“I’m so happy for you. Really pleased that it turned out well.” She wiped a tear from under her lashes. Hearing feel good stories about her babies always made her emotional.
“My name is Graham Charters.” He pulled an envelope from his jacket pocket. “I won’t be here for the auction. I don’t like leaving my wife alone too much at night but I wanted to personally deliver this cheque to you and to let you know that anytime you find yourself in need of help, be it financial or otherwise, you can call me.” He handed her the envelope. “My business card is inside.”
A lump of gratitude stuck in her throat and Ruby couldn’t get the words out. She smiled and put a hand on his arm, mouthing the words. Thank you.
“I’ve also donated some of my company’s services for the auction. I hope you raise a lot of money, Ruby.” He gave her another smile and walked away.
Carly reached for her. “Wow. Had you met him before?”
“I think so. He came an adopted one of our babies back when I’d taken over the management side of things.”
“He did?”
Ruby nodded and watched him walk out the door “But I see so many people so I can’t be sure it was me who signed off on it or not.”
“Mr. Charters. He is a huge property developer here in San Francisco. Lives in a gorgeous old house in Sausalito overlooking the harbor. I believe his son lost his battle with cancer a couple of years ago. They say his wife almost died from grief.”
She waved the envelope. “He gave me this in gratitude.”
Carly squealed. “Open it.”
“Not now. That would be crass.” Ruby tucked it into the inside pocket of her black jacket. “Tonight after this is all over.”
Carly sighed. “Sure. We’ll get together and go over the initial figures and see if we made money or lost it. Come on, let’s make this place jump.” She bopped off across the floor, stopping along the way to interact with people, doing what she did best. Carly was a people person, unlike Ruby who preferred animals.
“Ruby.”
* * *
Her shoulders stiffened and the color drained from her face as she turned toward him. Pain flickered through her eyes but was dashed away with a blink.
“Simon. I didn’t know you were going to be here.” Her chin lifted as she defended herself against him. He should’ve known she would take this badly. He’d cajoled an invite from Carly with the warning that went with it. Be nice or there would be no second chance.
“It seemed like a good excuse to do some good. My company likes to work with charitable causes in the community. Carly invited us.”
She gave him a tight smile. “Right.” Ruby looked everywhere but at him.
She hadn’t changed much since he’d seen her last. Still gorgeous, still angry. But he could hardly blame her. He’d been a fool. An idiot.
“Still working hard, I see.” He gazed around the room, ignoring the people who stared openly at them. The geeky and single CEO of a heartless tech organization and the woman who gave her heart to everything she did.
“Yep.” She grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and gripped the stem so hard her fingers turned white. He wanted to take the glass from her, take her hand and walk her outside away from the buzzing crowd. Talk to her quietly like he used to do while her heart stopped pounding from being around so many people at once but that wouldn’t go down well. He’d lost that right five years ago and he only had himself to blame.
“So, how’s business?” He knew her financial position but what else could he say?
She stared at him then, her warm brown eyes changing at the mention of her mission in life. The anger and wariness fading as if she knew fighting him in public was futile. “Same as always. Never enough hours in the day, or enough money to make it through or enough people to adopt my babies. And they keep coming through the door faster than I can find homes for them.” She took a deep breath. “But I’m doing what I can. Tonight will raise our profile and hopefully raise enough funds to keep us solvent for another year.”
“I can help, you know.” As soon as the words were out, he wanted to kick himself. If there was a worse thing to say to her, he didn’t know what it was.
She pressed her lips together. “Buy something at the auction since you’re here. That will help.” Ruby turned and walked away with her head held high.
She was beautiful when she was angry. Every time he’d approached her since that fateful day, she’d refused to talk to him. Tonight she seemed more accepting, more chilled. Maybe it was a time thing. Or maybe she really was that desperate for money, she’d put her anger aside.
“She’s freaking out.” Carly’s voice came over his shoulder. “We’re terrified the landlord will raise the rent again. It might mean yet another move that none of us have the heart for. We have nowhere else to go. We’re all out of options, Simon. So maybe it’s time to put your money where your mouth is and help the one you love instead of sitting on the sidelines pretending you don’t care.”
“She doesn’t want my money. You of all people know that, Carly.”
Carly sighed and elbowed him in the ribs. “You are such a nerd, Simon. Put your thinking cap on. Find a way to give her money that she can’t turn down. You’re supposed to be clever, remember?”
If he’d been that clever, he never would’ve let her go in the first place.
Chapter 2
Ruby’s face ached from smiling but she wasn’t about to finish the night without talking to everyone she could and letting them know how much she valued their support. She had
