Me? In love with Roberto? There was no way that could be possible. I have a boyfriend and he's been good to me. So what if I'm having doubts about his loyalty to me? Roberto and I just saw each other for the first time in two years. There's no way I'm catching feelings for him already. If Marcus is cheating on me, this is going to make me just as bad as him. Maybe she's talking about Lucas. She has to be.
Renée had me thinking about that all morning. I didn't get a wink of sleep, but I wasn't tired. Who would have thought I would ever be in love with Roberto of all people? We've been friends for as long as I can remember. Even if I did like him, I didn't know how to flirt when I was 14. I didn't even care about liking guys then.
But, it was killing me. How was it that my own cousin could see that my relationship was falling apart? If not for her, I would have realized too late that he might be uninterested in me. This can't be happening to me. It just can't. There is no way that me, Ruby Dominguez, is in love with a guy I can never possibly have a stable relationship with. No way. I won't believe it.
"Knock, knock." Roberto walked in with a smile. "Did you get any rest?"
"...No," I muttered. "But, don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
"You sure? It's not because of the long flight here?"
"Jet lag has got nothing on me. I'll be fine." I slid out of bed and shook my hair out of its bun. "What do you have planned for the day?"
"I was thinking we could go into the city and just have some fun. Unless you want to take the train to Paris."
"That sounds like fun, but I'd rather stay here in Lyon."
"Why don't you...get ready and I'll wait for you downstairs?"
"Of course."
Roberto's eyes flickered downward, then back to my face. He smiled and left my room. I frowned and looked down at what I was wearing. Of course! I smiled to myself and pulled my robe tighter around me. Sheer nightwear isn't recommended with a guy who loves roaming around.
Twenty minutes later, I was ready. Roberto came in to check on me, saying he was due to be at an appointment in ten minutes time. I guess I was going to crash his worksite today. That sounded cool.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
"Mhm." I picked up my cardigan and phone. "How far is it?"
"Just a couple of minutes. It won't take us too long." He grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers together. Somehow, this felt right. I didn't feel like I was doing anything wrong. "So, I was wondering what you would be willing to do today. I know you just arrived this morning, but it's better to sleep when it's time to sleep."
"That's true. We could go eat at our favorite place," I suggested. "If it's still open."
"Anahera Café? Of course, it is. Janet is always there, too."
I guess we're going to Anahera Café.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Roberto!" A girl flung herself at Roberto as we entered the modeling agency. "It's been so long since you've been here."
"Hey, Angie," Roberto greeted her with a laugh. "I was just here last week. How have you been?"
"...Yeah, that is true. Who's the girl?" she asked, completely dodging his question.
I stared at the girl until Roberto finally let her go. She smiled at me like she hadn't just thrown herself at my best friend. Roberto stepped aside to fully reveal me to everyone watching us.
"Angela, this is Ruby." He pulled me to his side.
"She's Ruby?" Angela laughed and called someone over. "Chantel, she's Ruby."
"Ruby?" Chantel frowned.
"Yes, Ruby. Rob always talked about her. You know...the Ruby with the booty?"
Chantel grinned and hit Roberto's arm. I took a not so subtle look at my butt and rolled my eyes. I didn't have anything anymore. When you sit on your butt all the time for two years, it just leaves you. I can't say the same for my chest.
"I guess there's no need to introduce myself," I said. "It's nice to meet the both of you."
"Ruby, I'll be right back. Angela and Chantel will keep you company while I'm away," Roberto said and planted a kiss on my temple. The girls nearly swooned. I waved him away like it happened all the time. "Later, babe."
After he was no longer in earshot, Angela and Chantel grabbed me and dragged me over to wherever they'd come from. The photographers glared at them, but they pretended they didn't see anything.
"How'd you do it?" Chantel asked.
"Do what?" I asked.
"How'd you get Roberto to stay friends with you? Two and a half years away from your best friend...it's got to be hard to pick up where you left off."
"I didn't do anything. He just sort of welcomed me back with open arms. It would have been hard to avoid him, anyway. He and my cousins are friends."
"I don't have any cousins down here. Even if I did, he wouldn't want to know them. They're known for being...them." Angela frowned. "But, it is what it is."
"Angela, here, dated Roberto for a year," Chantel said. "It's only natural they have a special relationship. But...I can say he's moved on. You're back."
"I have a boyfriend," I pointed out.
Our little group grew quiet. Yeah, it's out there now. Roberto knows, so he has no reason to pretend we're dating or anything. Or make irrelevant comments about my butt. Nothing was said in the seconds leading up to my phone ringing.
I looked at my phone and sighed. Him again. "I have to take this." They nodded and walked away. "Yes, Marcus."
"We're breaking up," he said.
"What!"
"We're breaking up."
"I-I-I know what you said. Why? What did I do?"
Marcus sighed like that was the dumbest thing I'd ever asked him. "You didn't do anything. I'm not wasting any time on explaining anything. I just don't want to be with you. We should start seeing other people."
"Two years down the drain and you want to...leave it all behind? Drop me like I'm nothing?"
"Ruby, it's not that hard to wrap your head around. I don't want to be with you anymore."
"Are you seeing someone?"
I feared for his answer, but I might as well know. If he admits to this, then I know his little project friend might be the girl he's seeing. Who goes out with a girl late at night when you're dating someone? Only cheaters do that.
"As a matter of fact, I am," Marcus admitted. "And you should start seeing someone else, too."
"It's not that easy," I snapped. "...You know what, never mind." I hung up without another word.
"So?" Chantel looked at me expectantly as I approached them.
"What?"
"What happened? You seemed pretty upset."
"Oh...I guess I'm single now."
Chantel's eyebrows raised in question. Angela's jaw ticked, but I didn't think anything of it. It's normal to be jealous. If she is jealous. I would be jealous if my ex was friends with someone like me. But, what does she have to be jealous of? I'm nobody. I don't look anything like her.
"I needed to let go of him. He was...holding me down."
"An anchor," Chantel said.
"Agreed." Angela forced a smile. She was definitely jealous.
Roberto came back with an envelope in his hands. Angela and Chantel backed down and bid us farewell. I guess they didn't want to talk longer than they had to. Roberto led me outside back to his car without a word. When we had settled down, my phone rang again. I looked at the caller ID and sighed. I wasn't about to answer it this time.
"Who's it?" Roberto asked.
"...My ex," I muttered.
"Ex? I thought you only dated once?"
"I did. He had just broken up with me before you came back." I tossed my phone onto the dash. Roberto grabbed it, and before I could say anything, he answered it.
"Yeah, hi," he said. "Who am I? I'm Ruby's boyfriend. Who are you?"
I sighed. Men. You can never do anything normal with them.
"Mhm, whatever you say. I can assure you that you cheated and I just claimed her. Don't call her again. If I hear you have, I'll make it my life's work to come after you and make sure you pay for wasting her time."
"Roberto!" I exclaimed when he hung up. "What the heck!"
"...It is what it is. He won't waste your time anymore, Ruby. Trust me, you're better off without that jerk. You deserve someone better."
"Like you?" I snatched my phone back. "No way. I can't just rush into another relationship and we're best--"
Roberto shut me up with a kiss. I was stunned for a solid three seconds before pulling myself away. This was never supposed to happen. Now today's going to be more awkward than it already was. Curse men and all their impulsive actions.