Together at Ruby's (Ruby's Bar Book 3), page 1
TOGETHER AT RUBY’S
KC LUCK
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons either living or dead is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2023 KC Luck Media
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever
CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
About the Author
Thank you
Also By KC Luck
iReadIndies
1
Enjoying the warm June sun on her face, Liza Martinez walked through the busy, open-air corridors of the outlet mall a half hour south of her home in Portland, Oregon. Navigating the throngs of people all eager to find a good deal, she was flanked by Allie and Rey, her two best friends. All three had a spring in their step after some very successful shopping. All the summer fashions were already on discount, and Liza was particularly pleased with her finds, especially a pair of strappy, white and tan sandals that would go perfectly with the light green sundress she planned to wear that evening. Being a Sunday, it was date night with the love of her life, Tate Nilsen, and she knew the woman was especially fond of the color, particularly on Liza.
The trio headed for the parking lot, laden with multiple shopping bags from a variety of stores, yet Liza saw one more place she needed to stop by for a minute or two. “I know we said we would be out of here by four p.m., but can we please take a look at the jewelry shop?” Liza asked. “Only for a second, I promise.”
Allie laughed. “Now why are you interested in going there?” she teased, and Liza smiled at her friend’s question.
“You know exactly why, Allie Dawson,” she answered, but before she said anything more, Rey playfully bumped her shoulder.
“It wouldn’t be to look at engagement rings, now would it?” Rey asked. “For the hundredth time.”
Liza gave her friend’s comment some consideration. I think I may have looked more than a hundred times, she thought. I’m an expert on diamonds now. She stopped walking, and when the other two did the same, Liza looked from one friend to the other. “Tate is going to propose to me any minute, I just know it,” she said. “But I have no idea what kind of ring she bought, so I need to look at some examples. I think you should both be rather interested too. It’s not like you two don’t have special people in your lives.”
Rey’s eyes widened. “I think that’s a little more than I would expect,” she said, but Liza saw a hint of a blush on her cheeks. She was so happy Rey and Marty were finally a serious couple and not only roommates. They seemed to take forever to figure out their true feelings, but then the two were not like Liza. She never hesitated to say how she felt about anything. When she met Tate, Liza knew immediately that she was the one. Years ago, Allie had invited her to what had been the Ruby Slipper after the college class they shared. One look at the quiet and handsome, dark-haired woman sitting in the horseshoe booth along with all Allie’s closest friends took Liza’s breath away. She had been quick to let Tate know it, and luckily, the feeling was mutual.
Starting to walk toward the jewelry store, Allie shook her head. “I don’t expect anything either,” she said. “But it’s always fun to look.”
“Thank you,” Liza said, always loving getting her way, even when it was only with her best friends. “We will be in and out quickly. Ten minutes tops.”
Rey held the door open for Liza and Allie. “We’ll see,” she said, but there was a twinkle in her eye. “I just love seeing you so happy.”
Wiping away the sheen of sweat on her face with a white gym towel, Tate worked to catch her breath. Her heart had a rapid beat, but she felt it slowing already. After setting a personal 5k running record on the treadmill, she felt good, really good. She took pride in being physically fit, more muscular than average, but also never wanted anyone to think she showed off. Her friend, Nikki, teased her at times about the attention she attracted when she bench pressed a considerable weight, but the act was never intended to draw a crowd. According to her friend, more than one woman in the gym had their eyes on Tate. That meant nothing to her. She was only interested in one person, the woman who made up her world, and that was Liza Martinez.
“New personal record today?” Nikki asked as Tate joined her at the weight bench.
Tate nodded. “Yes,” she said. “By eleven seconds.”
Holding up her hand for a high five, Nikki grinned. “Outstanding,” she said as Tate slapped their hands together. She appreciated her friend’s excitement over the accomplishment. They worked out early almost every morning at Tate’s favorite gym. If she could call anyone her best friend, it would be Nikki Vander. Although the woman was tall, blonde, extremely attractive, and had a body almost as fit as Tate, Nikki was surprisingly humble and had a heart of gold. If Tate ever needed anything, she could turn to her friend any time day or night. In fact, all the friends in Tate’s closeknit circle knew Nikki would always be there for them. In some ways, the woman was the glue that held their group together. That and the bar called Ruby’s, which aside from her love for her gym, Tate considered a second home.
Nights when she wasn’t working late, she would meet Liza at Ruby’s and check in with her friends. Unfortunately, over the last two years, those opportunities were few and far between. As much as she wished it didn’t, her job consumed her life as she scratched and clawed her way up the ladder at the large, international financial firm where she had worked since she was a college intern a decade ago. But that’s all about to change, she thought as she picked up one of the large, round metal plates to slide onto the waiting barbell. Because tomorrow I’ll be the new Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions. A smile spread across her face simply thinking about how much better life would be after tomorrow morning—hers and Liza’s.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking, my friend,” Nikki said from where she stood beside the weight bench ready to spot Tate when she was ready to lift. “But from that smile, I think it’s pretty damn good.”
Taking her place on the bench, Tate lay back and positioned herself under the heavily laden bar. “You’re right,” she said. “It is.”
“That’s all I get?” Nikki asked while Tate got a good grip.
“Yep,” she said in her usual stoic style. As much as she wanted to share the news with her friend, Tate didn’t want to jinx getting the promotion. She knew most people would find that line of thinking silly, but she grew up in a house where superstitions were taken seriously. Her mom even went so far as to perform a little “white magic” from time to time. Tate remembered candles of various colors lit on specific occasions, finding crystals in odd places around the house, and attending celebrations at the solstices and equinoxes. Only Liza knew the truth about the new position, and Tate had sworn her to secrecy.
As Liza, Allie, and Rey discussed the pros and cons of each sparkling engagement ring in the jewelry store’s many glass display cases, Liza hardly contained her excitement. Tate was certain to propose to her once she got her new position at work. More than once, Liza had to bite her tongue to keep from blurting out the news of Tate’s upcoming promotion. Only her promise to Tate kept her quiet. The woman had made her cross her heart that she wouldn’t say anything before there was a done deal. Another one of her crazy superstitions, Liza thought as the trio moved to the last case where less traditional rings were on display. I will never understand how someone so focused on the world of facts and figures can believe all that stuff. Still, she loved Tate, even for her sometimes peculiar ideas, and would never break her word to her.
Stopping to look, Liza took in the sight of her favorite. A one and half carat, round-cut diamond rimmed with rubies that seemed to glow under the perfectly placed lighting. The beauty of the ring against the cream-colored velvet always made her stop and appreciate it.
“That’s the ring, isn’t it?” Allie said in a hushed voice, as if the bit of beautiful jewelry needed to be revered.
Liza nodded. “I think the ring is about perfect,” she answered. “Not too big, not too small.”
“It is very beautiful,” Rey agreed before tilting her head. “But how will Tate know you like this one so much?”
Sighing, Liza stepped away from the display case to lead them to the exit. “Well, I have dropped hints now and then about what I like in rings, but I am never sure what sinks in with Tate,” she replied. “She’s always so calm about everything.”
Allie followed Liza and Rey out the door of the jewelry sto
“Tate is the epitome of the strong, silent type,” Liza replied as they started for the mall’s vast parking lot. “But it’s probably for the best, you know, considering.”
Both Rey and Allie laughed as they all scanned the crowded lot for Liza’s blue Subaru. “Do you mean considering your… hmm… outgoing personality?” Rey asked, making Liza snort a laugh.
“Well put, Rey,” she said, always impressed at how her friend could find the right thing to say in any situation. Thankfully, the woman’s tact helped get Liza out of hot water more than once. “But yes, exactly that. No matter how mad I get or what I say, Tate very rarely gets ruffled. It takes a lot for her to lose her temper.” If Liza had to describe her partner in a sentence, she would say that Tate was her rock. Regardless of what whirlwind of trouble Liza stirred up, she could always turn to her for unconditional love and support. They were the perfect balance, with only one thing causing trouble between them—how much Tate worked. But that’s about to change, she thought as they reached the car. She promised me her schedule would be much more normal after she became the Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions. No more working sixteen-hour days. Liza couldn’t wait.
2
After wrapping up one of the best workouts Tate had in quite a while, she helped Nikki rack all the weights they used. She felt excellent. The perfect mixture of worked muscles and sense of accomplishment. “Hey, do you have time to grab a smoothie at the counter, or do you have to head out?” Nikki asked once they finished their task. “Because if you have an extra minute, I have a question to ask you.”
Tate checked her watch. The time wasn’t much past four o’clock, so she had at least a half an hour before heading home to take a hot shower. With Liza shopping, she was pretty confident there was a little time to kill before her girlfriend got home. Besides, if Nikki needed something, she always wanted to help her. Considering how generous Nikki was, it was the least Tate could do.
“Absolutely,” Tate said. “Everything okay?”
“Oh yeah,” Nikki replied. “I need some of your business wisdom is all.”
Curious, while not sure what to make of Nikki’s comment about needing advice, Tate followed her to the smoothie counter. “You know I deal with mostly international finance, right?” she asked. “Business school was a long time ago.”
After they ordered two protein and fruit smoothies and stepped aside to wait, Nikki nodded. “I know. But it’s an investment type question,” she said. “I’ve come into a hefty sum of money and want to put it somewhere useful.”
Hefty sum of money? Like what? she thought while keeping her face neutral. Always known for her reserved personality, being nosey was way outside of Tate’s norm, even with a close friend. “Well,” she started. “There are numerous options, of course. It will depend on how much risk you want to take with it mostly.”
“I see.” Nikki looked thoughtful. “I’ll have to think about that.”
“Do you want me to run through the options with you?” Tate asked as their order was called. “I can have my assistant set up an appointment.”
Finding them a small table, Nikki furrowed her brow. “That might be too formal at this stage,” she said and grinned. “I was thinking maybe over beers at Ruby’s sometime soon?”
“Even better,” Tate answered. “I wish more of my clients were open to that.” Taking a drink through the straw, she relished the sweet taste of the thick liquid for a moment before the phone in her pocket buzzed. Maybe that’s Liza home already? she thought. Or running late? She smiled a bit, knowing that was most likely. The text was from Allie, though, and for a second she felt a pang of worry only to read the women were running late.
“A fender bender is holding us up at the 217 exit,” Allie wrote. “Liza says she’s sorry but will make it up to you.”
Tate wasn’t surprised since that area of the freeway was notorious for delays. “No problem. Tell her I’ll meet her at home,” she typed but hesitated with her thumb in the air before adding, “and tell her thank you for not texting while driving.”
Allie sent back a smiley face. “Everything okay?” Nikki asked, and Tate nodded as she put away the phone.
“Stuck in traffic,” she said, suddenly having an idea since they had extra time to hang out.
The topic was something she had been meaning to ask Nikki for a while, but the whole subject made her nervous. “So, if you have a few more minutes, now I have a question for you.”
Swallowing a drink of her smoothie, Nikki winked. “You know me,” she said. “I have nothing but time.” It was true. Tate did know Nikki was generally available at any time day or night. She had no idea how the woman earned a living or what she did for work, and whenever anyone started to raise the question, Tate noticed Nikki avoided the topic every time. Just another facet of the mysterious Nikki, she thought, before building up the courage to ask her question.
She stalled by taking another drink, and Nikki apparently noticed because she raised an eyebrow. “Okay, okay,” Tate said, taking a deep breath. “It’s about Liza.” She cleared her throat but then pushed on. “I want to propose to her, but I have no idea how to do it.”
Sitting in the car as traffic crawled along excruciatingly slow, Liza practiced keeping her impatience in check. There was nothing to be done but limp along with everyone else as they all squeezed into one lane to pass the site of the three-car accident. At least I am here with Allie and Rey to keep me company, she thought, half listening to their chatter about Portland’s upcoming Pride festival and parade. “It lands on your birthday this year though,” Rey said, and it took a second for Liza to clue in that the statement was directed toward her. “Will you and Tate be in town for that weekend? Or do you have other plans to do something special?”
“Especially since it’s your big-three-oh,” Allie added making Liza wince. Her friend was only being playful, but Liza wasn’t particularly excited about turning thirty. Her dislike for the significant event wasn’t something she elaborated on with her circle, usually choosing to laugh it off as no big deal. But deep down, the upcoming date unsettled her. Clearly, this time Allie noticed her reaction. “Hey, I didn’t say that to upset you.” Her voice turned gentle. “Are you not looking forward to your birthday? Normally, you love them.”
“I know you didn’t,” Liza said with a sigh. “And no, I’m not looking forward to it this year.” Allie was right, Liza did love her birthdays normally. Being the center of attention and showered with gifts made her extremely happy. But leaving her twenties behind was a big deal, and if she was honest, scared her. “I just don’t know how I feel about turning thirty. I mean, I expected my life to be a lot different by now.”
Always the comforting one, Rey rubbed Liza’s leg from beside her in the passenger seat. “In what ways?” she asked. “Married to Tate?”
Nodding, Liza was relieved to finally be moving past the accident on the freeway. “Yes, married for sure,” she replied as she accelerated to the normal sixty-five with all three lanes open again. “And, well, if I’m being honest, I hoped to have a kid or two as well.” She felt her eyes well with tears. “But I don’t have any of that.” A tiny tear slipped out.
Leaning forward, Allie touched Liza’s shoulder from the backseat. “Liza, I’m so sorry you’re feeling sad about it,” Allie said. “But all of that is going to change soon. You already said you were sure Tate would propose any day now.”
