Chapter 19

Ruby’s POV

The man stopped and assessed me with sharp grey eyes that looked like Hugo’s. His eyebrows were slightly raised, and then, slowly, a smile crept onto his face, wrinkling the corners of his eyes.

“Hello, young lady,” his voice was surprisingly soft.

“Hi,” I replied, my voice feeling a bit strangled. The man glanced over at Jay, who stood stoic and almost irritated. I looked between the two; they didn’t seem alike at all, even in their appearance.

“Jason, I didn’t know you were home. I’m happy to see you, son,” he said.

Jay remained stiff, but introduced us. “This is my friend Rue. Rue, this is my father, Heath Barlowe.”

I noticed something flash in the man’s eyes as he extended his hand to me, but before I could shake it, Jay took my hand instead.

“We should leave. You have that thing with your mom, remember?” he said.

“It was nice to meet you, sir,” I said as Jay hurriedly led me out.

“You’re walking too fast.”<