Page 69 of Betting on the Boy Next Door
“Glad to see you too,” she says with a smirk.
“Heeeeeeeey, Rubes,” I say like she’s a frat brother I haven’t seen since college. “What’s good?” Like nothing is wrong. Like her roommate didn’t eviscerate me on their patio this morning for daring to make them breakfast.
“That’s better,” she says. “I almost believe you mean it. Can I come in?”
“Of course.” I step back to let her pass. “What can I do for you?”
She settles herself on my couch, so I take the recliner.
“I need to know your intentions toward my roommate.”
I can’t decide if she’s serious or not. “She told you about this morning?”
Ruby tilts her head. “No. I haven’t seen her since I left to go hiking. She was gone when I got home. What about this morning?”
“We had a . . . it was . . .” I run out of words. I’m still not sure what happened. “She laid me out.”
“Did you deserve it?”
I consider Sami’s accusations. I did use money to buy myself out of a tough situation, but it was withPresley. A “problem” I’ve tried to solve every way I know how while still protecting my dad’s friendship with JPandthe firm’s business interests.
I wasn’t trying to manipulate Sami into anything, and the proof is that when I could have put the pressure on her to come meet my family, I didn’t. I tried to get heroutof it, because she didn’t owe me that.Samiput herself in that situation.
“No. I didn’t deserve it. She mentioned before that I’m collateral damage sometimes because of her past. I think that’s what happened this morning. I’m pretty mad, to be honest.”
“Because it matters,” Ruby says.
I sag against the seat. “Yeah. Because it matters.”
“Becauseshematters?” Ruby presses.
Ruby is a cool girl, but I’m not spilling my guts to her. Not about what I feel for Sami. Even I’m not sure what it is. Instead of an answer, I raise my eyebrows at Ruby.
She gives a slow nod. “I have brothers. Three of them. All older. As far as they’re concerned, my girls are also their little sisters. They may not be thrilled if they find out our new neighbor is a player.”
“What? I’m not.” Anymore. In my defense, it’s been years since I was.
“So you’re serious about her?”
“I don’t know if I’m—” I break off at the look on her face. Finishing that sentence feels like a tactical error. “I . . . like Sami.”
“You like me.” She narrows her eyes.
“Not like that.”
Her expression smooths. “Good.”
I just got trapped into an admission I had no plans to make. Ruby is good. “You sure you never went to law school?”
“Don’t need law school for stuff like this when I have three brothers. I know what’s what.”
Then how did she end up with Niles? I’m far too smart to voice the question.
“So, your intentions?” she presses.
“I like her,” I repeat.
“And? What are you going to do about that?”
