Page 75 of Strictly Friends
She bent to kiss Jake and smiled in greeting at Kenny, who was wheeling the suitcases he had taken from the car boot. ‘Come on inside, y’all. When Jake came by to visit last week, he let slip about the launch over at Ocean House. I knew you were with Mac for the exhibition, Ruby, but I was hoping Griffin might come over and I kept my best room free, just in case!’
While Griffin and Jake carried the suitcases upstairs and Kenny stayed out front to make a phone call, MissIda led Ruby through the parlour and out to the balcony. Moments later, an excited Narita came through with a tray bearing glasses and a jug of MissIda’s sorrel drink and set it down on a stone table before leaving them to it.
MissIda filled a glass and handed it to Ruby, watching her sip the chilled juice and exhale with satisfaction.
‘You look happy, sweetheart,’ she remarked.
‘I am.’ Ruby grinned. ‘Everything feels so different to how things were when I left the island. Griffin and I are great together, and Kenny has turned out to be a fantastic father to Jake.’
‘And how’s Mac?’
‘Mac is floating on cloud nine! He’ll be back here once the exhibition ends in New York, but right now he’s basking in all the praise the art critics are heaping on him.’
‘He’s promised to send me a postcard of the portrait and he says you two talk all the time. Like I told you before, that man sure is taken with you.’
Ruby laughed and shook her head reprovingly. ‘MissIda! Mac and I are such good friends now, and, besides, he adores his wife. Estella’s gorgeous and we get on like a house on fire.’
Pouring herself a drink, MissIda raised her glass to Ruby with a loving smile. ‘I’m so glad you came back, sweetheart. Mac mayhave painted a masterpiece, but no portrait will ever be as beautiful as you.’
The launch of the Ocean House Music Heals centre was an overwhelming experience for Ruby. Inside the main hall of the newly built house next to the orphanage, she and the other guests – including the children from Ocean House, sitting cross-legged in rows – had watched as the director of Ocean House and a host of local dignitaries took turns praising Griffin for his extraordinary gift to Sorrel Island. Choked with pride and holding tightly on to Jake’s hand, it had taken all Ruby’s willpower not to cry during the emotional speech Griffin delivered before cutting the ceremonial ribbon.
Much later, back at Paradise Inn, where MissIda had insisted on hosting an impromptu gathering on the terrace, Ruby and Griffin quietly slipped away, leaving Jake with Kenny, Diego, and the other band members to continue the celebrations.
As they strolled down the walkway to the beach, the sun dipped low over the horizon, spreading crimson streaks across the darkening sky. With the soft sound of waves rolling on to the sand and the gentle breeze rippling through the palm trees and carrying the sweet scents of the tropical night, the beach was a soothing oasis of calm at the end of an emotional day.
After the thrill of New York and the joy of seeing Griffin’s dream for Ocean House come to life, everything in her world had finally come right, Ruby decided. Well, almost. Walking hand in hand along the shore, she voiced the question still lingering in her mind.
‘You know, Griff, you said Kenny let me go without putting up a fight because he didn’t care enough, and yet it took you yearsbefore you kissed me that night on the beach. Why didn’tyoufight for me sooner?’
Griffin stopped to look at her, his eyes sober. ‘Because I didn’t deserve you. You are worth so much more than I had to offer. I was so angry at Mum for keeping her money a secret, and then dying and leaving it all to me. I spent years behaving like a lazy, self-entitled idiot and feeling sorry for myself because my own mother didn’t trust me to do the right thing.’
He paused and then sighed. ‘I haven’t led the most praiseworthy life, and I hate that I messed women around knowing the relationship wouldn’t go anywhere because none of them was you. For a long time, it was easier to be with women who didn’t push me to be my best self all the time, but that was unkind and selfish of me. Rubes, I knew you cared about me and what you’d promised Mum, but I also needed your respect. Until then, being your friend was as much as I had a right to.’
Ruby squeezed his hand reassuringly. ‘I always knew you’d figure your life out eventually.’
‘Yes, but until I did, I owed it to Mum to at least monitor what the portfolio managers were doing with the investments and keep tabs on the lawyers. I don’t know what my grandfather was thinking at the time he made his money, but the old bugger couldn’t have created a more complicated financial structure for his business if he’d tried.’
‘I’m so happy you’ve set up the foundation, Griff,’ Ruby said earnestly.
‘Me too. Playing the guitar always helped Jake when he was feeling stressed or anxious, but it wasn’t until I met Drew and started visiting Ocean House and learning more about music therapy when it dawned on me that I could do something to help other kids, and even adults, who’ve experienced trauma. MeetingDiego and funding that first programme at Ocean House cemented the idea... and here we are.’
Ruby stroked his cheek lovingly, her fingers caressing the soft beard she was still getting used to. ‘I can see you’ve found your passion, and I certainly can’t accuse you of being a wealthy playboy any more. Griff, I’m truly sorry for what I said to you the last time we were here. I know Marilyn would be incredibly proud of the man you’ve become.’
She reached for his hand and clasped it between both of hers. ‘You know, MissIda once told me life is like a trapeze, and that I had to forgive and let go of my pain before I could reach for happiness. But after everything that happened with us, I was too scared to let go of the hurt because I didn’t trust you to be there to catch me. You asked me once why I could forgive Kenny but not you, and it’s because I never loved Kenny the way I love you. But even though everything we’ve gone through has been so hard, I think it all happened for a reason. Somehow, you and I had ended up becoming emotional crutches for each other as a way of avoiding painful truths. We were both stuck, but now look at us – and look ateverythingyou’ve achieved. We’ve both found our balance as individuals, and now we can hold each other up the right way.’
She looked up at him, her eyes suddenly bright with happy tears. ‘I know I can live without you, Griff, but I don’t want to. Ever. What do you say?’
He grimaced. ‘I’m doing my best, Rubes, but I’m nowhere near perfect. Can you handle a work in progress?’
‘Only if you can too,’ she said baldly. ‘Perfect is a fantasy, and, besides, I’ve got no business expecting perfection from someone else when I’m nowhere near perfect myself.’
Studying her expectant expression, Griffin stroked her braids away from her face and shook his head. Panicked, Ruby’s heartskipped a beat, but then he smiled. ‘In that case, let’s start working together on our perfect future.’
Griffin’s eyes didn’t leave hers as he slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. Ruby’s pulse quickened as she watched him slowly open it, and she gasped at the delicate floating diamond glittering on a platinum band.
Before she could speak, Griffin took her hand and dropped on to one knee. ‘I’ve loved you since we were awkward, gawky teenagers and there’s no-one else on earth who I’d rather have by my side when I turn into a crotchety old man. You’re my world, Rubes. Please say you’ll marry me.’
Ruby’s eyes misted over, and her throat felt too choked to speak. She nodded wordlessly, holding her breath as he slid the ring on to her finger.
