Ruby Island

by Anita Rodriguez

  When Amy pulled onto the side street, she turned to Matt. "Just go, Matt. Be free. Live your life and be happy, if you can."

  "Don't bring Sarah into this," he barked.

  "Ooh, touchy much?" Amy asked. "I didn't bring your fiancé into this conversation, I just told you to be happy. Of course, maybe you're just the type of person who can't be happy." Amy drove, purposefully popping the clutch in second gear, which caused the car to lurch forward.

  "Ha!" He said, and then a few moments passed in silence. "Maybe the problem with you is that you are more happy than anyone else. Maybe your level of happiness is abnormal, not my level of unhappiness. You know, sometimes I'm just living here." He stopped short, realizing that he was yelling. The irony wasn't lost on Matt that he was grumbling about being happy, because if he would admit it, on some level he wasn't happy at all.

  Amy drove a few blocks in silence. She turned the corner and headed down Park Avenue toward Bill's New York penthouse. She pulled up to the valet who opened her door, and the doorman opened the passenger door.

  "Are you in or are you out?" Amy asked. She meant the visit with Bill, but once the words were out of her mouth, she knew she'd meant more.

  Matt stepped out of the car and looked at the building.

  "It's Bill's place," she said before he had time to ask.

  "Of course it is," Matt answered somberly. Bill Ruby was the last person he wanted to see right now.

  "I'm out," he said, and Amy felt the sting.

  "This is Bill Ruby's car," Amy said to the valet.

  "Of course, miss," the valet said, and Amy felt a pang of jealousy realizing how easy he'd accepted that a woman would be out driving one of Bill's cars alone.

  Amy shrugged it off as she stepped toward the curb. She spent a lot of time in Manhattan, and yet she looked up at the imposing twenty-five-story building. It was a restored brick building that had giant windows on each level, and it held all of the charm of the original design but with a flare of wealth in the new shiny features.

  Amy looked to her right in time to see Matt walk away without a backward glance. He turned the corner out of sight. “Typical,” she said to herself.

  She walked through the revolving door and crossed to the elevator. She shook her head when she recognized Bill's butler, Donnelly, standing in the lobby of the high rise. He was in his full black butler attire and he looked out of place in the lobby.

  "I can ride the elevator alone," she said.

  "It's so nice to see you too, Miss Reynolds. No boys in tow today?"

  Amy shook her head as they entered the elevator.

  "Mr. Rogers' floor, please," the butler said to the elevator attendant who swiped a card over a flat black pad and pressed two buttons on the keypad.

  "Mr. Rogers?" Amy asked, knowing Bill liked to use race car driver's names in place of his own for privacy.

  "The staff and I have been having some fun with him since you showed up with the children."

  "Yes, but you've been having no fun. Am I right?" Donnelly had been nothing but courteous to Amy and the boys, but she knew he liked being employed by a jet-setter.

  He avoided answering the question so Amy asked another. "I've only seen you at the homes in the Caribbean and Los Angeles. What brings you here?"

  Donnelly cleared his throat. "I'm here in case you need help with the boys," he said sincerely.

  "You?" She sang and then cleared her throat, and the elevator attendant gave a quiet hoot. "Sorry, I assumed you didn't like children."

  "Mr. Rogers pointed out that I am a familiar face to them. He thought it might make them comfortable in their adjusting to society."

  "That's very thoughtful," Amy said.

  Donnelly smiled as the elevator doors opened. "Mr. Rogers is a thoughtful person."

  Amy stepped from the elevator and the beautiful yet sparse decor took her breath away.

  "Amy, it's great to see you. I didn't think I'd get the pleasure until tomorrow when I pick up the boys for the Yankees game."

  "You've redecorated," Amy said, admiring the space. It looked like it came out of a magazine.

  "Last year," Bill answered, and Amy wondered if a woman had convinced him to make the change from his bachelor pad tones to this minimalist chic. It was none of her business, and she didn't trust headlines for facts, but she knew Bill had dated several models and actresses since they had been an item, and she wished they hadn't grown apart.

  "I like it," Amy said, running her hand over the back of the couch.

  "I'm glad," Bill said with a heart-pounding gorgeous smile. He came around the couch and met her, kissing her tenderly on both cheeks. He was rubbing Amy's arms, and she loved the warmth of his touch. She drew in his smell, the perfect mix of his sweet sweat and cologne. They looked eye to eye, Bill brushing away her tousled bangs.

  "I brought the car back," she said in a calmer tone than she'd intended. They were standing close together, and it was comfortable.

  "It's not yours to give back," he said, his perfect lips parting in a smile that exposed his perfect, white teeth.

  Amy swatted him in the chest and was reminded of his hard muscles when her hand hit his shirt.

  "He's too young to own a car, Bill, especially a classic. It’s fun to drive, though," Amy admitted. All of the anger toward Bill for taking over the situation again had flowed out of her, but she did have to make sure he understood his place.

  "He'll get his license soon enough," Bill said.

  In four years, she thought, but she didn’t want to argue.

  Amy pulled back and strolled around the couch, sitting down and looking at the building across the street. Anyone might expect Bill Ruby to take the penthouse suite, but he didn't like being on the top floors. He wasn't afraid of heights at all, but he didn't like to get stuck on long elevator rides as people got on and off of the elevator. He liked the middle floor of this building because it was far enough away from the street as to not get all of the traffic noise, yet low enough to be a short and direct ride up. Amy knew he used the stairs for the exercise when he was alone.

  Bill sat next to Amy. "What can I do for you?" he asked sincerely.

  "Bill, you have been nothing but gracious during this whole mess. Can you just spend some time with me and the boys and don't overdo it?"

  "It's the popcorn machine all over again, isn't it?" he asked.

  Amy laughed. "Something like that," she said.

  When they had first dated and they watched movies in his private home theater, Amy had commented that she missed going to the movie theater because there was nothing like movie theater popcorn. The next time she'd visited his home outside of L.A., there was a full candy counter with popcorn maker installed along with an attendant to take their order. It had been flattering at the time, but also excessive. Amy had asked Bill why he didn't just send someone to pick up a bucket of popcorn at the local theater, and he'd laughed and said it wouldn't be the same, but she could tell by the slight crinkle in his eyebrow that he'd never thought of going the simple route.

  "Do you still have it?" Amy asked.

  "I had to remove it. That butter is a killer on the waistline." He patted his stomach and Amy frowned, worried about her own waistline and the elegant dresses she would be trying on in a few hours.

  Chapter 11

  Cindy and Trish had worked their magic, and Amy's boys were amazed at their mom’s transformation. They could hardly believe that she was the same person in such a beautiful gown, and she was wearing makeup, which they'd never seen her wear before. Bill promised that he'd get her home early and he high-fived each of them on the way out the door.

  Amy could see that their time was well spent at the baseball game that afternoon, and she was glad they were all getting along. Maybe Bill could be the right father figure if Matt was never going to bother showing up.

  Mabel was also gorgeous in her elegant evergreen gown and small cap fixed with the throwback bit of veil over one eye. The boys danced around
her chanting "Auntie Mabel", and although she was gorgeous, Amy hoped that her mother couldn't actually pass as her sister.

  Bill’s limo was waiting outside, and Amy tried to delicately climb in. She felt like a princess when she wore a gown, but she also worried she’d accidentally tear the material. Bill slid in next to her and the driver closed the door and quickly pulled away into traffic.

  "Thanks again for taking the boys to the game. They had so much fun."

  Bill was bright-eyed, but Amy knew that if she'd gone to the baseball game, she would be exhausted from the outing. Bill was always full of energy and full of life, and he'd probably gone home, lifted weights, and drank a power smoothie before picking her up.

  "It was my pleasure, Amy. You did a great job raising them. They behaved perfectly, and we had a blast."

  Amy's face twisted up for a moment. She couldn't remember even one minute of raising the boys, and she still didn't know how to reconcile that.

  "Yes, I did a great job raising them," she said disappointed, and Bill squeezed her hand. She hoped he couldn't tell that she was thinking of Matt at that moment.

  In less than ten minutes, they turned the corner to the hotel and Amy's eyes opened wide when she suddenly remembered Matt’s visit.

  "What is it?" Bill asked.

  "Matt came by yesterday. He was extremely angry. Something about a DNA test?"

  Bill nodded and smiled. "Gary's in town."

  "Mmm-hmmm," Amy said with a smile. She liked Gary even though he seemed like a hanger-on, and although she didn't want Matt hurt, she was glad she would have the evidence she needed to convince him that the boys were his, too. She wasn't pushing for a relationship with him, but she had no intention of letting Matt off the hook with the boys. It broke her heart when the boys asked where dad was, and they deserved to have their father in their life.

  It was all so confusing, and Amy knew she wouldn't have made it this far without Bill. She would have lost her mind, and she knew it.

  When the limousine pulled up to the hotel and Amy saw all of the photographers and the red carpet, she took a deep breath.

  "It's been a while," Bill said, taking Amy's hand. "Are you ready?"

  Amy nodded and the car stopped. A valet waited outside with his hand on the doorknob and then Bill knocked twice on the window and the door whipped open. A thousand flashbulbs went off, and Bill lithely swept out of the car. Amy could hear the energy of the crowd calling his name, but he ignored them, turning back to Amy to help her out of the limousine.

  She slid from the seat and Bill pulled her up, and Amy was once again standing on the red carpet next to him.

  "Who's the girl?" someone called from the crowd of paparazzi, but Bill ignored it.

  Amy looped her arm in his, and they made their way up the red carpet. She was in Bill's bubble now, and even out here among the flashbulbs and swarm of action, he was solid and steady and calm, waving here and there to reporters he knew, and somehow still making Amy feel protected. Protected, of course, until twenty minutes into the cocktail hour when Matt arrived with his fiancé.

  Matt was glad to be at the gala this evening. His fiancé was stunning, and much of New York society was attending. Matt smiled and nodded at people Sarah was talking to, and he enjoyed his bourbon. Everyone was gracious and having a good time, and Matt liked feeling part of the festivities.

  "Hi, Dad," Sarah said, kissing Charley on the cheek.

  "Mr. Robinson," Matt said as he shook Charley's hand. Matt tried to smile and look Charley in the eye, but he still owed the magazine an article he hadn't even started writing, and he was terrified that Charley would find out what happened on Ruby Island. He was also petrified that Charley and Sarah would find out about the boys.

  The boys, Matt thought. Where the hell had they come from? He smiled at Charley and drank his bourbon down and tried for the thousandth time to forget about the flash of white light and the scared voices of the boys who had appeared out of thin air. Matt felt an eerie chill just thinking about it, and he shook off the goosebumps.

  "Matt," Charley said with a tight handshake. "Shouldn't you be working tonight?"

  "A-ha, very funny Mr. Robinson," Matt said with a bright smile, trying to lighten up the comment. Charley stared at Matt for a second too long, letting Matt know that he wanted his article, and then he too smiled for the sake of his daughter.

  "Daddy, Matt's escorting me tonight. He can work tomorrow."

  "I know, darling," Charley said. He kissed Sarah on the cheek and then he patted Matt on the upper arm and moved away. Matt grimaced at the light pat on his arm because it was right in the place where the crazy man in the tuxedo shop had stabbed him with the staple gun-like blood extractor. Matt rubbed his arm and clenched his teeth and vowed if he ever saw that guy again, he would punch him in the face. He also vowed that he would let Reynolds have it the next time he saw her.

  Sarah squeezed Matt's arm tightly and squealed, "Oh my God, it's Bill Ruby! You know him, Matt. You have to introduce us." She was bouncing slightly in her heels like a child who just spotted a clown with a bundle of balloons, and Matt looked over to see Bill Ruby and his date moving through the crowd. He grit his teeth and sighed and wondered why he couldn't get away from this guy.

  "Come on, Matt," Sarah said, pulling on his arm. "Introduce us. I'm going to ask him for an interview."

  Matt dutifully followed Sarah as they wound through the crowd to Bill Ruby. Matt noticed that Bill had a knockout on his arm in an elegant yellow dress. The girl was looking away and Matt couldn’t see her face, but he assumed she was a model and was probably gorgeous. Bill had chosen wisely because his date was only about an inch taller than him, but Matt didn't pay much attention because all eyes were on Bill.

  "Matt, good to see you again," Bill said graciously.

  Matt nodded and tried to smile, but he couldn't. Matt had rented a fine tuxedo, but megastar Bill Ruby had on an elegant, black tuxedo that had a shiny material on the front of the lapels. It was utterly original, and it made Matt fume.

  "Bill," Matt said, "I would like you to meet my fiancé, Sarah Robinson."

  Sarah chirped when Bill took her hand gently and shook it for about ten seconds too long. Matt sighed and stared at Bill's tuxedo, trying to place the fabric.

  "Sarah, it’s a great pleasure to meet you," Bill said, his dashing smile melting everyone within a twenty foot radius. "When I met Matt, he couldn't stop talking about you."

  Matt's face turned red because he couldn’t remember if he had mentioned Sarah to Bill when he was on the island. Sarah patted Matt on the chest and nodded, but she was speechless for the first time ever.

  "Sarah wants to interview you," Matt said.

  "I do," Sarah croaked.

  "That would be great," Bill said as he leaned in toward Sarah. "A tell-all, as it were. I'm sure Matt can give you some notes." The two laughed and Matt turned from red to pale. He hadn't interviewed Bill, and he had no intention of doing that now. He needed to find out about the airplane though, and he hoped he could get Bill alone for a minute this evening.

  "It was wonderful to meet you," Bill said as his date pulled on his hand to steer him away from the couple.

  "It was my pleasure," Sarah gushed. Then she added dryly, "I didn't expect to see you here, Amy."

  "Yes, well…" Amy managed, turning her face forward and looking at Sarah and Matt for the first time.

  As Sarah turned to walk away, Matt's mouth fell open and he did a double take, looking at her face for the first time. He was stunned the woman in yellow was Reynolds. She was beautiful, and she was with Bill Ruby. Her hair was blonde but with brown highlights now and pulled back tightly. He didn't know you could get short hair to pull back, but hers was in a fake bun with some brown strands elegantly framing her face.

  "Reynolds?" Matt gasped as Sarah pulled on his hand.

  "She's getting away," Bill said with a wink and a smile, and Matt turned to stumble after his fiancé. As he went, he wondered if
Bill might have been referring to Reynolds.

  Amy gushed when Liam Neeson hugged her, and she all but forgot about Matt. He hadn't even looked at her when Bill and Sarah were talking, and although she had tried her best to look away and pretend she was surveying the room around her, it had really angered her when she realized that he hadn't even recognized her.

  They all took their seats and, before dinner, they talked about raising children, and Amy had stuttered when Liam remembered she hadn't had any children last time they'd met. Bill was quick to think, and he said that she'd adopted to save her from having to tell the unrealistic story.

  They joked with Bill about turning into a family man, and he was sincere about his affection for the boys, which made Amy glad. She felt like she'd been hit in the stomach though, when she noticed Matt looking their way.

  Dinner was enjoyable for Matt, although he kept looking over at Bill Ruby, who had his arm around Reynolds all night. Matt wondered if he would have eventually recognized her on his own. He put his arm around Sarah and smiled, squeezing her shoulder, but he kept returning his gaze to the other table. Reynolds was laughing with Liam Neeson like they were old friends, and Matt was thoroughly jealous. He wanted to be best buddies with celebrities and go through life without a care. And where were the boys tonight? Had she left them with a stranger? He told himself he didn't really care about that, but his temper was rising, and he stood and moved to the nearest open bar when dessert was served.

  "Matt Cole," he heard from behind, and he swung around with a smile on his face until he saw who was addressing him. It was Bill Ruby walking toward him. The superstar had a smug expression, and Matt looked around for Reynolds, but he didn't see her anywhere.

  "Bill Ruby," Matt replied, trying to be courteous. It hurt to fake smile after a minute, so Matt stopped trying so hard.

  "I owe you, Matt," Ruby said, looking around the room.

  "You're welcome," Matt said. He was annoyed, wondering what Ruby was talking about.