Page 164 of Save You

The others head out with Doug, Camille, and the rest of my team following on behind.Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought the lacrosse and events teams would go out for a drink together by choice.

Lin nudges me in the ribs.“I’m gonna talk to Cyril for once,” she whispers, her expression determined.“So I at least know where I stand.”

I nod.“Good idea.”

“You’re not coming, are you?”

I shake my head, and the firm look fades from Lin’s eyes.

“Then neither am I,” she says, nodding toward my clipboard.“I’ll help you.”

“Don’t be silly,” I reply, hugging it to my chest so that she can’t see the things still to be ticked off.“A chance like this isn’t going to come around again.Go, and try to find out why he’s been ghosting you.And if he acts like a dick, give him hell.”

Lin hesitates a moment longer, but I point firmly toward the doors, so she eventually turns and runs after the others.I hear her soles click through the hall, then a loud bang as the door slams shut behind her.

Now I can turn back to my list.I sigh with the realization that the feeling I’ve been carrying around for weeks—in my chest, my stomach, and my whole body—has gotten stronger, not faded.Iwonder if it will ever stop.I shake off the thoughts and get to work, ticking off the jobs.

First I head to the grand piano to the right of the stage and polish away each of the fingerprints left by our helpers on its glossy black surface.Then I play music quietly on my phone, which I slip into the back pocket of my jeans.As I listen to the soothing tones of Vancouver Sleep Clinic, I check that the name labels and place settings are right on every table.

“You didn’t come to the pub,” says a voice behind me suddenly.

I whirl around and see James standing in the doorway to Boyd Hall.He’s still wearing his training jersey and has his hands deep in the pockets of his joggers.I can’t read his expression.

“I’ve still got a few things to do,” I reply, waving my clipboard.

James walks in and my heart skips a beat, even though he’s still several feet away from me.“Can I help?”

Automatically, I shake my head.“No, there’s no need.Thanks though.”Then I turn back to the table beside me, even though I’m pretty sure I’ve already checked that one.

“You don’t have to do everything yourself.”His voice sounds a little closer than before.“I’m already feeling bad because the décor company let you down.”

“It’s not your fault,” I mumble.

I don’t know if I can be alone in a room with him.With James standing in front of me, glowering at me, even the massive Boyd Hall feels tiny.Like the fifteen feet between us are only a fraction of an inch.My whole body feels drawn to him, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

I know that even now, after all these weeks and everything that’s happened, I’ll feel so much better if I just turn and walk toward him, but I fight the impulse down.I take a deep breathand stare at my clipboard.If James has got it into his head to help me, it won’t be easy to shake him off.He’s proved that much in the last few weeks.

“The projector needs checking.There’s no picture on the right-hand screen,” I say after a while, risking a glance in his direction.

He’s still looking at me with that expression that I can’t interpret.In the end, he nods.“OK.”

He walks to the desk in the middle of the hall and I follow at a slight distance.God, why am I so uptight?Things shouldn’t be like this between us.But I don’t know myself exactly how thingsshouldbe instead.

What we had is over.

Over.Over.Over.

I just have to convince my heart of that.And my body.

James walks behind the mixing desk and studies the various plugs and switches.He focuses his attention on each wire in turn, following it up with his hand to see where it goes.Then he checks the back of the projector on the right.He pulls a cable out and plugs it back in again, switches it on and off, and furrows his brow when nothing happens.

Then he looks back at me.

“Ruby, I have to tell you something,” he murmurs.

My heart leaps again.“What’s that?”I ask, barely audibly.

James picks up the cable and wiggles it.“This wire is dead.”