Page 26 of Wrong Car, Wright Guy
I thought she was different.
Turns out she isn’t different at all.
“I’m just her boss.” I swallow hard, then hold out my hand to shake his. “Tanner Wright.”
“Myboss?” Ruby’s brow creases. “I thought we were co-hosts.”
I shrug once, my pride limping like a hyena after a fight with a lion. I certainly won’t be laughing anymore tonight, that’s for sure. “I own the station, Ruby. So, I guess you were wrong,” I say as I turn around and walk away, my fantasies dissolving into nothingness with every step I take.
Eleven
Ruby
“He lookedreallypissed,” Theo points out as we close the door. “Did he think he was getting lucky tonight?” He tugs playfully on my hair, but I’m not feeling playful. “Did no one tell him Ruby Casey doesn’t put out on the first date?” He grins, folding his bulging arms across his equally bulging chest. He's teasing. But as my twin, that's OK. And at least he’s making me smile now…sort of.
“Not even close. He’s seeing someone and I’m…” I twist my mouth downward. “I’mme.” Andhe’sthe big station boss. I had no idea. But I guess that explains why Mr. Brooks lets him call him Gerry.
“Ruby,” Theo says softly.
“Don’t. It’s true. And I’m actually pathetic because he’s been a meddling jerk since he started at the station, and the moment he does a single nice thing, I’m looking at him like maybe,maybe,a guy likehimcould seriously be interested in a girl likeme. But as always, it’s just a joke, a tease—a bit of fun, a way to bolster his own ego at the fat girl’s expense.” My eyes sting as I suck in a sobering breath. “I actually hate men, Theo.”
“Oh, Ruby-roo,” he coos, pulling me into his arms and pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “We’re not all bad.”
“You’re right,” I sniff. “It’s just the straight ones who suck.”
“Some of them are decent too. And you will find your one. You just need to quit looking inside the office. Even if he wasn’t a jerk, your boss is thelastperson you should be letting in your bed.”
“It was just the promotion to co-host, this damn dress and the licking, and theconversation.”My stomach bottoms out and I wish I could just rewind to the part before I spewed all that word vomit outside in the hall. It is seriously my fatal flaw—Ruby Casey, the girl who canneverkeep her thoughts to herself. It’s a disease, I tell ya. Foot in mouth syndrome. There should be studies on how to correct it.
“Whoa.” Theo releases me and looks into my eyes with a frown. “Back up a bit. Did you just say helickedyou?”
“That’sthe part you’re focusing on? You’re completely skipping over the bit where I’ve been offered a co-host position—abigpromotion. That’s far more worthy of attention than having a man’s tongue on my skin.”
“Why the fuck was his tongue on your skin?” he growls, getting all big-brother-protective on me. We’re obviously not moving past this.
I sigh. “He was helping me fix my zipper. It was stuck, so he licked it and got my back. No big deal, so lay your weapons down, officer.”
“Shouldn’t be fucking touching you,” he grumps as I head into the kitchen and fill my kettle with water, setting it on the stove to make some calming tea.
“Well, I’m sure he won’t be coming anywhere near me outside the studio after my outburst tonight.”
“I could hear you giving him an earful. That’s why I opened the door.”
“It wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle,” I say, waving it all away. “I was just setting up some boundaries. You want some tea? I plan to drink this in the bathtub, then climb into bed and forget all about gorgeous men with bad attitudes. What’s got you here at this hour, anyway? You and Darren have a falling out or something?”
“He’s, ah, sleeping. In your room, actually. I hope that’s OK.”
“Oh. Uh, I guess that depends onwhyhe’s sleeping in my bed.” I try to reserve my reaction until I have the full story, but I’m definitely not happy about this. I have a pullout couch for times like these, so taking over my bed is not cool.
“He was freaking out, and I had to give him a valium.” He lowers his voice. “Our apartment has bedbugs.”
“Bedbugs!” I yelp, immediately feeling itchy. “You have bedbugs in your apartment and your boyfriend is sleeping inmybed? Are you mental? Please tell me you didn’t bring anything from there in here?” The last thing I need right now is to deal with a bedbug infestation.
“No. Of course not. I’d never do that. But that’s not why he’s freaking out. He has a show on Friday and the fumigator won’t be done in time. Coco needs your help.”
“And that’s why he’s taken over my bed? Because he’s freaking out over a show that’s in four days from now?”
“Do you have any idea how much time and effort goes into a Coco show. The wigs, the dresses, themakeup.I’m hoping you can dig through your closet for a dress Coco can wear so we can surprise Darren when he wakes up.” His eyes go wide, nodding encouragingly—who has time to be down on themselves when there’s a drag queen emergency?
