Page 104 of Just Like in the Movies

I don’t want to own The Royale if it means spending the rest of my life here alone.

‘Ruby,’ Gerry hissed from behind her. ‘There’s someone in the lobby to talk to you.’

‘Who?’ she murmured. She did not want to miss any of The Royale’s final screening, even if the film was making her feel miserable. Jacie had been right, it was a total downer.

‘I think you’ll want to find out for yourself,’ he said. ‘He couldn’t come into the auditorium, he’s soaking wet. It’s pouring with rain outside.’

He?

She left her seat and headed out of the auditorium, just as Cora’s wannabe fiancé Duncan – the dull British guy – got strung up over a burning fire.

Luke turned as she rushed into the lobby. Elation surged up Ruby’s torso.

His dark hair was plastered to his forehead, those cool blue eyes hot on her face. But as soon as the joy exploded in her heart, leaving her light-headed, the adrenaline

fizzled out. Luke wasn’t back to declare his feelings, because he’d convinced himself a long time ago he didn’t have feelings.

‘Luke, what are you doing here?’ she said.

If Luke had come back to torture her some more, she would survive it.

I’m stronger than I look. I’m at least as strong as Cora.

Water dripped from his suit on to the new carpet.

‘I’m not leaving,’ he said. ‘I can’t.’

Her heart leapt at the passion in his voice, the purpose – only to sink back into her abdomen. He was here to save The Royale for her, to try to persuade her to take the money again. But that wasn’t what she needed.

‘If you’ve come back to save the theatre …’ She stepped towards him, placed her hands on his cool cheeks, felt the muscle bunch and tense. ‘The answer’s still no.’ She took a deep breath, determined to keep going when all he did was stare at her the way he had before – conflicted, unsure. But there was something else there now, something open and less guarded.

So she told him everything she now knew to be true. After almost a week without him. A week she had survived, and would keep on surviving even if it killed her.

‘The Royale isn’t what I love,’ she said. ‘It’s just a building. The reason I came here after school, and every weekend, was to hang out with Matty. And the main thing that helped me get over that huge loss …’ She sucked in another unsteady breath. ‘Or at least begin to get over it … was you. You’ve already helped me so much more than you know. The Royale will be fine without me because, ultimately, without someone for me to love inside it, it’s just four walls, a new bar, lots of seats in desperate need of re-upholstering and a projector. And loads of other people’s dreams. I think it’s way past time I started making my own dreams, don’t you?’

***

Luke stared, shell-shocked, cold to the bone, and struck dumb all over again. He’d been trying to figure out what to say all the way here, had even jumped out of the taxi and into a thunderstorm to give himself extra time to think up a couple of good lines. And she’d beaten him to the punch, opening her heart all over again. All he wanted to do right now was drop to his knees in front of this insanely hot, sweet, honest, capable, smart woman and thank her. But he knew he had to be straight with her first, and it was killing him.

‘I’m scared …’ The words choked off in his throat. ‘I’m scared I can’t give you what you need, that I’m not that guy. That’s why I wanted to save The Royale. Because I guess, underneath everything else, I wasn’t sure I could give you more than that.’

Her smile was sweet and sad, but also confused as she tilted her head and stared back at him. ‘Oh, Luke. Can’t you see what I’m trying to tell you? You’ve already given me everything I need.’

‘Like what?’ he asked, because he still didn’t get it. But the damp from the early summer rain, which had started to seep into his bones, didn’t feel so cold anymore.

Probably because of the naked tenderness in her expression, which was full of hope and understanding, uncomplicated truth, compassion instead of judgement, and something more …

Something he wanted, more than anything else he’d ever wanted in his life. And he’d wanted a lot of stuff once. Stability, security, a house with a picket fence, a dad who showed up when he said he would and didn’t look through him like he wasn’t there, a mom who didn’t draw the attention of every photographer within a twenty mile radius and would tell Becca to brush her teeth and Jack not to jump off that roof so he didn’t have to. Funny to think that none of that stuff seemed to matter so much anymore.

‘Well, orgasms.’ Ruby’s cheeks lit up brighter than the fairy lights in her bedroom. ‘You gave me lots of orgasms. And then there’s your amazing DIY skills.’

‘DI-what skills?’ he asked.

‘Repair skills,’ she clarified. ‘And having your arms around me when I needed a hug …’ Her smile quivered and he knew she was thinking of Matty. ‘And I’ve needed a lot of those lately. You got me almond croissants in the morning because you knew they’re my favourites. You cooked me grilled cheese sandwiches, and gave me the sexiest hair wash I’ll ever have. You fixed my boiler and sat all the way through The Wizard of Oz even though you hate singalongs and flying monkeys. You watched About a Boy even though you don’t fancy Hugh Grant and …’ She leaned into him, bringing her rose scent with her and whispered: ‘And there was a scene in it that reminded you of something absolutely terrible.’

His gaze got stuck on the lush, sexy mouth he’d feasted on for days, and dreamed about often, but had never gotten enough of.

It was what came out of it next, though, that was the hottest thing he’d ever heard.

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