I arrived at the office with my head still full of Ruby Evans. I couldn't stop thinking about her. The scent of her perfume still seemed to be in the air, the softness of her skin, and the way her eyes shone when she was completely vulnerable, talking about her life and crying in my car.
There was nothing like it, ever before. It was as if she had given herself in a way I had never seen. And I, well… I was completely fascinated.
I entered my office and went straight to my room, but before I could close the door, I heard the voice of Lucca, my cousin. He was sitting in one of the armchairs, with a curious look, and that was, generally, a very bad sign.
"So, brother, what happened?" He raised an eyebrow. "You seem distant, like you've seen a ghost."
I let out a sigh, trying to organize my thoughts. It wasn't easy to talk about what I was feeling. I, who had always been cautious with my emotions and, to tell the truth, even had a certain reluctance to get attached to anyone. But Ruby… she caught me by surprise.
Lucca noticed my hesitation and let out a low laugh, as if he already knew what it was about.
"You're thinking about someone, aren't you?"
"What?" I said, a little embarrassed, trying to hide my discomfort.
"There's no point in denying it, brother. You're never like this. What happened?"
I stopped and looked at him, I knew there was no escaping this. Lucca was my cousin, but he was also my best friend and brother. He had always known me like no one else, and he knew when something was bothering me.
I took a deep breath and decided to be honest.
"I don't know, brother. I've never felt this before. I don't even know how to explain it. When I saw Ruby for the first time, bumping into me at the entrance of the Forum, it was like a shock. I've never been the type of guy who believes in 'love at first sight' or anything like that. But with her… it was different. I couldn't even move when she got into my car, thinking I was a ride-share driver."
Lucca laughed, and I felt he was having more fun than he should.
"So you let the woman get into your car without asking anything? You really were a good driver, huh? No, it wasn't just that. I see the sparkle in your eyes. It was what happened after she got in. Tell me more about it."
I let out a nervous, somewhat embarrassed laugh.
"Then… she started talking about her life. I've never heard anyone open up like that. And she was so vulnerable, man, talking about her ex, the breakup, the broken promises… she was really destroyed. I never imagined I'd hear a woman cry like that, especially a woman as beautiful and confident as she seemed."
Lucca looked at me with an amused expression, as if he were waiting for a more interesting part of the story.
"Then, you thought: 'Now's the time to be the hero'?"
"No, Lucca!" I shouted, laughing nervously. "I'm nobody's hero. I just… I don't know. I think something about her moved me. And then, she made a proposal. She offered me money to pretend to be her boyfriend, as if it were a quick solution to her problem."
Lucca almost choked on his own laughter.
"What do you mean? She offered you money?"
"Yes, to pretend to be her boyfriend," I replied, still feeling a little uncomfortable with the way things happened. "And, you know, I accepted. I don't even know what got into me, but I accepted. I was so curious, so… lost in that situation, that I just accepted."
"And what happened next?" Lucca asked, now completely invested in the story.
I moved away from the desk and started walking around the room.
"Well, after that, things got out of control. She was drinking… I was too… and things kind of happened. One kiss, another kiss, and suddenly we were there, in a hotel room, doing things I never imagined doing with a woman I just met. But, Lucca… the best part? The best part was the whole night. The woman is a beast in bed, no kidding. I don't know how, but it seemed like the whole world had disappeared and only we were left."
Lucca couldn't stop laughing, and I was starting to feel embarrassed by the direction the conversation was taking.
"Man, are you telling me that a woman you met hours ago made you lose control like that?"
"I don't know what happened! I've never been like this. I'm always… rational, you know? Always analytical, calculating. But with Ruby… it was as if my brain had been turned off. And then, when dawn broke and she was about to leave… she paid me, Lucca. She paid me for the night. Literally, gave me money, thinking she was paying me for a service."
Lucca laughed so hard he had to hold onto the chair to keep from falling.
"That's not possible, man! She really paid you?"
"Yes! And when she was leaving, fleeing as if she were running from a crime, she didn't even look back. She just ran. As if there were no tomorrow."
Lucca was crying from laughing so hard.
"And you? What did you do?"
"I just watched her go, Lucca. I didn't know what to think. I didn't even know what to do. I've never been paid by a woman to go out with her, you know? Usually, I'm the one who pays the bills."
"So, what are you going to do? Are you going to let Ruby get away like that, or are you going after her?"
I took a deep breath and leaned against the wall, still feeling the confusion in my head.
"I don't know. I don't know if it's just an impulse. I don't know what this is. But I think, somehow, I need to see her again. I can't just let it end like this, without even understanding what happened."
Lucca stopped laughing and looked at me with a more serious smile.
"Enzo, have you ever been in love before?"
I hesitated for a second before answering.
"No. Never."
He stared at me with a serious look, as if he were trying to understand where I really was, emotionally.
"So, maybe you're starting now. And who knows what will happen?"
I laughed, a little disconcerted by Lucca's words.
"Don't get carried away, brother. I just can't stop thinking about her, that's all."
But deep down, I knew he was right. Something was happening, something I couldn't control. I just needed to find out what it was.
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