Why on earth had she just offered to have lunch with that woman? Ali berated herself all the way down in the elevator. She had a strong suspicion she didn't want to spend any time with Victoria Gabbidon.
Getting into a cab, Ali gave the driver the address in Soho that Evelyn had recommended. Maybe she could ask Sam's mother about Victoria. Ali quickly dismissed the idea. If she had questions, Ali would just ask Sam. It would be the mature thing to do. She smiled at herself, reveling in the fact she was in a relationship where communication and honesty were staples.
They had discussed Sam's ex-girlfriend briefly last night but had soon found better things to concentrate on. Still, something had been off with Sam since Ali had knocked on his hotel room door. This woman from his past had a strange effect on the man she loved, setting him off-kilter. When Sam heard Victoria was waiting in the lobby for him, Ali thought she saw panic in Sam's eyes. When he introduced her to Victoria, Ali could feel the tension in him. She didn't understand it.
The woman irked Ali. She had only known Victoria for a few minutes, but the hair on the back of her neck had risen when they were introduced. And then there was the way Victoria looked at Sam. Since being with him, Ali was no stranger to the looks her boyfriend received from other women. Who wouldn't salivate over her handsome hunk? Sam was perfect after all, at least in her eyes.
But Victoria looked at him differently. Ali could not quite put her finger on it but it was more than just ogling a good looking male. It made Ali feel uncomfortable. It also spurred Ali to brand Sam as hers, telling this woman to back off.
Ali shook her head. She was being unreasonable. Sam and Victoria had a history, of course, it was awkward. She was the first of Sam's exes Ali had to confront. That was all.
Focus on something else, she told herself. Ali looked out the window at the city street slowly slipping by her. An eclectic mix of statuesque old buildings of stone dispersed between modern glass structures presented themselves, all surrounded by people. There were so many people on the streets of New York City. Quite the difference from where she used to live.
Ali hadn't really had much of a chance to explore her new home town since arriving. Sam had taken her to a few of his favourite spots in between apartment hunting. But Ali was looking forward to living in the city, immersing herself in the sights, sounds and tastes. Of course, nothing was going to stop her from taking in the tourist sights. She wanted to stroll through the Metropolitan Museum looking for hidden treasures, take in the views atop the Empire State building and skate in Central Park. It was a city waiting for her to discover it.
Fortunately, New York City was one place Ali's ex-husband Jack had never taken her. It was the first of many reasons why Ali had quickly agreed to move across the country - this was a place with no connection to Jack. Having successfully escaped Jack Blackhorne's slimy clutches, Ali longed to start new, somewhere with no memories or reminders of her old life. Aside from a few friends and her charity work, there was nothing Ali missed from her past.
Thinking about charities reminded Ali she wanted to look up one. She had it on Sam's list of potential charities the Harrington Foundation was researching to consider support and she was curious to find out more. She typed in loveisrespect.org on her phone as the cab barreled through the maze of traffic.
Ali had only just started reviewing the site, admiring their concern for the user's safety, when the car lurched to a stop. "That'll be $24.50," barked the driver. Okay, there was one other thing Ali missed from her old life – her car. It hadn't made sense to bring her car into the city but she couldn't get used to depending on others to get around town. She was used to the freedom that a car represented.

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Ruby Red, The Sequel - The Romance Story Continues (Complete)
RomanceFinding love is the easy part. Keeping it is another story. Catch up on the lives of Sam and Ali as they navigate their new life together in New York. Family, friends and new found obligations shift their relationship in ways that neither could ant...