Page 82 of What are the Risks
“I started doing the whole influencer thing in high school, and it took off from there,” Gretchen went on, pointedly blinking her long eyelashes. “My current partnership is with a beauty company. These are the latest work perk.”
Ruby’s lips curved with ironic amusement. “They’re fake lashes? No way!”
“Bet you couldn’t tell. I have a discount code if you need any new products. This company’s contour is to die for.”
“You know, I’ve never known the difference between contour and bronzer,” Ruby admitted. “I always assumed they did the same thing.”
Gretchen gasped. “Theysodo not do the same thing! Girl, I’m giving you a makeup lesson tonight.”
Ruby sipped her wine, the glass working overtime to hide her mocking smile. “Can’t wait.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
I fucking hated it
Ryker
I was mindlessly doom scrolling when Ruby walked into the kitchen more than an hour later, wearing a strappy top under a brown suede bomber,paired with dark jeans cinched at the waist with a belt. Her freshly cut hair was pushed over one shoulder, with her eyes appearing extra blue without her glasses.
I forced myself to look away, knowing that if I obsessed over how good she looked, I’d end up back at square one.
“Where’s Gretchen?” I checked.
“She’s still getting ready. Her makeup routine takes longer than mine. Who would’ve guessed?”
Not even someone with a sponge for a brain could’ve missed the sarcasm.
“I know what you’re going to say, Rubz.”
“I’m sorry, that sounded bitchy,” Ruby admitted with a wince, sinking her teeth into her lower lip. “Honestly, Gretchen seems really nice. Don’t get me wrong, she’s exactly the type I imagined you with. But just because she’s not my kind of girl doesn’t mean I won’t make the effort to get along with her. If she matters to you, she matters to me too.”
I hadn’t had a chance to talk to Gretchen and ask what the hell she was playing at, so who knows what they’d talked about up there.After I’d stepped out of the bathroom, freshly showered and dressed, she’d been quick to usher me out of my own room so that she and Ruby could have somegirl time.
I was assuming this was her way of helping me make Ruby jealous or something, but based on how casual Ruby was acting, it wasn’t fucking working. And truthfully, the whole situation was making me uneasy. I didn’t play games. Least of all with Ruby.
“Hey, Rubz?”
“Yeah?”
I took a deep breath, drawing on every scrap of confidence for this long-overdue conversation. “About last time you stayed, I–”
“I’m happy to pretend it didn’t happen too,” Ruby rushed out, her grip tightening around the neck of the vodka bottle on the counter.
Something in my chest ruptured, most likely an artery or my dignity.
Was that what she truly wished for? Or was she just going along with it because she thought it’s what I wanted? She’d never been one to shy away from an honest conversation, but pushing her to talk about it after she’d just told me to pretend it hadn’t happened felt like a dick move.
Evan strutted into the room, all dressed up and drowning in enough cologne to kill every insect within a ten mile radius. I sneezed the instant he got within range of me.
“Ruby.” He stretched out the two syllables, like saying her name was a thrill. “I heard Tori is trying to set you up with Joey Nazaar.”
Ruby shrugged. “I’m ready to move on.”
“If that’s your goal, gorgeous, move on with me. I’ll show you a hell of a better time than he will.”
Ruby barked out a laugh. “Would it be just the two of us?”
“It can be more if you’re keen to give it a go. Now that you’re single, it’s time to experiment.”
