Corbin is still standing for some reason. I guess this is a little awkward for him. After all, his mother is setting him up on a meet-and-greet sort of lunch date, while his secret girlfriend sits in the corner. Oh, and he’s still dressed like… There are just no words.
Yeah… Not weird at all.
Giggling to myself is accidental, but Corbin turns toward me, and he rolls his eyes just as the maid returns.
“Mrs. Sterling, Chloe Macintosh is here to see you. Should I show her in?”
Corbin chokes on air and pales all of the sudden, even though I have no idea why. A cold smile touches Lisa’s lips as she stands.
“Yes. Of course. Show Ms. Weathers to the foyer and collect her things, please, and send Ms. Macintosh to the parlor.”
The Stepford girl’s brow knits together, apparently confused by her sudden dismissal. Corbin’s eyes are wide when he looks at me, seeming to be in panic mode for some reason.
“Why is Chloe here?” he asks, turning toward his mother with a stupefied look mixed with… fear?
Lisa’s face has become expressionless again as the poor Stepford girl is escorted out with a sad, dejected look in her eyes. Now I really feel sorry for her. Lisa needs to stop using them like toys to show her uninterested son. They’ll develop real insecurities otherwise.
“Because her mother is serving on the board with me for one of my charities, and Chloe is most likely dropping off something I need. Could you go handle it for me while I speak with your date? I don’t want the poor girl leaving and telling her parents how wretched this lunch was.”
Corbin scowls, and he looks to me once more before darting out of the room. Lisa’s eyes fix me with a calculating look I can’t decipher, but it’s evil. I feel like I’m missing a piece of the puzzle right now.
“Why don’t you follow Corbin so the maids can get this mess cleaned up,” Lisa suggests too sweetly. “Who knows, he might need help.”
CHAPTER 31
CORBIN
There’s no way my mother knows what a shit-storm this could cause, or she would never have invited Chloe here. Fuck my motherfucking luck.
Chloe is holding a garment bag while staring out a window when I enter the parlor room, and she turns just as I walk in. Her eyebrows go up in surprise, considering I haven’t spoken to her since that night… That godforsaken night.
“What are you doing here?” I growl, and she props a hand on her hip before thrusting the garment bag at me.
“Your mother called my mother, and the next thing I know, my mother is demanding I bring this over here. It’s some sort of dress. Hell if I know.”
Groaning, I jerk the garment bag away from her.
“Is this a phase?” she asks, humor sparking in her eyes as she gestures in a sweeping motion with her hand.
I get a little queasy all of the sudden, just now remembering how fucking stupid I look.
“Long story. You gotta go.”
She laughs while completely ignoring me.
“No way. You’ve avoided me for years. You run off like bats from hell are chasing you any time we do end up at the same function. And now you’re wearing makeup and leggings? You so have to explain. And damn! You totally cut your hair! Why?”
“I don’t want to speak to you, Chloe. And I don’t have to explain shit.”
Her eyes turn to angry slits. “If anyone should be pissed about that night, it’s me. I asked you if you were dating anyone, and you said no. Then some girl pops in, freaks out, and you stop right in the middle of… things to chase her down. You never even gave me an explanation, and I sure as hell never asked Maverick about it. He’d give me hell all the time if I did.”
“Ask Maverick. He already knows. Just go. Please. I’m fucking begging—”
“Oh,” Chloe says loudly, interrupting me as though she’s warning me to shut up as her eyes widen and shift toward the door behind me.
Every muscle in my body is tense, because I know who is there.
Chloe has changed somewhat since college, but there’s no doubt that Ruby will remember her. Everything about that night is probably seared into her brain.
I really don’t want to turn around. I don’t want to see the look I know will be in her eyes right now. But I know I have to.
“I should probably… go,” Chloe says under her breath, shifting her footing before turning and going out a different door like she can’t get out of here fast enough.
Apparently she remembers Ruby as well.
Taking a deep breath, I slowly turn around, and a piece of me dies.
Unshed tears are in Ruby’s eyes, and her jaw is tight. Her arms are defensively crossed over her chest, and her knees are locked in place like she might fall if she lets them have any flexibility.