Deep Inside Google

by Virna DePaul

  “I’ll check in a minute,” Ruby said. “But um… There’s something I have to tell you, Dad.” She turned to her side, as if to speak privately, but Alec was still privy to the conversation. “You might hear something today or tomorrow…something about me and Alec LeBrun kissing in the locker room. Don’t freak out. There’s an easy explanation.”

  Phil O’Brien was silent for so long, Alec winced. “What explanation, Ruby?” He finally said, his voice clipped.

  “Well, see, the moment I told Alec about the sponsorship, he got so happy, he kissed me. Right at that moment, one of the assistant coaches came in. He might have...misunderstood.”

  Alec frowned even as Ruby glanced his way. Obviously it wasn’t what he’d wanted her to say. He’d wanted her to trust him. Trust his idea. Take the chance on exploring what they could be to one another. But this was her father. Her career. She had a right to handle things as she saw fit.

  Phil was once again silent for a few seconds, then he sighed. “All right, here’s what we’re going to do. Spin it that you’re dating,” Phil said. “We’ll play the soul mates card. People will be all over it. The good girl who tamed the bad boy.”

  “What?” Ruby’s eyes, which hadn’t left Alec, boggled.

  Alec raised his brows even as he suppressed a grin. Obviously, he and Phil O’Brien processed things in a similar fashion. The question was whether Ruby would go for it.

  By the look on her face, her father hadn’t sold her on the idea any more than Alec had. “Are you sure, Dad? It will be viewed as…unprofessional.”

  “It’s fine, Ruby,” her father said. “However, you will have to give up your position with the Bootleggers. Maybe take a leave of absence indefinitely from the first. You’ll be let go from the firm immediately.”

  Phil’s words immediately wiped the grin off Alec’s face.

  Ruby’s shoulders slumped, but she nodded. “Okay. Who do I give my cases over to—”

  “No.” Alec swiped Ruby’s phone from her. She tried to take it back, but there was no way he was going to let any harm come to Ruby. Even from her father. “That’s not going to happen, Mr. O’Brien. Ruby stays. After all, it was her hard work that earned me a shot at the sponsorship. If she goes, I go.”

  “LeBrun, I believe this is between me and my daughter.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong, Phil. You’re talking about disciplining her for something I did. I initiated the kiss, not Ruby. We don’t have to say we’re dating. Ruby thinks we should simply explain we were celebrating and went too far. That the kiss meant nothing. And I trust her, so if that’s how she wants to play it, that’s how I’ll play it.”

  Alec felt Ruby place a hand on his arm. He looked down at her and sent her a silent message. He might have made the same suggestion as her father, but she was calling the shots here, no one else. And she certainly wasn’t losing her job over any of this.

  “No one’s going to buy that and just let this lie,” her father said. “Saying you’re dating is the better strategy.”

  “Maybe. Like I said, that’s up to Ruby. But no matter what she decides, she remains a Bootleggers publicist. She remains my publicist. If you fire her, I will fire you, and I’ll take the Sports Armour deal to another firm. Is that clear?”

  After a moment of silence on Phil’s side of the call, he muttered, “Fine, Ruby stays on. But if you lose the sponsorship because of all this, there’s going to be hell to pay.” The line went dead.

  Alec held out the phone to Ruby and braced himself for her anger. Sure enough, she snatched the phone from him and snapped, “Lord protect me from men who know best.”

  Alec winced. “Actually, I believe what I told your father was you know best. I was just making sure he knew I had your back while you decided what that was.”

  “Well, you shouldn’t have told him that. I let you in on that phone call, Alec. I didn’t give you permission to take my phone and hijack the conversation. That phone call was between me and my dad. My boss.”

  God, she looked so fucking beautiful when she was pissed off. Of course, he valued his life too much to tell her that, and anyway, the point she was making was completely valid. Even so, he’d do what he did all over again if he had to.

  “Ruby, I’m sorry if that was pushy, but you weren’t going to play hardball with your dad. I had no problem doing it. Your job is safe, no matter what. How we play things next is totally up to you. The question is are we playing it safe by brushing off that kiss, or are we going to start dating—out in the open, for real? And, Ruby, if you decide not to do the latter because you don’t think it’s the best move professionally, that’s one thing. But if you decide not to do it because you’re scared of what you feel for me, well…that’s something else. All I can say is…don’t. Don’t be scared. Take a chance on me. You won’t be disappointed.”

  She stared at him for so long, her gaze searching, yearning even, but she remained quiet. So quiet, he knew she remained unconvinced. She didn’t want to take a chance on him. Not again. Not after he’d fucked things up, asked her out then proposed to Colleen, then been a complete asshat, jeopardizing his career and hers in the process. Fine.

  He sighed. “Okay. We’ll play it your way. I’ll talk to Vince first and tell him the kiss meant nothing and we’ll see what—umph.”

  All of a sudden, Ruby wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to kiss him. When she pulled back, she rested her forehead against his and said, “Let’s do it. Let’s date. Let’s date the fuck out of each other and see where it goes.”

  Alec grinned and pulled her in for another kiss.

  Chapter Nine

  His kiss felt warm and toasty in the fall breeze, turning her weak legs and core into hot liquid magma. In the distance, a whistle blew out on the stadium field. Reluctantly, Alec pulled away and tipped her chin up to look at him. Ruby tried not to feel like another half of her had been ripped from her chest.

  “Come over later? I’ll make you dinner. We can talk about all this some more when we’re not under so much pressure. But don’t worry. It’s all going to be fine, Red. Promise.”

  Ruby nodded. It was hard accepting that promise, because there were no guarantees. It was also hard hearing him say that maybe she was afraid of them two being together, but maybe she had been?

  Maybe he was right, and she’d been using her career and her father’s iron fist over her as an excuse not to get close to Alec, because even a reformed bad boy was still a bad boy. As Alec ran off in that perfect athletic gait of a seasoned football player, Ruby slipped into her car and let the captive air of her lungs escape.

  “Holy shit,” she spoke into the quietude of her car.

  Excitement, worry, and pure lust all whirled together throughout her soul.

  What was she getting into? Would he hurt her?

  If she did this…if she agreed to date Alec…her world would change dramatically. Soon, she’d be in the public eye, not behind it. She’d appear in photos with Alec, accompany him to charity events, and people would come to know her as Alec LeBrun’s girlfriend. They might even be known as “Al-Uby” or worse—“Ru-Bec.”

  Ruby cringed and started her car.

  But would it last? She hated the possibility that she might just be Alec’s rebound girl after Colleen. People might accuse her of having come between them. So many ulterior motives nagged at her, but her gut feeling told her Alec LeBrun was exactly who he appeared to be—a good guy who’d made a few wrong turns and was trying to find his way back to center.

  Ruby just wanted to make sure that center was her.

  There was no point in resisting him anymore. She’d always wanted him, and now that he wanted her, too, it all felt a bit overwhelming. It’d been one thing to fantasize that her handsome, charming client would one day look at her, but it was another knowing that he actually wanted to take it to the next level, wanted to please her, and not just sexually either. He seemed to genuinely care for her and loved the idea of the
whole world knowing about it.

  Now Ruby just had to chill out and enjoy it.

  In the evening, she rang the gate to the swanky home in Thomas Square Streetcar. She brandished a bottle of wine, wore jeans and a flirty green top, nothing too sexy. Comfy, a little romantic, and chill, she thought.

  I am chill. I am chillastic. I am the embodiment of chillitude.

  By the time Alec answered the door thirty seconds later, however, she was a ball of nerves again. The door to the gorgeous mansion unlocked. A dangerously handsome man answered wearing jeans and a fitted T-shirt that highlighted his body. “There she is. My favorite redhead.”

  Alec.

  There was that smile. It rendered Ruby boneless every time.

  He looked even more amazing surrounded by the opulence of the home he’d earned with his own bare hands. A football had earned him all this. His hard work had earned it.

  “Heyyy. If we’re going to be dating,” she said, stepping into the foyer with a grin, “I should probably be your favorite person, shouldn’t I?” She laughed and handed him the bottle of wine, which he accepted before pulling her into a big hug.

  “You’re so right. Come here.”

  She melted against his chest. Damn, he smelled delicious, like rosemary and spice but also something unnamed. She knew she was in trouble. Good trouble. The kind of trouble that made you wish you’d be bad more often if the punishment looked anything like Alec LeBrun.

  “Something smells yummy.”

  “Besides you?” He closed the door and led her inside. “Damn, girl. You’re looking fine, finer than usual, that is. How do you keep getting more beautiful every time I see you?”

  “Stop, crazy man.” She blushed. Sure, he was flirting with her, and he could’ve just been saying pretty words, but she felt his words, too. She felt prettier every time she saw him, and maybe he was responsible for that. For pulling the natural magic out of her.

  “You’re right on time. The butternut squash is done roasting. I’ll put the steaks on the grill now, unless you want to wait?”

  He was saying something about food. She wasn’t sure, because she couldn’t focus. His house was incredible. She’d been to celebrity homes that were all gray or white, monochromatic, boring as hell, and devoid of feeling. But Alec’s house was warm and inviting with wood floors, gorgeous modern paintings, and even a little kitty lurked in the shadows.

  “We can eat now, if you want. I’m starving. Who’s this?” She crouched to pet the all-gray feline with the green eyes sashaying up to her.

  “That’s Henna. She likes you. She never comes up to anyone.”

  “You’re just saying that.” Ruby scratched Henna between her ears.

  “I’m dead serious. She’s a feral cat I found in my yard last year before the last hurricane that blew through here. I brought her inside to keep her safe. She’s been with me ever since. She hates ninety-nine percent of the people she meets.”

  Ruby’s heart warmed instantly, and the best part was, she felt it was true. She knew by the way he said it, not looking for attention or praise, just heading into the kitchen, that this little creature had been afforded a good life thanks to one said cocky football player. Briefly, she wondered if Henna ever liked Colleen, but as soon as the thought entered her mind, she pushed it away.

  Colleen would not ruin another dinner of hers.

  “Now, why didn’t that story ever make it into the public?” she asked. “People would’ve loved that.”

  Alec shrugged. Ruby and Henna both followed him. “I don’t know, but let’s not share it. Henna’s shy and wouldn’t want the attention.” He chuckled, then opened the oven and pulled out the roasted veggies.

  “Fine, fine. That looks amazing,” Ruby said. “I didn’t know you could cook.”

  Alec flashed her a look. “There are lots of things you don’t know about me, Miss O’Brien.” The way he said it made her stomach crunch. Indeed. She was only getting to know this man, but so far, she wasn’t sure what she’d been so afraid of. After heating a pan to cook the steaks and pouring Ruby and himself glasses of the cabernet she’d brought, he asked, “Do you have any pets?”

  “Me?” She balked. “I wish.” Henna jumped onto the counter and arched her back into Ruby’s hand. Her bright eyes blinked happily. “My dad never let us have any. He always felt that pets would ruin the house.”

  “Wow. Was he strict when you were growing up? Your dad? Seems like it.”

  Ruby took a seat at the center island and watched Alec set the marinated steaks on the pan. “He could be, yes. I think he was harder on me than on my brothers, maybe because he figured it’d be harder for a girl.”

  “Well, it worked, didn’t it? Because you’re tough, you don’t take shit from anyone, and you’re the best in your field. In many ways, I admire the man. He raised you.”

  “I don’t know if I’m the best, but I have a pretty good work ethic.”

  “A pretty good work ethic is a rare thing, Ruby.”

  She nodded. She didn’t think it was, but then again, she didn’t know where Alec was coming from. Maybe he was thinking about the women he’d known in his life. Maybe he was thinking about his mother. “What makes you say that?” She risked. He’d never talked much about his family and she’d always wanted to know.

  Alec side-glanced her. “Let’s just say one woman I know has worked her ass off all her life. You would like her.”

  “Your mom?” Ruby guessed.

  “You got it.”

  “You don’t talk much about her. I’ve been afraid to ask.”

  “She’s private, and I strive to keep it that way. She’s awesome. Raised me all without any help. She was, and still is, two parents rolled into one, since my dad abandoned her when I was a baby.”

  “Oh, God. I’m so sorry about that.” A few pieces of Alec’s puzzle locked into place. Hearing that he would be a father must’ve been scary for him. He must’ve wanted to right twenty-eight years of paternal wrong.

  “Thanks. She taught me so much. About sports, about teamwork. She even taught me how to cook.”

  “Ah, so that’s where it comes from?”

  “I guess. Most of my friends were warming Hot Pockets after school, but my mom was showing me how to make pot roast, chicken parmigiana, homemade pizzas…” He poured some wine into the pan and scraped it down. “Reduction sauce, anyone?”

  “Okay, now you’re just showing off.” She smiled, inhaling the delicious scents melding in the kitchen. “Seriously, I really can’t wait for those steaks to be done.” Her stomach was now growling, and she couldn’t believe her luck. Gorgeous, athletic, and a talented cook. Even Henna meowed for a bite.

  He smiled, leaned over the kitchen island, and petted Henna’s head and back. Then, he kissed Ruby’s forehead. “Almost done. I know hungry faces when I see them.”

  Oh, he had no idea. She was hungry in oh, so many ways. Driving here, she wasn’t sure how far she wanted to take things tonight with Alec, but she did know she wanted to click with him first. Connect again like they had been doing the last several weeks. Whereas their first time had been impulsive, this time she wanted to go a little slower. Find out more about him.

  “So, how come you didn’t become a cook?” she asked. “What made you go into football?”

  “Because football was always my escape. Don’t get me wrong, I love cooking, but as a kid, it was a chore, a survival thing. Football was the one thing that made me feel free, like I could act my age. When you’re raised by a single mom, you have to grow up kind of fast.”

  Ruby nodded. She was lucky enough to have both parents and a normal childhood. They weren’t rich by any means, but they had good times, good Christmas presents, and good vacations. She knew she was blessed.

  “Your mom must be proud of you,” Ruby said and meant it. If she had a son like Alec, she’d be incredibly proud of his accomplishments. She’d be worried as hell about his private life lately, but she’d still be proud. She didn’t wa
nt to think too hard about Alec as a child, though, because that would make him more real in her eyes, and the realer he seemed, the more she’d want to help him, heal him and his heart. The more she’d want to become a part of his future memories.

  I’m scared of falling too hard for him, she thought suddenly, sipping the wine mid-glass.

  What was that smile on his face for? His eyes gleamed.

  “What?” She smiled.

  “Nothing. You just have this really content look on your face right now. I like it. You look relaxed.”

  “I am relaxed.” And feeling even more relaxed by the second after the wine.

  She set about getting the salads ready, placed the roasted squash in a bowl on the table, and prepared the rest while Alec finished the steaks and plated them. My own, personal chef, she thought with a grin. It was so nice to talk, sit down with a fantastic meal—and it so was, the best she’d had in a long time—and just be with Alec. No worries, no talk about their kiss earlier or her father or any of the events that had transpired.

  “To a new beginning,” Alec said, raising his glass for toast. “We so needed this.”

  “We did.” She clinked her glass against his. The wine was the perfect accompaniment to the even more amazing steak dinner. And the roasted butternut squash! Everything was superb.

  “And I so need you, Ruby.” He made sure to throw that one in there before digging into the meal. The idea wasn’t lost on her. She knew his full intentions. It was she who had to decide how serious to get with Alec. Was she ready for him to go from crush to serious BAE?

  Maybe it was the delicious meal, the sweet soundtrack playing from a speaker somewhere in the house, or the wine that shaved the edge off her nerves, but she settled in. Alec was funny and sweet and soon, she had no idea why she’d judged him so harshly. He was nothing like a child—something she’d accused him of several times—and now she felt bad about it. If anything, he hadn’t had the chance to fully be a child. Instead, he’d been a boy caring for his mom, being a man way too soon.