Ruby's POV

The silence after Austin’s words wasn’t empty. It was full of meaning, of questions, and the steady thud of my heart that suddenly felt too loud.

After what he’d said on our walk earlier and the way he described the kind of woman he wanted, I just knew. Every word pointed to me. And now, sitting beside him, I felt the truth of it, hanging quietly between us.

The firelight flickered across his face, softening his features. He looked calm, and I wondered if he felt this tension ...