by Rachel Lacey
“Well, that’s sad,” Megan said.
“It is,” Ruby agreed. “But he has to make those decisions for himself. And while I’m kind of crushed right now, I’ll be okay. I have you guys to help me get back on my feet.” She smiled as they embraced her for a group hug.
“Always,” Elle said fiercely. “We will always be here for each other.”
After dinner, they opened a second bottle of wine, put on a cheesy movie, and made a proper girls’ night out of it. By the time they left, Ruby was feeling much better. When she got in bed that night, she mentally ran through her to-do list for the next day. It was good to be home and get back into all her routines. Good. Definitely good.
As if they had a mind of their own, her fingers opened the camera roll on her phone, scrolling through the pictures of her time in London and Paris with Flynn. Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her cheeks. They looked so happy together. They’d shared so many laughs, such an easy rapport. Ruby didn’t often open her heart to people. She usually analyzed every decision before she leaped. She’d been different with Flynn, more uninhibited.
And she meant to hang onto that newly discovered part of herself, even if it meant letting go of Flynn in the process.
Misery.
That’s what Flynn’s first day back in London felt like. He spent the majority of the day in meetings, fighting the constant urge to tap his pen obnoxiously against the table or shuffle his feet against the carpet. How could they spend so many hours talking about a building that would wind up looking like every other hotel they’d built?
He stared at the screen in the front of the room, looking at the final rendering for the hotel in Dubai. It was tall and sleek, with the trademark Exeter logo near the top. A striking building, no doubt. It would attract plenty of business once it was complete, another jewel in the Exeter crown. And he couldn’t muster even the slightest bit of excitement about overseeing its construction.
His chest physically ached at the thought of spending the next six months doing just that. In his mind’s eye, he saw himself sitting in the flat in Paris with Ruby. He’d felt more relaxed in his weeks there than he could ever remember feeling. Happy. Inspired, as he worked on the design for Aidan’s house. The relentless restlessness that was his constant companion at Exeter had been absent in those weeks.
The meeting broke up, and he made for the door, eager to step outside for some fresh air to clear his head.
“Flynn.” His mother’s voice halted him in his tracks.
He turned to face her. “Mother.”
“It’s so good to have you in the office this week,” she said with a warm smile. “We do miss seeing you when you’re off working on job sites. How did everything turn out with your friend in Paris?”
“She’s fully recovered and back home in the states,” he told her.
“I’m glad to hear it.” She rested a hand on his arm, her eyes searching his. “You’re a good friend to look after her like that.”
“I was glad I was able to help.”
“And is she just a friend?” his mother asked, finally coming around to the question that had no doubt been at the forefront of her mind since he’d gone to stay with Ruby in Paris.
“She was more than a friend, but that’s all she is now, all she can be, given the ocean between us.” He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his trousers, fighting the urge to fidget in front of her.
“Walk with me,” she said, turning toward the door that led outside, as if she’d sensed his discomfort. “You know how much your father and I have wanted to see you settle down,” she said as she pushed open the door and led the way onto the street. Exeter’s headquarters were located on bustling Coleman Street, but this side door led onto a quiet back alley where they could walk and talk more easily.
“I know,” he answered her. “I suppose I will someday.”
“We could find a different place for you in the company.” Her heels clicked on the pavement as they walked, punctuating her words.
“What?”
“So you could stay here in London. That’s what’s stopping you, isn’t it? The fact that you’re always traveling around the world?”
“It’s one thing,” he answered carefully. He’d tried out virtually every desk job there was here at headquarters. None of them had suited him then, and they wouldn’t suit him now.
She looked up at him. “This girl in Paris seems different from your previous relationships. There’s something in your voice when you talk about her. You seem to like her quite a lot, and I don’t want you to throw it away because you think you can’t settle down.”
He kept walking, lips pressed tightly together. What did he say to that? The thought of spending weeks, months, years here at headquarters made him want to scream. It would ruin him, and what good would he be to Ruby then? “It’s something to consider,” he said finally.
“Good, then.” She nodded briskly, as if it was a done deal. “We need you in Dubai, but I can arrange for you to stay here in London thereafter if you wish. Just say the word.”
“I’ll let you know.”
They’d circled around the block and entered the building through its flashy front doors on Coleman Street. Walking in circles. The story of his life.
16
Flynn stepped out of his car and walked toward the home site in progress. Trees had been cut to accommodate the house and a small yard, leaving most of the canopy overhead intact to preserve the look and view.
“Off to a good start, aren’t we?” Aidan walked toward him from the other side of the clearing.
“Yes,” Flynn agreed. Now that he could see the beginnings of the construction, he knew they’d made the right decisions as to the location and positioning of the house. The Wye River twinkled below, a view that just wouldn’t quit.
“Knew you were the right man for the job.” Aidan clapped him on the back. They walked together toward the edge of the property, looking out over the valley beyond.
It reminded Flynn of the lookout on the trail at Rosemont Castle, the conversation he’d had with Ruby there, all the ways his life seemed to have run off track since he’d left her behind. Standing here with Aidan, he felt the first flickering of peace since that moment. Maybe it was the outdoors, the view, the company.
Maybe it was that he wasn’t at Exeter.
“I showed the final renderings to a friend of mine,” Aidan said. “He was impressed.”
“Is that so?” Flynn kept his eyes on the valley below.
“He’s looking to build,” Aidan went on. “He invited you to submit a bid if you’re interested.”
“Hmm.” Was he interested? Was this what he wanted, to work full time as an architect and leave Exeter behind? Would that solve anything for him, or would he just travel the globe in a different capacity?
“You should do it.”
“I’ll think about it,” Flynn told him. “How soon does he want to build? Because I’m committed in Dubai for the next six months.”
“I know you are, mate, and I told him that. He’s not looking to build until next year.”
Flynn dragged his gaze from the valley to the construction site behind them. He visualized the house he’d designed there, remembering the excitement he’d felt as he worked on it, the satisfaction he’d felt sitting before his laptop as it all came together. “I’m considering taking a position at headquarters after I finish in Dubai.”
Aidan frowned. “A desk job?”
“Yes.”
“You’ll hate it,” his friend commented.
“I can’t travel the globe forever, at least, not if I ever want to settle down. Wife. Kids.”
“Is that what you want?” Aidan asked.
“I don’t know,” Flynn told him honestly. It wasn’t something he’d ever spent any time thinking about, at least, not until he’d met Ruby.
“It’s the American, isn’t it? The one you few to Paris to be with?” Aidan turned to stare at him. “You
’ve fallen in love.”
Flynn rocked back on his heels, swallowing his automatic rejection of Aidan’s words, because…because he couldn’t get Ruby out of his head, hadn’t truly been happy since he’d left her, couldn’t seem to envision any kind of future that didn’t include her. “I think maybe I have.”
“And you’re considering taking a desk job at Exeter for her?”
“Perhaps.”
“Is that what she wants?” Aidan asked.
“No.” It was his mother who’d put this thought into his head, not Ruby.
“What does she want, then?”
“She just wants me to be happy,” he said quietly, remembering how she’d encouraged him to pursue his dreams, to find his own path the way she’d done. Stop holding yourself back, she’d told him that afternoon in Paris. “I’ll submit a bid for your friend’s project.”
“Is that all?” Aidan asked, cutting a glance in his direction.
“No, it’s not all.” Flynn turned abruptly to face his friend’s future home site. “Ruby was right. I should be doing this full-time. I could be doing this full-time instead of making myself miserable trying to fulfill a family obligation at Exeter.”
“Now you’re talking.” Aidan grinned at him. “Anything else?”
“Yeah. I’m going to need to cancel our dinner plans for the evening.”
“Any particular reason?” Aidan asked with a knowing smile.
“I’ve got to book a flight to America.”
Ruby sat on the bench overlooking Rosemont Castle, the same bench where she’d told Flynn she was falling in love with him and he’d told her he couldn’t stay. Today, she’d brought her laptop and a picnic for one, yearning for a little peace and solitude as she worked. The air was a crisp sixty-five degrees, perfect inside her purple fleece jacket.
She wore fingerless gloves to keep her hands warm as she typed, and she was halfway through today’s to-do list by the time she decided to pull out the sandwich she’d brought with her. Maybe she should come up here every day to work. Not only was it ridiculously peaceful, but without internet access, her productivity had increased to a ridiculous level.
She’d just taken a huge bite out of her sandwich when she heard footsteps crunching in the leaves behind her. A deer? She turned quietly, hoping not to startle it away. She loved when she stumbled across wildlife out here—or when wildlife stumbled across her. But there was no deer in the woods behind her, and actually, these footsteps sounded human. Probably one of the castle’s guests out for a hike.
She chewed and swallowed so she wouldn’t be caught with a mouthful, reaching for her water to wash it down. And then the bottle slipped from her fingers, landing in the leaf bed at her feet with a muffled thump.
Flynn stood in front of her on the path, wearing jeans and a forest green pullover jacket, his wavy brown hair as disreputably tousled as ever. She stood, facing him, blinking like an owl behind her glasses because…was he really here? Why was he here?
“Hi,” he said quietly.
“Hi.”
“Elle told me I’d find you here.”
She nodded, her throat gone tight. “Yes, I told her where to find me. But why are you here?”
He took a step closer. “I’m on my way to Dubai.”
“And Virginia happened to be on your way?” But her brain had already formed an image of the globe, and Virginia was in the opposite direction of Dubai from London.
“In a matter of speaking. I needed to see you,” he said, his tone earnest.
“Okay.” Her heart fluttered like one of the birds in the trees overhead, because her slightly frantic brain couldn’t think of a reason for him to be standing in front of her right now that she didn’t like.
“Did a lot of thinking after I left here last week,” he said.
“Oh?”
He nodded. “And I’ve decided to leave Exeter. I told my parents yesterday.”
“Oh,” she repeated, her voice little more than a whisper.
“I’m going to open my own architectural firm, like you suggested.” He walked forward, gesturing for her to sit beside him on the bench, which was convenient because her knees were about to give out anyway. “You helped me see what I hadn’t noticed before, how much happier and more fulfilled I am when I’m working for myself, when I’m creating my own designs instead of conforming to a corporate brand.”
“I’m so glad,” she breathed. “And how did your parents take it?”
“Surprisingly well,” he told her. “They knew I wasn’t happy, and if this new venture finally helps me achieve that, they’re in full support.”
“Good,” she said, reaching over to cover his hand with hers. “I’m so glad, Flynn.”
“I still have to go to Dubai, but it’ll be my last assignment with Exeter.”
She nodded. “That makes sense.”
“I’ll still travel, depending on where my clients are located, but this should allow me to live a more settled lifestyle.” He looked over at her with a wry smile. “As settled as I’m ever likely to get.”
She smiled back. “I like it.”
“If you’re willing, I thought maybe we could redo the conversation we had here last week?” His brown eyes locked on hers, so earnest—vulnerable—that she could hardly breathe. Everything inside her chest felt too warm, too tight, like she might burst from the strength of her own emotions.
“Okay,” she whispered. “But this time, you lead.” Because she’d already laid her heart out for him, and now it was his turn.
“Fair enough,” he agreed. “Ruby Keller, I had no idea how my life was going to change the night I pulled you out of a rosebush on the Langdon estate.”
She grinned at the memory. They’d sat on a bench together that night too, and he’d helped her remove all the pins from her hair to get the thorns out before pinning it back up for her.
“The funniest thing happened after I met you.” He flipped their hands, giving hers a squeeze. “I felt…peaceful when we were together. I’d never really felt that before. It’s like, when I’m with you, everything just makes sense.”
“Oh.” Tears spilled over her eyelids, and she pushed her glasses up to wipe them away.
“You helped me realize what I want out of life, for my career, and for my heart. And Ruby, I’m falling in love with you too.”
“Oh my God.” She pressed her hands against her eyes, glasses tumbling into the leaves at her feet.
He picked them up, tapping her on the shoulder. “Put these back on so you can see me, because I just realized it’s not exactly true that I’m falling in love with you.”
“No?” She slid the glasses into place, blinking away tears to meet his gaze.
“I’m already in love with you. One hundred percent.” He leaned in, hands tugging at the clasp on the back of her head so her hair tumbled down her back as their lips met.
“Me too,” she whispered, tears sliding over her cheeks and fogging her glasses. “I’m so in love with you, Flynn.”
“I can’t promise you much these next few months,” he said. “I’ll be half a world away, but I’ll visit you every chance I get, and maybe you can fly over and visit me too.”
“I’d love that.”
“And after that, maybe we can design a house to live in together. Here, or in London.”
“Or both,” she said, smiling through her tears. “We should have both.”
“Yes. I like that.” He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her flush with the warmth of his body. “Both. Anything. Everything. We should have it all.”
“I think we will,” she said. “Because all we really need is each other.”
“I love you.” His fingers tangled in her hair as he drew her in for another kiss, this one deeper and hungrier than the last.
“Love you too.” She slid into his lap, straddling him. “When I met you, I was about to embark on this adventure that scared the crap out of me. I thought it was going to be about letting go of my
inhibitions and flying blind, but I realized I already had that in me. Instead, my adventure was finding you. And I can’t wait to see what we discover next.”
Epilogue
Six Months Later
* * *
Ruby stood on the tarmac at the Towering Pines Regional Airport, one hip leaned against the Bentley. Two years ago, she’d have laughed her ass off at the idea of herself waiting for a private jet to land, leaning against the car she’d been driven here from Rosemont Castle in, by her own personal driver. Well, James wasn’t her driver. But close enough. How much her life had changed since she, Elle, and Megan entered Modern Home and Gardens’ Almost Royal contest…
In the distance, a gray shape took form in the sky, its shape rippling in the heat rising off the asphalt. The airplane had its landing gear down, swooping toward them, and her stomach swooped right along with it in anticipation of seeing the man she loved. She watched as the jet lined itself up with the end of the runway and touched down with a roar of the engines.
The plane turned, taxiing toward the terminal, and Ruby sank her weight into her heels, fighting the urge to rush toward it, to climb aboard, to see him. After what felt like an eternity, it came to a stop not far from where she stood, still leaned against the Bentley. She waited until the rolling staircase had been attached and the door opened before she finally stepped forward.
By now, she knew the drill. And by the time she’d reached the plane, Flynn was walking down the steps. She broke into a run, slamming into him in her excitement. His arms came around her, and he spun her around, kissing her as her feet left the ground.
“Hi,” he murmured against her lips, eyes crinkled from the smile that had overtaken his face.
“Hi.” She wrapped her arms even more tightly around him, because this time, she didn’t have to let him go. This time, he was home to stay.
He set her down, holding her at arms’ length while he took her in. “You cut your hair.” His tone raised in surprise.