Bound to Please(93)
“Your fault?”
“I made him miss the party, but it was for his own good.”
Ruby just stared and made a “Go on” motion with her hand.
“Oh. Okay. See, here’s the thing. He’s been absolutely miserable this last week. He’s pining; he’s moping. He’s been shot through the heart, and you’re to blame, baby; you give love a bad name!” She sang this last part as she played air guitar.
“You’re insane.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that?”
“Yvette,” Ruby said as if speaking to a child. “Why did you buy me this ticket?”
“Because the reason we missed the party was because I made him perfect that song. Before the show the three of us got out our instruments and we just got lost in the music. It’s really an amazing song, one of the best he’s written.”
Ruby was trying really hard not to lose it. Yvette was obviously a few cards short of a deck, but she seemed to have their best interests at heart. “Listen, I really appreciate the effort, but I think it’s misplaced.”
“Nah.”
“How can you say that? He just went upstairs with two bimbos!”
“I think one’s actually an astrophysicist. Or a stripper, I forget. Anyway, he’s just dealing with things the only way he knows how. Girls. Domination. Sex.”
The words caused a nauseous lurch in Ruby’s stomach. “I don’t care. He can do whatever he wants.”
“He mentioned he told you about his family.”
Blinking, she recovered from the quick change of subject. “A bit, yes.”
Yvette ordered another beer, then turned to her. “He hardly ever talks about them.”
Ruby paused. “Really?”
Ignoring the chilled glass the bartender provided, Yvette picked up the beer bottle and toyed with the label. “When he told me how much his dad resented his mom, it was when I first met him. And he was drunk.”
“So? What does it matter?”
“You haven’t known Mark long, but for him? That’s opening up. Big-time.” She tilted the beer bottle to her lips and took a deep swig.
Ruby’s phone rang, making her heart jump. “Mark?” She snatched her phone off the bar, not even looking at the caller ID.
“No, it’s Meg. I got your message. You’re in Budapest? What’s going on?”
Apologizing to Yvette, she excused herself and went to a table in the back of the bar, telling Meg how she’d been set up by Yvette. Then, taking a deep breath, she spewed out exactly what she’d seen Emmett doing on Maiden Lane.
“I’m so sorry, Meg,” Ruby said when she’d finished recounting the story.
“Oh, Ruby. I’m the one who’s sorry.”
“It’s not your fault!” Obviously, Meg was in shock and blaming herself.
“No, you don’t understand. God, this is embarrassing.” She heard her friend take a deep breath. “That was me.”
“No, the woman I saw was blonde. I’m sorry, Meg—”
“I was wearing a wig. God, it was such a bad wig, too. I can’t believe you didn’t know it was me.”
Ruby shook her head as if Meg could see her. “I don’t understand.”
Meg laughed nervously. “Okay, you remember how I told you that Emmett and I were having problems… sexual problems?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Well, we’ve kind of been experimenting to get past all of that.”
“Oh.” Ruby’s face warmed as realization dawned on her. “Oh!”
“Yeah, and that day I was just… playing a role. That day was ‘the sexy businesswoman takes a lover’ role. He was my male prostitute.”
“Wow,” Ruby said, nodding. “I’m impressed with your creativity.”
“Hey, it finally convinced me to get glasses. To, you know, look smart.” Meg laughed, and after a second she said, “Oh, Ruby. I’m so sorry. It must have been awful for you to think that Emmett was cheating.”
She felt her eyes water. “It really was, but I’m so happy I was wrong.”
“Me too. But I promise things are better than ever, and guess what? I’m pregnant!”
Ruby squealed. “Oh my God! Congratulations!”
“Thank you. Now, Ruby. Yvette is Mark’s oldest, best friend. Trust her. Go to Mark.”
After she’d said good-bye, she flipped her phone shut. She wanted to go home, but her ticket had been one-way. She needed to find a computer and book a return flight, but she just didn’t have the energy quite yet. So she went back to join Yvette, who was now using her beer bottle as a pretend microphone and humming a Bon Jovi tune.