Steve, feeling weary from traipsing around the shops, but happy about the time spent with Ruby, carried the shopping bags upstairs. There was little point emptying his case now; he hung up his newly bought wardrobe instead. Ruby wouldn’t allow him to wear his old clothes, anyway.
Considering Steve hadn’t seen Ruby since their mother’s funeral, over a year ago, he was pleased they were getting along. At the funeral, he would have liked to have stayed for longer, but his work schedule had been tight, and he’d had to leave Ruby to grieve on her own. Thankfully, the press had stayed away and honoured his family’s privacy.
He’d grieved on his own. Maybe that’s why he’d fallen so hard for Erica, his emotions so bare and raw. Neither Steve nor Ruby had really mentioned their mum today. Maybe they were too scared to bring to the surface the emotions it might evoke. Fifteen years had put distance between Steve and his family, yet he would never forget his mother. She’d been the one insisting he followed his dream, supporting him through thick and thin. Unfortunately, when the time came and he could truly repay her, she was gone.
So he would do all that he could to help Ruby.
He raked his hands over his face, then headed back down to the kitchen. He stared into one of the overhead cupboards and spied, sitting on the top shelf at the back, a cafetière gathering dust. Unfortunately, after checking the rest of the cupboards, he couldn’t find any ground coffee. He could take a quick trip down to the shop, he’d seen one on the corner. It wouldn’t harm.
He grabbed the key and strolled down the hill. Ten minutes later, he was meandering around the shop with a basket, picking up essentials, which included a bag of ground coffee. He preferred to buy fresh beans and grind his own coffee, for ultimate taste, however he wasn’t sure whether Ruby had a grinder or not. Trawling the aisles had a certain normality to it that Steve hadn’t enjoyed in a while. Usually someone did this stuff for him, delivered his groceries – he had a team of people doing his day to day tasks. He hated the word, but yes, he had an entourage. But today, going around this small shop didn’t feel menial. It felt great, liberating.
Freedom.
Like the good old days.
Near the checkout stood the newsstand. Anxiety slowly crept up his back, but deciding it was best to keep up with the news, he selected a couple of newspapers and a glossy magazine that followed the ins and outs of A-listers. He’d need to keep an eye on this. One whiff that he was near Bristol and he’d need to tell Marie to make sure his double was seen holidaying somewhere hot and far away from here.
The middle-aged woman in her smart, blue uniform didn’t bat an eyelid, too busy scanning the items in his basket and shoving them into a carrier bag. She only looked him in the eye when she asked for his money. Maybe she didn’t follow the world’s top ten sexiest men – Steve was voted tenth last month. But it was a good thing she didn’t, Steve quickly remembered, irritated that he’d felt a moment of disappointment that she hadn’t recognised him. When had he got so cocky? Confidence was more attractive than cockiness.
He didn’t want to get recognised. It would give him more chance of finding someone.
Steve strolled towards Ruby’s house, her car still not on the driveway. Her neighbour’s front door opened and an elderly lady slowly emerged, smartly dressed as though off to church. She wore a hearing aid over one ear and used a wooden stick.
“Oh, hello,” she said, cheerfully beaming at Steve. “Has our Ruby got herself a young man at last?”
Steve laughed and shook his head, approaching the woman. “No, no, I’m her brother.” He put his shopping down and held out his palm to shake hands with the woman.
“Ruby never said she had a brother. Well, well, what a handsome young man.” The woman took his hand with her frail fingers and patted it, rather than shake it. “It’s good she’s got company. I’m Daphne. I’ll see you again then?”
“Yes, I’m staying for a while.” Steve hesitated, unsure whether to give his own name or not. They hadn’t agreed on an identity. A name. He’d probably have to use a different one.
Daphne wandered off down the road, very slowly, and Steve let himself into the house. He flicked the kettle switch again, and it wasn’t long before he was sitting at the dining room table with a decent mug of coffee, thumbing through the papers.
No mentions of him being anywhere near Bristol. Though, to be honest, today must be a good day. There were no mentions of him at all. This was British press though. He’d check with Marie what the Americans were saying, too.
***
Ruby had entered the hotel by the back doors and headed straight towards her office. She thought this would minimise her chances of being seen as she didn’t wish to be in the hotel any longer than necessary. Her days off were precious at the best of times. She worked all hours God sent at times in this place. She loved it, but she also needed a break from it too, and with Steve home, she wanted to spend time with him.
“Ruby, have you got a minute?”
With her face hidden behind her monitor looking at the staff roster, she grimaced and cursed to herself. Too good to be true. Sometimes her open door policy was a pain in the arse. She looked round and smiled, knowing damn well it looked fake, “What is it, Alice?”
Alice stood nervously in the doorway holding a piece of paper. She wore a sleek black spa uniform with a mandarin collar. Her chestnut hair was pinned into a neat bun, with a couple of spiralling tendrils down the side of her perfectly made up face.
“Pete hasn’t approved the order I put through. I need some more supplies for the spa. I’m running low. I can’t massage without oil.”
Pete was Ruby’s assistant manager, and not particularly good at his job. Ruby hadn’t hired him. She hired most of the staff, but he’d been transferred from another hotel in the chain. She wondered if he’d been so shit at his job they’d decided to sweep him under the carpet by sending him to a smaller hotel where he could do less damage. Only it meant more work for Ruby.
“Alice, we have budgets. You’re going to have to manage your stock better. Look, can we discuss this tomorrow. I’ll take a proper look at it then – I’m on my day—”
“But I need this stuff!”
“It can wait until tomorrow,” Ruby said, sternly. Lydia appeared at the door. “What now?” Ruby cringed. That was louder and sharper than intended.
“A customer was asking to see the manager,” Lydia said, entering the office. “I was looking for Pete, but I can’t find him. I thought I’d try your office but I wasn’t expecting you to be here.”
“I’m not supposed to be.”
“Are you catching up with your brother today?”
“Yeah.…” Ruby said warily. “How do you know?”
“Oh, gosh, totally forgot, I wasn’t supposed to say anything, but he called yesterday from the airport.”
“Did he?”
“Airport, huh?” Alice chimed in, nudging Lydia. “Did he sound hot?” Lydia blushed as Alice asked Ruby eagerly, “What’s he like? You never said you had a brother. Will we get an introduction? Where’s he been?”
God, where had he been? Steve and Ruby would need to organise a cover story.
“He’s been away.” How lame does that sound? She should have said working abroad, but daren’t stumble too much over it now. “Erm, so, I need to get on. Alice, we’ll talk budgets and orders tomorrow.”
“Um, while you’re here, did you want to see this customer?” Lydia asked, grimacing.
“Not