She rubbed her hands over her face, doing her best to open her eyes and focus on the day ahead. There was so much to do after the big night. Apart from making sure the cleaners did a good job on the venue they’d hired so they didn’t lose their deposit, which she couldn’t afford, she had to follow up on what Carly said about the lease for the property. Sure, the business side of things was her bestie’s domain, but Ruby needed to keep her finger on the pulse. Besides they still didn’t know if the owner would let them stay even if they could afford the higher rent. All they knew was that it would be the last year they could lease the place for what they were paying now but the proposed cost wasn’t what she wanted to pay. She’d worried this might happen. With each property they’d leased, there was never a long-term promise. Land was worth so much in Sausalito. It was such a hipster town but it was also close to other communities and a central enough point that they could reach enough people.
It was also a great area for people to adopt too. People with money and means to give her animals good homes. Sausalito was a doggie town. Everyone had one or two or even three fur babies. It made sense to be where the animal people were, even if they were being priced out of that market. Something had to go their way. At least that was what she told herself. Sooner or later she had to stop the lying to herself and face reality. They were fighting an uphill battle trying to keep a non-profit organization going in a town where everything cost so much.
She stumbled into the bathroom and kicked her jacket. It’d fallen off the chair where she’d thrown it last night. Ruby picked it up and shook it. Harley, her three-legged staffy grabbed it, thinking they were playing a game of tug the rope.
“No, Harley. Let it go, baby.” The dog looked at her and did as she asked, his head tilted to one side as if he was in the wrong. She patted him and spoke soothingly to ease his fear before she picked up the jacket again and wiped off the dog slobber with a wash cloth. She went to hang it in the wardrobe, something she should’ve done last night. Before she closed the door, she remembered. That lovely man had given her an envelope and she needed to hand that over to Carly when she got into work. She pulled it out and dropped it on the bed before she hung the jacket up and headed into the shower to wake herself up.
When she got into the shelter forty minutes later, the phones were ringing. Carly had one tucked under her ear and was just about to reach for another one. Ruby grabbed it, “Please hold a moment,” and grabbed the other one. “Sausalito Animal Shelter. This is Ruby.”
“Hi, Ruby.” Simon’s deep baritone voice stopped her in her tracks. She’d heard it so much last night in her mind while she was trying to sleep. Hearing it so soon after was disconcerting. “Hang on please. I have someone on the other line.”
She grabbed the other phone, giving herself time to settle her nerves. “How can I help you?”
After Ruby made an appointment for a potential adopter to visit the shelter, she hung up. Carly pointed to the waiting call. Ruby had no choice but to pick it up. “Simon. What can I do for you?”
“I wanted to see how you were after last night.”
She turned around to avoid Carly’s inquisitive gaze. “I’m fine, thank you.” He didn’t need to know she’d slept like crap after seeing him. Or that her mind wouldn’t stop analyzing the past, coming up with excuses as to why she hadn’t moved on.
“Wonderful to hear. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening too. Listen, I wanted to know when you want to start our date nights? I have something on this evening but I’m free all week after that.”
She chewed her lip. Damn Wes for putting her in this spot but there was no getting out of it. May as well get it over and done with. Rip it off like a Band-Aid.
“Sure. Tomorrow night sounds fine.”
“Great. How about I pick you up?”
“Sure.” She rattled off her address and put the phone in its cradle.
Carly watched her from behind her desk, a soft smile on her lips. “Simon?”
“Yep.” Ruby groaned. “Nothing good can come from this. You know that, right?” She pulled the envelope from her pocket and dropped it on the desk.
“No, I don’t. One million dollars is pretty good to me. Pretty sure that makes up for any issues you’re going to have being wined and dined for a week. You’ll have the ear of one of San Francisco’s richest and most eligible men for seven dates. You can convince him to offer all and any help he sees fit to bestow upon us.” She grabbed the envelope and slid her finger under the flap. “You have history that I think you should use.”
Ruby slammed her hand on the desk. “No way!”
Carly sat back, a frown on her face. “Wow. Chill out, girlfriend.”
Ruby sank into the chair and put her head in her hands. “Sorry to bite your head off but that’s a sore point with us.”
“Why? You never did tell me why you broke up.”
It still hurt her to talk about it but maybe it was time to let it go and who better to dump it on? “We were all waiting for the day Simon and Tyler sold their first program, the one that would make them rich and more importantly, put them on the map. I found out about it on the news the
