“You did it at Jubilee and the other day when I came over to talk to her about Ocean City.”
“Now you’re both crazy,” I said, but I didn’t believe it.
I had spent so many years telling Ruby she was being sensitive that I convinced myself of it. Adam wasn’t sensitive. But he didn’t know Ruby.
“What did I say?” I asked.
“When I told you I wanted Ruby’s help, with her standing right there you asked why I would want her help, ‘of all people’.”
“I—Wait. Did I?” It was a week ago, but I could easily remember the conversation and the flicker of emotion that passed over Ruby’s face. “I didn’t mean it in a bad way. I just meant she hasn’t been working and we have architects on staff.”
“None of them are as talented as your wife. You need to see that.”
Out of the corner of my eye was the closet with Ruby’s old boxes and that napkin. She was talented. I knew that. So why would I say that?
Of all people.
And she said I had been saying things like that for years. Did I? Why?
“Listen, Oscar, I know you love Ruby, just like I love Olivia. At the time I didn’t realize I was taking Olivia for granted. I see that now. Don’t let things get any worse.”
I had a lot to think about.
Chapter 11
Ruby
"Then we'll lose the project. We've already wasted enough time and resources on this."
Oscar had raised his voice so loudly that I heard him clearly. Adam had stopped by after dinner to catch up on some outstanding projects, Ocean City being one of them. I didn’t have to hear the earlier part of the conversation to know that’s what they were talking about.
I was curled up on the couch with my book when I heard Oscar. I closed my book and sat up straighter, trying to listen.
Adam had texted me a couple of times since he got back from vacation, asking me if I had thought about it. But I still hadn't committed to anything. I didn't even tell him that I had driven down to Ocean City, or that I sketched plans not only for the homes, but for the neighborhood as well.
While Oscar‘s voice echoed down the marble hallway, Adam’s was harder to hear. I strained listening, but the best I could make out were mumbles.
Eventually I couldn’t take the curiosity anymore. I got up and quietly went down the hall and stood outside Oscar's office.
“Adam, you’ve got to let this go. It’s okay if we lose this project. It’s just one.”
“But we don’t need to lose this project,“ Adam said. “We have the right people, we just need the right designs. We need the right presentation. Clearly something in our previous presentations hasn’t connected with them.”
“That lack of connection is why this isn’t the right job for us. I know we’ve both been wanting to break into the shore market, but it’ll have to be with another project.”
“Oscar, as your friend, I’m telling you you’re being ridiculous. Just let me talk to her again. I know she can help us.”
“Your desperation is muddling your thought process. I don’t know why you’re so set on Ruby helping. You need to move on. It’s not happening.”
“It’s like you’ve forgotten who helped build the company with you to begin with.”
“I haven’t forgotten anything. I know you’ve been there since the beginning,” Oscar said.
Adam sighed then scrape of a chair being pushed back on the hardwood floor reached me. These weren’t Oscar’s deliberate footsteps. It sounded like Adam must’ve been pacing the floor.
“This isn’t about me,” Adam said. “I think this has more to do with you than you realize.“
“What are you saying?“ Oscar asked, his stern voice rising again.
