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Not after Ruby.
‘You were a kid too, Luke. You’re only three years older than I am,’ Jack said, finally winding down. ‘And Mom’s issues weren’t your problem, but you took them on. So don’t tell me you’re not the settling down type. You are. You always have been. And you want to know why?’
Luke just stared, not sure if he did or didn’t want the answer. Getting relationship advice from his kid brother had to be a low point in his life. The fact the advice was actually making some sense made it even lower.
‘Tough shit, because I’m gonna tell you anyway,’ Jack said, taking the choice away from him. ‘You’re the settling down type not because you had to be, but because you’re good at it. And you like it, or you wouldn’t have spent the last ten years making a killing building other people homes. You say this Ruby chick is smart and creative and compassionate and funny? Well, you’re all those things too.’ Jack gave him a deliberate once over. ‘I don’t find you hot, but I guess it’s not outside the realms of possibility she might think you are. Women can be screwy like that or they wouldn’t get crushes on douchebags like Ross Barlett.’
‘Yeah, well, it doesn’t matter anymore because it’s over,’ he said, suddenly feeling defeated. ‘I left and Ruby decided to sell the theatre rather than take my money to save it, so I think we can safely say she was not that into me.’
It was a lie, because Ruby had been pretty into him. But her being in
love with him didn’t change anything. Not if he couldn’t love her back. Ruby got that, and she was a hopeless romantic, so it was a lie he could live with.
‘You offered her money to save the theatre?’ Jack asked.
‘That’s what I just said isn’t it?’
‘I guess you can add pride to your list of her good qualities then. And self-respect.’
‘What?’
‘Come on, Luke, would you have taken your money? To save something that means so much to you?’
‘I wouldn’t have said no. That’s just dumb. She’s gotta close the theatre now and sell it, just because she didn’t want my help.’
‘You don’t get it, do you?’
‘Get what?’
‘How could she accept your money if she loved you?’
‘How did you know that?’ Luke blurted out, so shocked Jack had figured it out he felt like he’d just leapt into a parallel universe.
‘She told you she loved you, then,’ Jack said, but it wasn’t really a question, as his eyes narrowed and his lips pressed into a thin line, and Luke said nothing.
‘And I’m guessing you didn’t say the same to her,’ his brother said, reading his mind again.
‘No,’ Luke managed at last.
Jack took a long draft of his beer. ‘Why not?’
‘Because I don’t love her, obviously,’ Luke snapped.
‘You sure about that?’ Jack said, only pissing him off more.
‘Of course I’m sure. Why wouldn’t I be sure? I’d know if I was in love or not, wouldn’t I?’ Luke said.
Why was he having to argue with his brother about this? And why was having to think about what he had, or rather hadn’t, said to Ruby, turning the weight in his gut into a super nova?
‘Would you? Because you’ve always been real good at avoiding those conversations.’
‘What conversations?’
‘The ones where people talk about their feelings.’
‘Uh-huh. Since when do you like talking about feelings?’ he asked. Getting relationship advice from Jack was bad enough, being told he should talk about his feelings was just plain wrong. If there was ever a guy who didn’t talk about his feelings it was Jack. Except now, for some whacked out reason he couldn’t figure.
‘Since never,’ Jack conceded. ‘But we’re not talking about me. This is about you and Ruby Graham, who is smart and funny and compassionate and super-hot and loves you. And who you’ve talked about more than I’ve ever heard you talk about any woman you’ve ever dated. Even that super model you were hooking up with on a regular basis for two years.’
