Page 44 of Strictly Friends
It took her a moment, but curiosity soon won out over irrational disappointment. ‘So, what went wrong?’ Ruby ventured, hastily adding, ‘and feel free to tell me to mind my own business.’
Mac smiled wryly, an amused twinkle in his blue eyes. ‘No, it’s fine. It’s not like I haven’t quizzed you plenty about your life. Estella – that’s her name – and I got married ten years ago. The first few years were great. At least, I thought they were.’ He scratchedhis beard and looked appraisingly at Ruby. ‘I gotta tell you that you remind me of her. Same height, similar physique – and you’ve both got a fantastic facial bone structure.’
Still unsure whether to laugh or wail at Mac’s bombshell news, Ruby had no idea how to feel about being complimented and compared to another woman in the same breath. And not just another woman, she reminded herself.Mac’s wife.
Mac picked up a pencil and sketched a few lines on the portrait. ‘You know, my life isn’t exactly conventional. I spend a lot of time on the road working, which meant Estella was at home by herself, sometimes for weeks at a time. At first, it wasn’t that big a deal. I mean, it’s not like she was a lonely housewife or anything – the woman’s a sought-after physiotherapist with a wide circle of friends. But over time, I guess being married to someone with my lifestyle started to get to her. She was constantly mad at me for never being around for all the social stuff – you know, weddings, birthday parties, vacations with friends...’ Mac tailed off into a moody silence.
‘That’s understandable, surely,’ Ruby said hesitantly, surprising herself by taking Estella’s side, but Mac shook his head impatiently.
‘I’m an artist, Ruby, and my work is my life. She knew that when we got married, and she swore she understood I can’t take on commissions and still stay home in New York all year round. She suggested travelling with me at one point, but I figured she’d be a distraction. Anyway, we stumbled along for a while and I thought we were making it work, but then three years ago, after I got home from what I guess was one trip too many, she moved out and demanded a divorce.’
Although he sounded matter of fact, Ruby could hear the sadness laced through his words. Putting aside her own ambivalent feelings towards Mac, she asked gently, ‘Didn’t you talk to her and try to work it out?’
‘Ruby, I’m an incredible artist but I amnotgreat at showing my feelings. My old man was hardly a role model for how to be a decent husband, and growing up like I did, when you get disappointed, you just learn to suck it up.’
‘And yet you haven’t signed the papers,’ she pointed out.
‘Touché.’ He grinned unabashedly. ‘I guess I’ve been hoping she’ll miss me enough to change her mind.’
‘After threeyears?’ Ruby couldn’t help the scepticism in her voice.
Mac shrugged. ‘She hasn’t chased me to sign the papers, so the way I see it, she can’t have found someone else yet.’
‘Which is absolutely the mature way to deal with the situation,’ Ruby said caustically. ‘Come on, Mac! It must be torture to be always wondering and waiting for the blow to come.’
‘It’s been tough,’ he conceded. ‘But it hasn’t bothered me these past few weeks like it used to. Maybe it’s time to let go of the past and see what the future holds. What do you think?’
‘I-I don’t know,’ Ruby stammered, turning away from his probing gaze to examine the grass with great concentration.
‘Well, I’m holding you to your promise to come to the States for the portrait exhibition. Who knows, maybe you’ll love New York and decide to stay.’
Ruby flushed deeply at Mac’s not-so-casual tone and when she eventually looked up and their eyes met and held, his purposeful look left no room for misinterpretation.
‘I think we’ve done enough for today,’ she muttered, and struggled to her feet, wincing at the stiffness in her muscles. Unable to meet Mac’s eyes, Ruby ducked her head while making a show of brushing grass off her legs, conscious that this was the second time in as many days that a man was leaving her in a state of emotional disarray.
What the hell is Sorrel Island doing to me?
31
Jake had been chattering non-stop from the moment Zeke picked them up from Paradise Inn and had scarcely paused for breath.
‘Calm down, buddy,’ Ruby admonished. ‘Poor Zeke can’t keep up with all your questions.’
‘It’s alright, MissRuby.’ Zeke grinned, pushing back his straw boater to scratch his forehead. ‘It’s good to hear the boy’s having such a good time on the island.’
Gripping his seatbelt, Jake twisted in his seat to face the driver. ‘Can you ride, Zeke? My dad says he’s going to get me my own horse when I’m bigger, and then I can go riding whenever I want!’
Ruby sighed under her breath and glanced at her watch. They were on their way to the marina, and with Jake clearly anticipating further visits to Sorrel Island, she was keen to agree a time with Kenny to discuss the future arrangements for their son. Kenny had resumed his practice of stopping by Paradise Inn to take Jake off for a drive or a meal, and although Ruby was always invited, she had begun to make a point of declining. She was still struggling to accept Kenny’s reason for abandoning them and she couldn’t help the nagging feeling that there was more to it than he’d admitted. Furthermore, even seeing Jake so happy couldn’t wipe away the years of pain caused by Kenny’s betrayal. Navigating her wayward emotions when she was around him was growing increasinglystressful and, more than anything, Ruby dreaded triggering Jake’s anxiety by revealing her feelings for his father. Today, however, with Sam and the rest of his crew out on the boats, Kenny had been unable to leave the office to fetch Jake and had pleaded with a reluctant Ruby to bring him over.
As the taxi sped along the coastal road towards the marina, Ruby left Zeke to Jake’s tender mercies and returned to her contemplation. Kenny was only one piece in the ever more complicated jigsaw of her trip. Days after their trip downtown, things still felt off with Griffin. His visits to Ocean House had become a daily routine and while his grumpiness had disappeared, Ruby sensed a distance between them and a guardedness that jarred with the ease they had always known.
Where she would normally have confided her conflicted feelings to her best friend, it was impossible to do so when he was part of the problem. It would – almost – be worth hearing Auntie Pearl’s I-told-you-so if it came with some of her aunt’s shrewd advice, although even getting hold of the woman these days, in between her numerous get-togethers with her friends, took some doing.
Thinking about home set Ruby wondering whether she would feel more in control of her life once they returned to London and she fell back into her usual routine. Without the tempting distraction of Mac and his hints at developing feelings for her or the frustration of dancing around her unresolved history with Kenny, surely things between her and Griffin could return to normal. At the same time, it was hard to ignore the quiet voice inside questioning if she could maintain the pretence that nothing had changed.
Isn’t there more to dream about and to hope for, Rubes?
‘A penny for your thoughts.’
