “Which means she’s hot and you don’t want me to know it.”

If I admitted it out loud—because Ruby looked pretty fucking good today—she’d never believe me. She’d think it was for show. Instead, I merely smiled. “Use your imagination. I think I’ll keep her to myself for now.”

Ruby’s cheeks flared pink, and I had a sudden spike of interest under my ribs, wondering how far down her neck and chest that soft sunrise color might spread.

“Tell you what,” I said. “How about you come out to Steven’s place for my birthday. Bring a couple guys from the team. We can keep it low-key.”

Marcus perked up. “For real? You’d let me throw my Welcome to Denver rager at Steven’s house?”

I rolled my eyes. “No one’s trashing anything. I said we could hang out here, dickwad. Use your listening ears. I told you, I don’t party like that anymore.”

“Yeah right. Everyone says that until I show up.”

“Think that sounds like a you problem, Marcus. No rager. No groupies. No drugs.”

He pouted. “No women? Not even some nice ones?”

“They’re all nice to you,” I drawled.

“Fuck, are they. Come on, what if a couple of the guys have girlfriends? You gonna make me say no to them? I’m encouraging healthy monogamy by letting them come along.”

I snorted. “Sure you are. Listen, I gotta go. I’ll text you next week, okay?”

He leaned in, making an obnoxious kissing sound at the camera. “I miss you already,” he crooned.

“Fucking hell,” I muttered, disconnecting the call before smiling up at Ruby. “Sorry about that. He’s the worst.”

“Another football player, I presume?”

I nodded. “We played in college together. He heard rumors that I was getting traded to Denver. Marcus Henderson?”

She shrugged. “I don’t pay attention to any sports, really. Is he good?”

“Unfortunately.” I grinned. “He’s got a minor drinking problem in the offseason, but once the games start, he’s an absolute terror on the field.” I paused, tilting my head to drink her in. “Look at you.”

She set her hands on her hips and stared down at me. “How do these clothes fit perfectly? I’ve been shopping for myself since I was fifteen, and the stuff I pick out never fits this well. When I walked in this morning, Lauren almost passed out.”

“I bet she did.” I tilted my head the other direction, studying the way the pants hugged her hips and backside. Ruby might be small, but no matter what she said about having no curves, she sure as hell had some. She just wasn’t used to displaying them properly. “I showed the woman helping me,” I said, holding up my hands like I’d done at the house the morning before, when I almost curved them around her ribs to measure. “We made a pretty good approximation, don’t you think?”

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