Peer Review_A Ruby Romp Novella

by Ruby Rowe

I can’t believe Jason’s my peer review partner. I mean, I should’ve known there was a chance, but still, there are a lot of students in our class. The thought never crossed my mind.

  Does it matter? I guess not, other than if he’d told me, I wouldn’t have felt humiliated in front of his family. I wouldn’t have been embarrassed from discovering how he’s known and I haven’t.

  He wants me to trust him enough to make new memories with pie, but I want him to trust me enough to always tell the truth.

  I don’t know how much time has passed when I hear a knock on my door.

  “Yeah,” I say.

  Summer pokes her head in.

  “Care if I come in and talk?”

  “I don’t mind.” I sit up in bed and straighten my messy waves, which I took the time to fix today.

  “Jason wanted me to check on you. He’s beating himself up for upsetting you.”

  “I don’t understand why he got so upset. I know it was rash of me to try to leave, but it still doesn’t explain why he was distraught over it.”

  “I’ll tell you if you want to know. He’ll get super pissed at me, but it’ll be worth it if you stick around.”

  “OK.” Coming over to the bed, she sits at the end of it and faces me.

  “Jason’s only ever cared about one other girl. They were in high school together, and after dating briefly, he ended it with her. The next day he changed his mind and wanted her back, but it was too late.

  “She left school upset and hit a tree on her way home. She died, and Colton said Jason’s always carried the blame.”

  I cover my heart, now understanding exactly why he didn’t want me to leave.

  “He really cares about you, Laurel. I know him, and I can attest that his feelings for you are strong and genuine, like nothing he’s ever felt before, but he’s clueless about being in a relationship.”

  “A work-in-progress,” I murmur, thinking back to the emails I shared with him about our poems.

  “Exactly. I don’t know what happened between you two, but once I saw him from the living room window, pleading with you not to drive off, I knew I had to tell you.”

  “This explains so much. Look, I won’t say anything to him about it. I’ll let him share with me when he’s ready, but I still need time to think.”

  “I understand.”

  “Thank you, Summer.”

  She smiles. “Of course.” Once she’s gone, I pull my phone from my pocket and text Jason.

  Me: I’m sorry I tried to leave. After the day I had with my parents, this evening was too overwhelming.

  Jason: I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have pressured you about the pie, and I should’ve told you I was your peer review partner as soon as I discovered it.

  Me: Yes, you should’ve. Look, I’m exhausted and need time alone, so I’ll talk to you in the morning. I promise I won’t leave.

  He doesn’t reply, and as I think about how desperate he was to keep me here, I begin to weep. I saw his old pain resurface, and in that moment, he let it consume him. As difficult as it was for him to feel it, he allowed me to see that pain to keep me from leaving.

  I guess I need to keep moving forward, too, and maybe I should start that journey over pie.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Jason

  I’m wide awake in my bed at almost midnight. The impatient man I am is struggling with giving Laurel space. Knowing she’s in the next room is making it that much harder to leave her alone.

  My phone vibrates on my nightstand, so I grab it. Yes, it’s her.

  Laurel: I promised you another poem about the person who ruined pie, but the truth is, I suck at poetry. If I must write one, I want it to be about us. You asked for simple, so here goes…

  Girl Meets Boy

  Girl meets boy and thinks his art is to break girls’ hearts.

  Boy convinces girl to give him a chance and take off her pants.

  Girl discovers boy is her new favorite person in the whole, wide world.

  Lucky for boy, girl doesn’t like to wear pants. Lol.

  Me: My clever girl, I hope this means you’re forgiving me.

  Laurel: Can we talk?

  Me: I’ll be right over.

  Laurel: No, I want to come to you. Give me ten minutes.

  Me: Can’t wait.

  The minutes tick by slowly, and then I hear her faint knock. I hurry to the door and open it.

  My girl is standing in front of me, holding a cookie sheet. There are two saucers on top of it, each with a piece of pie on them, and there are two tall glasses of milk, as well.

  “Happy Birthday. I brought us pie.” Her eyes well up with tears, and I lean over the cookie sheet to kiss her forehead.

  “Come in.”

  “I couldn’t find a tray, so this had to do. Your mom sure has a lot of stuff packed into that kitchen.”

  I pick up the glasses of milk and set them on my nightstand. Laurel climbs onto my bed and rests the tray in front of her on the mattress. I take the spot at the head of the bed.

  “Baby, you don’t have to eat the pie. I shouldn’t have pressured you.”

  “No, I want to. I need to get past this. My dad and I shared pie every week at this bakery near our home, so this is hard for me. The place has been open since before I was born.

  “It was my sacred time alone with my dad, and I took so much wisdom and love away from those visits, but then it was as if everything I’d learned from him, along with the fond memories, were stolen from me once I found out what he’d done.

  “I’ve been afraid of someone else hurting me, and I guess my defense mechanism to prevent it was by refusing to ever eat pie again, but I know that’s ridiculous.”

  “Still, I shouldn’t have pushed you, especially in front of everyone, and I should’ve told you I was your peer review partner.

  “I discovered it after you offered to make me pot pie. I felt like a jackass for hurting your feelings over the poem, and you were just coming around to giving me a chance. I didn’t want to blow that opportunity by telling you.”

  “I understand, and I’m sorry I tried to bail. I panicked. I was embarrassed for not knowing we were partners, and then I was insecure about Porsha, along with worrying about your family finding out about my dad.

  “It seemed easier in that moment to run away, but you were so upset about me leaving. I couldn’t do it, and I realized afterward that it was wrong for me not to listen to you first.”

  I get up and take the cookie sheet over to my dresser.

  “The pie can wait.” Getting back on the bed, I sit against the headboard and hold my arms out for her. “Come here.” Smiling shyly, she crawls across my navy comforter, and I pull her into my arms. Cradling her, I pepper her face with kisses.

  “My family is not going to judge you. I’ll admit that my parents will be disappointed to hear what your father did, but they’d never judge you for it. They’re kind and will take the time to get to know the real you.”

  “You think so?”

  “I know so, but I want them to find out when you’re ready for them to.”

  Leaning up, she presses her lips against mine.

  “I already missed you.”

  “Ditto, and don’t think twice about Porsha. She was another distraction; and although I feel bad about using her, she was doing the same to me. She only wanted me for my family’s money.

  “I said she was a friend at dinner because my family was sitting there. I wasn’t trying to keep the truth from you.

  “Since we’re clearing the air, there is something else I need to tell you…” Leaning my head back, I stare up at the ceiling. “There was this girl in high school I dated briefly. Her name was Kayla.

  “Since she wasn’t a part of the popular crowd at school, I only told Colton about her. I shouldn’t have cared what others thought, but I did.

  “My other friends finally caught on that I liked her. They started riding me about it, so I ended things with Kayla.

 
“The next day, I realized the mistake I’d made, and how I’d hurt her. I was going to tell her after school, but she left upset before I had the chance… I found out later that she’d wrecked her car and died.

  “I’ve been carrying the guilt from it a long damn time, and it changed me. It’s why I’ve not gotten close to women and began treating my mom and sister like shit.

  “I didn’t want to feel anything for them in case they were taken from me, too. When I saw how upset you were in your car, I panicked.” Lowering my head, I gaze into her round eyes.

  “As you fought to leave, I imagined possibly losing you, and it was in that moment, I realized how much I loved you.”

  “Jason…” She cups my cheek. “I love you, too, and Kayla dying wasn’t your fault. You didn’t mean for it to happen.”

  “No, I didn’t, but I still hurt her, and I’ll never be able to tell her I’m sorry. What happened with Kayla was another reason I waited so long to get to know you.

  “I wanted to be sure I wouldn’t break your heart, and I was worried about you breaking mine. I’m sorry I ended up hurting you tonight.”

  “I understand, and again, I apologize for running out. I don’t want to give up on us. I love you. So much so that I’ll get over my aversion to pie.”

  As her gorgeous eyes tilt up at me, she grins coyly. “Well, so long as you watch Pride and Prejudice with me while we eat it. I mean, I am Elizabeth Bennet the 2nd.”

  “As long as licking pie off your rockin’ body is the closing credits, I’m all in.”

  “I think that can be arranged, and maybe after we can watch some golf.”

  She giggles, and I kiss her nose. “Sounds like the perfect date, Gutter Girl.”

  END NOTES

  Thank you for reading Peer Review

  (A Ruby Romp Novella).

  Keep up with release information at www.rubyrowe.com. You can also follow me on Amazon, BookBub, Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

  I have a reader group on Facebook called Ruby's Rompers. I’d love for you to join! Members get the inside scoop on all my work.

  Lastly, if you enjoy my writing, I’d greatly appreciate it if you would leave me ratings or reviews. Thank you!

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thank you to my amazing husband, Patrick. I’m blessed to have such a patient man by my side. He keeps our house running to ensure I have plenty of time to work.

  Family and friends, I love you and appreciate your support.

  Readers, thank you for giving my books a chance. I couldn’t write full-time if it weren’t for passionate book lovers like yourselves!

  I feel blessed anytime someone reads a story of mine. I hope you’ll check out future releases by Ruby Rowe.

  Edith Dubielak, you’ve been amazing to work with. I’m so grateful for your understanding and knowledge, and I wish you the best!

  Nikki Cherniak, thank you for editing Peer Review. You did a great job, and it’s been wonderful working with you!

  Like always, I want to give a big shout out to Jo-Anna at Just write. Creations for creating the sinful cover. She always produces fantastic work!

  Thank you to my beta readers, Nikki Cherniak, Edith Dubielak, Rachael Leissner and Samantha Wiley. Your feedback was a tremendous help.

  Bloggers, I wish I could give each of you a hug. The support many of you show me is remarkable, and I’m so appreciative.

  You have busy work schedules and personal lives, yet you use a portion of your precious time to help authors succeed. I can’t thank you enough.

  Thank you to those who leave reviews. Good or bad, they’re important for both readers and authors.

  Happy Reading!

  Ruby