Millionaire Hosted a Family Dinner, Never Expected His Sister’s Best Friend Would Capture His Heart
Bridging Two Worlds
“So, Ruby, Sammy tells me you’re a restoration expert,” Oliver asked as the server poured more wine.
“I wouldn’t call myself an expert yet,” Ruby said. “I specialized in canvas paintings from the Renaissance period, but I’m still learning. That’s actually why I moved here. I got a position at the Metropolitan Museum.”
“She’s being modest,” Samantha interjected. “Ruby reconstructed a damaged Botticelli that everyone else had given up on. The museum director in Florence practically begged her to stay.”
A slight blush colored Ruby’s cheeks. “It was a team effort. I just happened to notice something others missed.”
“Which was?” Oliver found himself genuinely curious.
“That sometimes you need to look beyond what’s directly in front of you to see the full picture,” Ruby said. “There was a pattern in the brush strokes that suggested how the damaged sections should be restored. You had to step back to see it properly.”
Oliver nodded, thinking about how that philosophy applied to his own life. He’d built his empire by seeing opportunities others missed, looking at the bigger picture when everyone else focused on immediate profits. He found himself more and more drawn to Ruby.
She wasn’t like the women he typically dated. Ruby challenged him, disagreed with him about literature, and laughed openly when he made a terrible pun about maritime shipping.
“I should probably get going,” Ruby said as the dessert plates were cleared. “I have an early meeting at the museum tomorrow.”
“I’ll call you a car,” Oliver offered immediately.
“Oh, that’s not necessary. I can take the subway at this hour.”
“Absolutely not,” Oliver said firmly.
“My brother, ever the protector,” Samantha teased. “But he’s right, Ruby. Let him call a car. Consider it New York hospitality.”
While Samantha excused herself, Oliver and Ruby stood awkwardly in the foyer.
“Thank you for dinner,” Ruby said. “You didn’t have to include me.”
“I’m glad Samantha brought you,” Oliver replied, surprised by his own sincerity. “It’s refreshing to meet someone who—”
“Who what?” Ruby asked when he didn’t continue.
“Who sees beyond the surface,” he finished.
Something in her expression shifted, a momentary vulnerability quickly masked. “That’s what restoration teaches you. Everything has layers. Paintings, books, people.”
“Especially people,” Ruby agreed with a small smile.
The car arrived, and Oliver walked Ruby to the elevator. “Perhaps I could get a tour of your department at the Met sometime,” he said, not ready to lose contact with her.
“I’d like that,” Ruby replied. “Though I warn you, I can talk about damaged canvas for hours.”
“I’ll risk it,” Oliver said with a smile.
Three days later, Oliver stood in the conservation lab of the Metropolitan Museum, watching as Ruby carefully examined a damaged painting under specialized lighting.
“This is from the early 1700s,” Ruby explained, not looking up from her work. “The owner kept it in a humid room for decades, which caused the canvas to warp and the paint to crack.”
Oliver watched her hands move with precision and confidence. “Can it be saved?”
“Almost everything can be saved with enough care and the right approach,” Ruby said, finally looking up at him. “It’s just a matter of patience and understanding what you’re working with.”
Her amber eyes held his, and Oliver had the distinct feeling she wasn’t just talking about the painting.
“I was wondering if you’d like to have dinner with me,” he said. “Just the two of us this time.”
Ruby carefully set down her tools. “Are you asking me on a date, Oliver?”
“Yes,” he replied simply. “I am.”
A small smile played at her lips. “I’d like that. But I need to be clear about something: I’m not impressed by expensive restaurants or flashy displays.”
“Then I’ll have to impress you with my conversation instead,” Oliver said. “How about tomorrow night? I know a little Italian place in the Village that makes pasta the way my grandmother used to.”
“That sounds perfect.”
