Page 78 of Rocked By the Alpha
“And I’m sorry I kept things from you.”
“Let’s be better to each other in the future. You mean too much to me, Ruby, to lose you.”
“Same,” she says, trying not to think of West and the strain in her heart.
Nat lets her go. “Come on. We’ve got a tour to rehearse for.”
They spin on their heels, ready to walk back to Ruby’s house and it’s there again.
That scent.
Her body freezes but she forces herself to glance around. In the distance, someone turns a corner. They’re too far away to make out.
“You coming?” Nat says, pausing when she realises Ruby’s stopped behind her.
“I thought I smelled,” she swallows, “that Alpha again.”
Nat halts.
Ruby walks towards her. “I think it’s just my imagination. I guess I’m still shaken up about it.”
Nat snatches her sunglasses from her eyes and swings her gaze around. “Are you sure, Ruby? You don’t think he’s stalking you or anything?”
“No, no. There’s no one here.” She spreads her hands towards the empty streets. “Just my imagination, I’m sure.”
“Let’s talk to security about it, anyway, okay?” Nat hooks her arm through Ruby’s and they walk back to the house.
Nat drives them to the theatre Alison has hired for rehearsals, announcing to everyone that Ruby Bloom is back. They all clap and hug her and Tanya sobs onto her shoulder.
But soon they’re into the throes of things. The argument has cost them precious days and now there’s twice as much to get through.
This is what she needs. Keeping herself busy has always been the best cure for heartache. A way to keep her mind from worrying. Plunge into work and don’t give herself the chance to think or feel. And tour rehearsals provide the perfect opportunity. There is so much to remember and so much to learn. They’ve never done a tour this big before, never been expected to fill such massive stadiums.
But, although Ruby fills her head with music and stage directions, the words of her argument with West keep playing around and around. Hurtful words that can’t be unsaid. It’s obviously over. She was a fool to believe in the relationship in the first place. There was always too much riding against it — feuds, competing schedules and then the fact West Stone is a player.
Midway through the afternoon, Alison calls a break and Ryan brings her a bottle of water.
“West Stone, huh?” he says, waggling his eyebrows as he hands over her drink. “That man is fine.”
“Maybe but things between me and that man are over.”
“Aww that’s a shame. I did think you had a sort of sparkle in your eye and a spring in your step these last few months.” He lowers his voice, leaning into her ear. “And I bet the sneaking around was kinda hot.”
“It caused all these issues though, didn’t it?” she says, sweeping her arm around at the chaotic rehearsal scene.
“It’ll all be fine. And I knew the two of you would make it up. Nat loves you like a sister — it’s clear.” Ryan snatches a loose piece of paper from the floor and starts examining it. “Besides, Nat may be the big star, and Tanya the super cool one, but you’re the glue that holds the band together. You go, it all falls apart. And even if Nat didn’t love you, she wouldn’t want to lose you for that reason.”
“Glue?” Ruby crosses her arms across her chest. “You don’t think I’m the super cool one?”
“You’re the sexy, mysterious one,” he says, not looking up from his paper.
“Nice save, mister,” she mutters.
He folds up the paper and slides it into his pocket. Then he pecks Ruby on the cheek. “I’m glad you’re back, Ruby.”
He walks away and she sips her water. This five minute break seems to be stretching endlessly, allowing her heart to ache so strongly in her chest, she can’t help rubbing at her ribs. It’s pathetic — she’s pathetic. She needs to keep working and forget about West Stone.
The stage manager says something to Alison and their manager places her fingers in her mouth and whistles to indicate time’s up.
