Page 44 of Stroked Long
My guess is no. Up until now, she has been patient and kind toward me. She is probably like this with everyone, so I can’t think any more about it. But this is the first timeI’vemade so much effort for someone. I’m not sure it is sustainable. Her acceptance or my effort.
The rest of dinner we discuss the foundation, our next steps, connecting with the national governing body for swimming to set up some paint stations while at training camp, and where we want to hold the event. Ruby has taken time out of her days to scope out some facilities and has narrowed it down to three places we will visit when I get back from trials. My schedule is too jam packed with training and scheduled appearances to fit them in before. Ruby talked Eva into getting her yuppy artist friends involved as well.
Overall, I’m really excited with what we have in the works. I’m pretty proud of what we’ve been able to come up with, and Eva seems to be just as proud.
After dessert—yes, I got to hear her “ooo” and “ahh” over my homemade healthy chocolate mousse—we headed into the living room where we both sat on the couch to finalize the last details of the gala.
“Champagne has to be served,” she counters.
“It doesn’thaveto be served. We could save some money by not serving it.”
“Have you ever been to a gala before?”
Is she serious?“Ruby, Eva is my sister; of course I’ve been to a gala.”
She leans forward on the couch; there is a good four feet between us as I made it that way. I’m fucking self-conscious as hell when she’s too close, I don’t want her to see how nervous she makes me. Plus, if I was closer, I don’t know what I would do, probably something stupid like kiss her. “Have you ever seen—?”
A loud boom interrupts her sentence followed by two flashes of lightning and another boom, shaking my condo. Before Ruby can finish, a downpour of rain hits the roof, making conversation difficult.
“Jeeze.” Ruby cuddles into herself. “That was kind of scary.”
I want to tell her she can come hold my hand, maybe rest her head on my chest for comfort but I refrain. How fucking weird would that be if I offered her comfort? Pretty sure she would flee the condo straight into the eye of the storm.And I couldn’t bear that thought.
“I didn’t think the storm was going to be this bad,” I say, pulling my phone from my pocket and opening the weather app. The deafening alert sound coming from both our phones interrupts me.
“Flash floods and mud slides in the hills,” Ruby says, reading the alert. “Shoot. I should probably go so I can make it home before it gets really bad.”
Boom. Thunder erupts, putting an exclamation at the end of her sentence, scaring her even more. Hard rain pelting the windows and deck echoes through the room over the constant beat of the heavy downpour.
Turning to Ruby, I say, “You’re not going anywhere. You can stay here tonight.”
“Don’t be silly.”Boom. She flinches. “I will be fine.”
She stands and so do I. She’s not going anywhere, not in this storm. I would never forgive myself if something happened to her, and Eva would straight-up slaughter me if I let Ruby leave in this weather.
“It will ease up. I don’t want to put you out.”
Pulling up my weather app again, I look at the forecast and flip the screen in her direction. “It’s one hundred percent rain until two with a severe weather advisory.”
She bites on her index finger. “Uh, they always say that but it means nothing.”
A flash of lightning followed by a giant boom. The lights flicker, only to falter, turning the condo and all surrounding areas pitch black.
“You still going to go?” I ask her.
I can’t see her but I can hear her heavy breathing. “Uh, maybe I should stay here.”
Thankfully I have a small generator to maintain the alarm system and make sure it’s always on, especially in blackout situations like this. Blackouts are a thief’s Christmas. The generator also warms my water and that’s about it.
“Might be a good idea. Here, let me get a few candles. I will be right back.”
Before I can move, Ruby is at my side, holding onto my arm for dear life. “Please don’t leave me.”
She’s actually shaking. She’s scared. Fuck, what do I do? Do I put my arm around her? Pat her head and tell her it’s going to be okay? Ask her if she wants to make out in the dark? Option three she most definitely won’t want to do even though it’s my number one choice.
“Uh, okay. Do you want to come with me?”
“Pretty sure wherever you go right now, I will be right by your side.”Boom. She shudders, making my heart ache a little more.
