“I remember that.”
“What?” I ask, clearing my throat and trying to wipe away my own smile.
Her eyes dance with amusement as she studies me. “I remember the first time I realized I was falling for Corbin.”
My eyes move back to Jax, and a small tinge of fear slides into my chest. Ruby walked through hell before Corbin and she could be together. I really don’t want to ever hurt the way I saw her hurting back in college.
She fell apart, and Ruby never fell apart over anything else. I remember the helplessness I felt, because I had no idea what to do with a sobbing version of my friend.
If she could fall apart like that… Then I…
“Don’t get that look. Not everyone has such a rocky start,” she promises, sighing as I turn back around. “I’m glad you’re home. Without you, I have to spend more time with Brin. And I’m sick of ending up with something random launched at my face when one of her pranks goes wrong.”
She starts laughing, letting me know she actually doesn’t mind. Maybe I should work my way into the group, even though I’m not fond of the idea. Ruby was the first best friend I ever had that would listen when I talked. Even Shanna—though I love her—thinks she knows more than I do about my own life.
Ruby might want to bitch me out for things, but she listens when I tell her I have it under control. She never bullies me.
“I should have answered sooner and let you speak first,” I say guiltily.
“I’m glad you didn’t,” she says under a laugh.
“Why?”
“Because if I had unloaded on you, you would have bought me a ticket to Hawaii and demanded I come join you. And I would have come. It was still fresh enough when Corbin came over, that I didn’t stand a chance. If I had let it cool off and harden, I wouldn’t have taken him back. At least not for another four or five years.”
This time, I sigh. I’m glad this thing with Jax isn’t messy.
Jax walks back in, winking at me before taking a seat beside me on the couch, and Corbin fills up the space beside Ruby. Jax rubs his hand up and down my arm, touching me like he can’t stop, and I put my back against his chest, absorbing the feel of him.
Corbin talks about their wedding plans—which aren’t really plans that I foresee his mother being okay with. Jax kisses the top of my head before wrapping both arms around me like he can’t be close enough.
“Give me your phone,” Corbin tells Jax. “There’s this new app you have to have. Trust me.”
Jax goes with it, even though I apparently tuned out the conversation that led us here. As he pulls out his phone, his keys fall out of his pocket, and I pick them up, eyeing the curious looking keychains.
“What’s this?” I ask him while Ruby and Corbin start messing with Jax’s phone.
He looks down at the handpainted football, the weird, teeny-tiny troll doll, and several other eclectic keychains. Clearing his throat, he shrugs.
“I collect keychains from places I go. Done it since I was a kid. I have like four shoeboxes filled to the brim. These are some of the most important.”
“Why?” I ask, looking up at him as a small smile graces my lips.
A keychain collector? So did not see that coming.
“The football was from my freshmen year of high school. We went to state, and I got a keychain from a vendor stand that was setup in the tailgating area. The troll is from the time I one time I met a band I liked; the lead singer dropped it, and I sort of took it home. Thief, I know, but I was sixteen and star struck.”
He strokes my hand, then picks up the beer mug keychain. “My twenty-first birthday we went to Atlantic City—Dustin, Cody, me and a few of our friends that hung with us back then.”
He moves over to the airplane keychain. “The first time I ever got to ride in an airplane. Guess that one is pretty self-explanatory.”
He grabs the peculiar smiley face keychain. “My sixteenth birthday. This came on my first keychain when Dad handed me the keys to my first car.”
“That’s fucking beautiful,” Corbin cuts in, grinning mockingly at Jax when we look up. “You realize you just lost man points.”
Jax flips him off before shoving his keys back into his pocket. Ruby turns toward Corbin.
“Says the guy who quotes chick flicks on the regular. You don’t get to deduct man points from anyone.”