“Ruby’s known for being tight-lipped about her dating history, though she has been rumored to make the rounds through several actors and fellow musicians over the years;most of her affairs have been unconfirmed. There is one exception, however.”
Photos of me with my exes, real and rumored, appear on screen, painting me as some kind of slut. If it had been a man, they’d be singing his praises, but the minute a woman dates around, she’s criticized and belittled. My body stiffens when a familiar face appears on screen, and it takes all of my self-control not to whip the goddamn phone across the room.
“Ruby dated bad boy actor Nicholas Riley for six months in 2023, and the relationship imploded publicly before the CMA awards that same year. She has since kept her relationships private until now. Who is this tattooed hunk that has Ruby and her fans' hearts fluttering?
“A source reached out to Ruby's former lover for a statement. ‘It’s gotta be a publicity stunt,” says Riley. ‘She’s got all this bad press surrounding the lawsuit, and she needs a distraction. Even if she is really with this guy, it won’t last. Ruby will always be all about Ruby.’”
“In a blog post by someone present during the encounter in Percy Warner Park, the star’s fans called Ruby ‘Incredibly kind and accommodating.’
“‘She stayed and took photos for over an hour and didn’t stop until the last person got their selfie. And don’t even get me started on that boyfriend of hers! What a hottie! He waited patiently for her to finish and even held her purse!’
Sources close to the singer declined to comment.”
“Wow. They really didn’t waste any time,” Liam says over my shoulder.
I toss my phone onto the couch and let out a frustrated growl. “This is fucking ridiculous!”
Liam places a glass of wine on the coffee table in front of me and sits to my left on the velvet couch. “Deep breath, baby. It’ll be fine. Unless, of course, you’re ashamed of me.” He smirks.
I backhand his chest. “I’m used to all of this bullshit.” I rest my head on his shoulder. “They already pick apart everything I do, but you shouldn’t have to deal with it, too.”
He sweeps a lock of hair away from my face and cups my cheek. “I knew what I was signing up for when I came on this trip. Let them talk.” His voice is soft, almost tender, and it instantly calms my nerves.
“I hate this. I just wanted us to have one quiet day to ourselves before the hearing.”
“There’s still time. Come on.”
He pulls me up and hands me a glass of wine, then he tugs me toward the elevator, snagging the rest of the bottle off the kitchen island along the way.
“Where are you two going?” Nico calls after us as we dart down the hallway.
“To find peace,” Liam responds. “Don’t wait up.”
“But—”
I cut him off with a smile. “We’ll be fine, Nico. You can take the rest of the night off.”
I don’t get to say anything else before Liam leads me up the small staircase at the end of the corridor. “How did you know this was here?”
“I have my ways,” he says, pushing open the door that leads to the roof.
He interlocks our fingers, and I follow him over to the railing. Only the penthouse apartments have access to this area, but I’ve never bothered to come up here before. There’snothing up here but a set of string lights and a patio table and chairs, but the view is indescribable.
The city lights cast a rippling rainbow mosaic on the river below, while the moon hangs high in the sky above. I’ve never been a city girl, preferring the fields and valleys of Oak Ridge to the bright lights of Nashville, but there’s still something magical about this view.
“It’s breathtaking,” I murmur, wrapping one arm around my waist.
Liam’s arms slide around me and pull me in close, his fingertips ghosting over mine. “It is,” he whispers, but when I look back over my shoulder, he’s not looking at the skyline.
I’ve been slowly falling in love with this man for the better part of ten years. He’s seen me at my lowest and never wavered for a second. He knows how I like my coffee and drives down backroads on a whim. Whatever this thing is between us, we have yet to name it. That makes this moment, and every one following it, more dangerous than he realizes.
I take a long sip of my wine and stare out at the view, letting his warmth flow through me. We may never get another moment like this. Now that the paparazzi have started speculating, it won't be long before we break under the pressure. As much as Aiden and Liam mean to me, I can’t push them into the spotlight. It wouldn't be fair.
At the risk of ruining everything or losing myself in the process, I give him another piece of my heart right there on the rooftop. “I used to imagine us like this, you know? For a long time, you were just this wild, unattainable dream.”
“And now?”
“A dream come true”—I inhale a shaky breath—“but it can’t last.”
