“I can't believe this," Ruby said with a growl of exasperation.
"It happens all the time."
“I think I met the other bidder. I’m just surprised he wants it so badly."
"I'm sure it isn't personal. Just hold tight tonight and we'll get back on it first thing in the morning."
"Okay," Ruby said with a sigh.
She hung up the phone and sat down on the couch. She couldn't believe that Jamison was repeatedly outbidding her. It could have been someone else, but the coincidence was too great. Maybe he was trying to punish her for not going out with him. The more she went down that mental path, the angrier she got. After spending a few more hours with her sister, she decided that it would be better to take her personal irritation back to the hotel. She'd booked her room for a few more days that morning before leaving.
She kissed her sister goodbye and waved to Tony on the way back to the car. When she was back at her hotel room, she ordered herself room service and noticed that the housekeeper had given her a new remote. She turned on the TV and the same stupid romantic comedy was playing. She rolled her eyes and turned the channel to the news. The storm was going to hit in the next week. Ruby hoped that she would own the house in the country by then; she wanted to be out there. She didn't care that it was in bad shape, she wanted a home of her own. She wanted to work hard and feel something real. It would help her grow.
The more she thought about the house, the angrier she got. Between bites of sirloin steak and broccoli, she picked up her phone tapped over to mate.com. Then she texted Builder Bear, Jamison’s profile name. She looked briefly at his profile. Damn, he’s good-looking. But that didn't change the fact that he was trying to ruin her dream. She needed this. She needed something to focus on. She needed to make a life of her own. He was standing in her way, just like Chad. And she wasn't going to let it happen.
"Why are you bidding on my house?" she typed into the app’s messenger.
It only took about five minutes for him to message back. "Are you bidding on the farmhouse?"
"You outbid me twice. Why would you do that?”
"I didn't do it on purpose. I put in the bid before I went out there. My realtor puts in an auto increase on any property that I think is a good investment until it gets to a certain threshold. And then I let it go.”
"But I want this house."
She was close to tears. She didn’t know what else to say. This was just business for him. And she had no right to ask him to give up his investment. She felt like a manipulative B, and was about to just let it go and start another night of drinking and drowning her sorrows.
"Maybe we can discuss the property over dinner tonight."
"I've already had dinner."
"Drinks?"
"I think I had enough to drink last night.”
"Then what about dessert?" he asked.
"Okay then. I'm staying at the Fate Rock Lodge. I hear they have a wonderful chocolate soufflé. You can meet me here."
"I'll be there in thirty."
Chapter 6
Jamison had been thrilled when he’d been matched with Ruby, despite her disheveled state in the photo. He’d had a good laugh at her profile name and profile — he was a guy who enjoyed a good joke — but he’d sensed something had been amiss with her. He'd contacted her almost immediately but had received no reply.
When he'd gone out to see the property, he was utterly shocked to find her there. But from a lifetime of hearing the stories of other shifters meeting their mates, he knew that fate worked in mysterious ways. He had no idea that she was going to bid on the property. She had mentioned that she had just gotten out of a relationship. It didn't seem like the kind of project a newly single woman would want to get involved with, but apparently he'd been wrong. He totally respected her desire to fix up the old farmhouse. He’d made a pretty serious dating faux pas. If you want to get to know a woman, you probably shouldn’t buy her dream house from under her.
When she’d agreed to meet him, he felt as if he was going to get a chance. Ruby was a beautiful woman with luscious curves, curly black hair and a raw honey complexion. She had the most alluring hazel eyes he'd ever seen. The moment he'd met her, all he wanted to do was kiss her full, gorgeous lips.
Ruby had just been left at the altar. His heart bled for her. He wanted to destroy the man who had broken her heart, but luckily for him, that meant that his beautiful Ruby could now be his. And the idiot who left her wouldn't get the chance to be with his fated mate. He was overjoyed that she'd agreed to have dessert with him.
He was willing to give her any amount of help she might need with the house. All he wanted was a chance to get to know her better; a chance to show her that he wasn't like her ex. He was a man who valued a good woman. A man who wanted a home and family to love and protect and care for. Jamison had wanted that for so long. He was beginning to believe he had lost his chance.
He dressed in a pair of dark jeans, cowboy boots, a button up shirt, and a suit jacket. He wanted her to see that he took it seriously, but not too seriously. He was used to playing many different roles in his job as a real estate developer. He had an outfit for every occasion, from getting his hands dirty pounding nails to a three-piece suit for meetings with bankers. He just hoped that he'd chosen the right look for his meeting with Ruby.
He knew that he couldn't call it a date when what she really wanted was for him to give up the land. And he'd already decided he was more than willing to do it. Now that she was here in town, all his attention went from wanting a project to wanting her. And he was willing to do whatever it took to make her his.
Before he drove to the hotel, he stopped at the florist and bought a bouquet. His eyes lingered on the dozen long-stem red roses, but he thought better of it. Instead he decided to purchase a mixed bouquet of seasonal flowers with sprigs of holly and pine. He didn't want to give the impression that he was trying too hard, but he wanted her to know that he cared.
He had no idea how much this woman knew about shifters. From her profile, which he was assuming was correct, she was in her early thirties, which meant that she had been a child during the Great War, and what had happened after. He loved that she was almost as old as he was and that they had the same maturity and depth of understanding about life. He hoped that meant something to her as well. He knew that she was nursing a broken heart and expecting her to want to jump into dating would be naïve, so he shouldn't press his luck. But he planned to do whatever he could to be close to her.
He arrived at the hotel, grabbed his flowers from the passenger seat and made his way into the ski lodge. The grand old hotel was one of the oldest and most historic buildings in Fate Rock. It belonged to one of the shifter founders of the city and had been turned into a luxury resort for tourists who came to enjoy the mountains or hot springs that were located on the grounds. The resort offered all sorts of luxuries like massages and facials and such.
Jamison knew the owners and understood that it was a profitable business. He’d considered opening an establishment close to the ski lifts, but ultimately decided against it — lodging wasn't really in his wheelhouse. He preferred housing developments or remodeling rentals like he had in the beginning of his career. He had originally trained as a contractor when he'd joined the Justice Squad ten years ago. He'd used those skills and got into real estate investment. In the beginning, he’d done a lot of the remodeling himself, and still had licenses and the skill to do almost any job that needed doing on a worksite.
He made his way into the hotel and found the restaurant. He looked around the room, trying to find Ruby. And then their eyes met. She was sitting at the table for two by the window as snow began to fall in the fading evening light. The Christmas lights twinkled all around and the scent of the bedazzled Christmas tree wafted through the air. He smiled and waved at her, trying to keep his cool. When he walked over, she stood.
"These are for you," he said, handing her the flowers
She accepted the flowers hesitantly a
nd they sat down across from each other.
"Thank you," she said, setting the flowers down on the table. She'd already ordered a chocolate soufflé. Jamison waved the server over and asked for the same.
"I'm glad you agreed to meet me," he said.
"Is this what it will take for you to give up the property? Me agreeing to date you?"
"Not at all," Jamison said, blanching. He would never do that. "I already called my agent to tell him to withdraw our bid.”
"Oh," she said, taking a bite of her soufflé. The waitress brought his dessert and they were left sharing an uncomfortable silence.
"Thank you," she said, not meeting his eyes. “It's exactly what I’ve wanted for a long time.”
"The place isn't in very good shape. I wasn't expecting you to bid on it.”
"Well, I did. And I can fix it up. It’s old and original, and I can make it exactly what I want it to be. I can have my home, my way. And no one can stop me.”
"You definitely should have that."
"I know. I deserve it. I've worked hard enough. I'm successful. I have money."
She shoved several more bites of the soufflé in her mouth. Jamison was getting the sense that she was still grieving over being left at the altar. And of course she was. He imagined there was a very sad story behind it. A man who would leave her like that was probably not the best boyfriend or fiancé. Jamison guessed that her experience with men in general had not been the best. He didn’t want to add any more sparks to that fire.
“So, what do you do, corpse bride?" he said, trying to add levity to the situation.
She looked up with him and then laughed as if she’d just remembered her username from mate.com.
"I'm a romance author, of all things. You know how they say you should write what you know," she said. He waited, ready for her to say what he knew was coming. "Well, I don't know anything about romance. I am a complete failure with relationships. I really thought it was going to work. I'd been with Chad for six years. I did everything I thought he wanted. I compromised my own dreams because I thought that eventually things would work out. He was everything I was supposed to want in a man. In the end, he was nothing. But, like my sister said, it was all for the best. He really was an asshole."
Now it was Jamison's turn to laugh. "I hope that it hasn't soured your opinion of all men.”
"No. My sister's husband Tony is a great guy. I envy her sometimes. He doesn't make a lot of money, but he loves her. They love each other, and they have a wonderful family. Sometimes I wish I was her. Even though they struggle just to pay their bills, buy the groceries, and put winter jackets on their kids."
Ruby was getting emotional and it made Jamison's heart go out to her. He wanted to reach across the table and take her hand, but he knew an act of affection like that would come across wrong at this point, so he held back.
"Well, I know there's a good man out there for you," he said in a low voice.
Ruby looked up at him, her sharp hazel eyes meeting his. She seemed to be analyzing him. Trying to read his mind. She looked away and took a deep breath and let it out, shaking her head. She smiled, looking back at him, and took the last bite of her soufflé.
“Maybe there is. But I know that I'm not ready for it right now. All I know is that I'm getting this house, and I’m fixing it up. Then I'm going to finish writing my current novel. That's all I have the energy for right now. I just don't have room in my heart or my life to get into anything new. Chad completely destroyed me. In front of everyone I know… and my mother. I've never been so humiliated. You seem like a great guy, Jamison. You really do. I mean, I'm sure you’re a catch, and you’re objectively quite handsome, if I may say so. But I'm just not ready."
"That's totally understandable," he said, his heart sinking.
He did understand, but it didn't make it any easier to hear. He wanted to sweep her off her feet and show her that there were men in the world who could love and cherish and honor a woman all the days of her life. To give her all the things that she'd ever wanted to receive. He was that man, and he wanted to be that man for her more than he'd ever wanted anything in his life. Even though she said she wasn't ready, he vowed to himself right then and there that he was going to stick it out and wait until she was.
“I really appreciate you pulling your offer on the house, Jamison. You don't owe me anything. And obviously you saw potential in that property. You're a good guy. If this were a different universe, and I'd had a totally different life up until now, I'm sure that things could be different between us. I'm sorry, but I just I can't date anyone right now.”
"You don't need to explain, Ruby. You're grieving. You were hurt. I don't expect anything from you. I want you to know that me giving up the property is totally worth it just to make you happy. I don't know how much you know about shifters, and I probably really shouldn’t get into it, but stepping back from this property so that you can have your dream is the absolute least I could do for you. And I want you to understand that." He looked directly into her eyes.
She let out a long sigh.
"I kind of feel like a selfish brat right now." She took a sip of her white wine.
“Don't. You're not. You're a woman who knows what she wants. You’re at a point in your life when you will finally get it. I want you to be happy. There are no strings attached to that whatsoever. If you ever need anything—elp with the house, anything like that—I know all the people in town. I have all the equipment. I'm at your disposal."
He took his business card out of his wallet and slid it across the table to her. She bit her lip and took the card, a sheepish expression across her face. She felt guilty for asking him to step back, but he didn’t want her to feel guilty about wanting her dreams or for asking for the space she needed.
"Thank you, Jamison," she said. “You really are a good guy." Her voice was weak and distant. The fatigue and the pain was catching up with her. The bravado that she'd presented earlier was just an act. Behind it, he saw a sweet and vulnerable woman who'd been battling all her life to get herself where she was today, and seeing behind her façade made him even more attracted to her that he had been before.
She stood from the table and started away, taking his flowers with her, but then stopped and gripped his shoulder. The spark that ran down his shoulder and into his chest was like a lightning bolt. She looked down at him, and he gazed up into her beautiful face.
"This means a lot to me. Really. I'm going to dedicate my next book to you."
"Well, that sounds very nice," he said with a smile. She closed her eyes and her lips tightened in an uncomfortable but sentimental smile. She then let him go and walked away, disappearing out of the restaurant. But, he hoped, not out of his life.
Chapter 7
Ruby signed the last form, making her dream property her own. She'd paid in cash and accepted all the responsibilities for repairs. She couldn't wait to move into her property. She knew that there were plenty of problems, but she was ready for the challenge.
She shook hands with the realtor and seller and turned out of the office. She couldn't remember the last time she’d felt so happy and accomplished. Sasha was right: Chad leaving her was the best thing that could've happened. Now she could focus on the future and the life that she deserved.
She had the keys in hand and a song in her heart as she drove back to the hotel to pack up her things. It had taken only a few days to close on the house, and now she was ready to move in. She didn't have any furniture or house supplies, but that could be rectified soon enough. She'd already started shopping, and would have a delivery by the end of the day. She needed to get out to the farm to open the door for the driver as soon as possible.
Her phone rang. It was Sasha. Ruby used the button on her brand-new SUV to answer the call while she merged onto the freeway.
"Are congratulations in order?" Sasha asked happily.
"The house is mine."
"Are you coming over to celebrate?"
"I
'm afraid I can't. I need to get out of the house to meet the furniture delivery.”
"I wish you would reconsider staying with us until the house is fixed up.”
"You don't have to worry about me. It's going to be fine.” The farmland and forest zipped by outside her car window.
"You’re pretty far out there, and there's a storm coming.”
"I may have been living in Manhattan for the last ten years, but I am Coloradoan. Don't forget that." Ruby laughed.
She didn't want to admit that she also had some trepidation about staying out of the house with so much work needing to be done. She didn't want to put her sister out, though; they barely had enough room for their own family. And she was tired of staying in the hotel. She wanted to be in her own place.
She'd planned to work on her novel while on her honeymoon. She was already behind schedule, and she’d hoped that being alone out at her new house would give her the peace and quiet she needed to concentrate.
“You could always stay with Mom," Sasha suggested.
Ruby knew her sister was trying to be helpful. But staying with her mother was really the absolute last thing that she wanted to do in her life. Her mom's endless criticisms were intolerable. She couldn’t listen to another not so subtle comment about being left by Chad or how her biological clock was ticking. She’d also listened to her mother berate her father and boss him around enough for one lifetime.
"That's not going to happen.”
"I know that you and mom never got along. But she's trying. She's changed a lot in the last few years.”
Ruby thought about all of the rude comments about her body while she tried on her wedding dresses and stifled a laugh.
"I can tell," Ruby said.
"It's not as bad as you think."
"I wish I could be as positive and as forgiving as you. But I'm not," Ruby said. "You're a better person than me. What can I say?"
"You're the best person I know, Ruby Wilson. And don't you forget it."
Builder Bear (Justice Squad Book 6) Page 4