Chapter 39
thirty-nine
RUBY
I’m technically still on leave but being at home with nothing to do is making me go crazy. I can only clean my place, or Maddox’s, so many times before I’ll start to take the varnish off of things. And there’s no more room in my freezer thanks to all the cooking and baking I’ve done.
Speaking of baking, a cake is cooling on the counter but that one is for the guys down at the station, I decided to bake them a treat, and who can pass up a slice of homemade chocolate fudge cake? Exactly, no one.
Stopping in at Sips, I walk up to the counter and order coffees for each of the guys and myself. Taking a seat, I pull out my phone but before I can start mindlessly scrolling Facebook, I feel a presence behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I smile when I see Mildred, Bernice, and Shelia all crowded around me. “Good morning, ladies.”
“Good morning, Ruby,” comes from them and it sounds like when first graders say good morning to their teacher, but no sooner have they finished their hello and Mildred blurts out, “You’re better off without that boy.” Her tone is curt and she means business .
“Yep, you deserve someone who will rub your feet after a long day at your book shop but most of all you deserve someone who won’t leave you at the altar. What sort of man does that?” Bernice says shaking her head. “I’ll tell you who, a no-good, spineless raccoon. That’s who.” Bernice goes on and on, telling us all what she really thought about Joel.
And not wanting to be left out, Sheila interrupts Bernice’s rant and adds her two cents as well. “Never did like that buffoon, his beady eyes gave way to his true nature. Like Mildred said, you’re better off without him.”
Shaking my head, I turn around to face them. “Ladies, Joel is not the bad guy here, yes, he stood me up but really, we’re both at fault because we didn’t talk to one another. This is why communication is key in any relationship. If Joel and I had been honest with each other, it would have ended differently.”
The three of them nod in agreement, suddenly changing their tune and opinion of Joel. We all know how much these three love to “communicate,” even if it’s by spreading rumors and gossip around town.
“Speaking of communication,” Mildred changes the subject. “If the latest gossip I hear is true, Deputy Drew went skinny-dipping with two women.” I chuckle at that. I mean yes, he was there while two women—me and Sab—were skinny-dipping, but he wasn’t with them-with them, but before I can correct her, she swivels her finger around in my face. “And rumor has it, you rode out the storm last week with our new sheriff and you were seen on a date yesterday ice-skating wi?—”
“Well, I heard,” Bernice interrupts, “tonight, you two are going out on another date and Sheriff Whi?—”
“Don’t you think it’s too soon to be dating?” Sheila butts in, disdain written all over her face.
Thankfully, I don’t have to answer because Sydney arrives with my tray of coffees. She places them on the counter and turns her gaze to the G-team. “At the end of the day, ladies, as long as Rubes is happy and no one is breaking any laws, then that’s all that matters when it comes to love and the heart.”
“And it’s none of our business,” Mildred throws out there.
Sydney and I can’t help but chuckle, she was the one to bring up the gossip about Mad and me. Out of nowhere, she pulls me into a hug and whispers, “Your pop would be happy you and our sheriff are together.”
A smile appears on my face because I know she’s right. Like Sab, Pop always hoped I’d end up with Maddox and like usual, I should have listened to the wise old man.
While I was thinking about Pop, the G-team has turned their focus away from me and are now questioning Sydney about her and Dennis.
As much as I’d love to stay and get the gossip there, I’m going to make my escape while I can. With a wave, I grab the tray of coffees and head out to my car. Putting it into gear, I pull out onto Evergreen Drive and make my way around to the station. When I arrive, I somehow manage to balance the coffees and the cake container in my hands without dropping them, and I make my way into the station.
Walking up to the counter, I notice the front area is empty. Placing the coffees and cake down on the counter, I lean over and sing out, “Hello?” I’m met with silence. “Hmmmpf, where could they be?”
I’m just about to call Mad when a door in the back slams and then Dennis rushes in. When he sees me, he stops, looking all sheepish. “Ruby, what are you doing here?” I notice that he shouted my name loud. He’s being weird, even for Dennis. He’s always been a little quirky but this is next level weird.
“I brought coffees and I baked a cake.” He mutely stares at me. “What are you up to back there? ”
“Nothing,” he refutes, but his tone is three octaves higher than normal.
“Oooookay, is the sheriff in?” He nods but doesn’t move. “You wanna get him for me?” Again he nods but he doesn’t move an inch, and then the man in question returns with Drew close behind him. When he sees me, his face lights up like a Christmas tree. “Reindeer, what are you doing here?”
“She brought us coffee and cake,” Dennis answers for me.
“Your famous chocolate fudge one?” Drew excitedly asks and when I nod, he fist pumps the air and hisses a, “Yesss.”
“You guys enjoy the cake, I’m gonna take my girl out for lunch,” Maddox says and at the prospect of me not being here any longer, Dennis visibly relaxes. What’s going on?
“I’d love that,” I tell him with a smile.
“Give me a sec.” Without waiting for me to answer, he walks into his office. Dennis and Drew scurry after him, I can hear murmuring but I can’t make out what they are saying. The three of them are definitely up to something but then again, they’re the law, maybe they’re dealing with a sensitive case or something.
A few moments later, they all return. Dennis and Drew go straight for the coffee and cake, while Mad walks around the counter and over to me. “Let’s go,” he singsongs as he joins me. Placing his hand on my lower back, he escorts me out of the station.
Lacing my fingers with his, we stroll over to the main street and make our way around to Hips and Lips. I’m craving Norah’s delicious chicken noodle soup. We’re just passing Gingerbreads when Maddox stops suddenly. Looking up, my eyes widen when I realize why he stopped.
“Joel,” I screech, not expecting to see him before us. I quickly drop Mad’s hand like I’ve been caught out, but it’s silly because I haven’t been caught doing anything. I’m literally walking down the street to get lunch with my boyfriend, my new boyfriend. I mean, it’s not like there’s an etiquette for when you run into your ex who dumped you at the altar the week before and you’re with your new boyfriend.
“Hey, Ruby,” Joel says as he stops before Maddox and me. “How are you?”
“I’m … I’m good, you?”
“I’m good too.”
A silence envelops the three of us. It’s awkward and when I look around, my gaze lands on Sips and I see three faces pressed to the front window. Shaking my head, I chuckle. “What’s so funny?” Mad asks.
“We have an audience,” I tell him and discreetly nod my head toward Sips.
Not so discreetly, both Mad and Joel turn their heads in the direction I nodded, men . “Ohh, ummm, is there somewhere we can talk?” Joel rushes out. “Maybe in private.”
“My wine bar? It’s a Tuesday so it shouldn’t be too busy.”
“Yep, yeah, sure, okay,” Joel awkwardly agrees.
“I’m gonna head back to the station,” Maddox says.
“Actually,” Joel says, “I’d like to talk to both of you.”
Joel’s statement shocks me. “Really?” He nods.
I look to Maddox and he just shrugs, “Well, ummm, okay, then.”
“Shall we?” I offer and then I put my head down and race across the road and over to the store.
The bell overhead rings and from the back, Charlene calls out, “I’ll just be a minute.”
“It’s just me,” I sing back. “Joel, Mad, and I?—”
“I thought you just said Jo—” Her words die on her lips when she sees the three of us standing in the entrance.
“Ohh, ummm, hiiiii … everyone.” Her gaze flicks between the three of us.
“We’re just going to talk in there,” I point to the other room.
She begins to nod. “Oooookay, I’ll just.” She flicks behind her and heads to the back office without saying anything else. Tuesdays are delivery days so I know she has stock to check off and organize. Charlene is a stickler for organization and she’ll be in seventh heaven right now … while I’m in the depths of hell about to chat with my ex-fiancé and my current boyfriend.
“Well, this is awkward,” I mumble, and without acknowledging the guys, I walk into the bar area and behind the counter. They follow and each take a seat at the bar. Grabbing a bottle of red, I pour a glass and quickly chug it back. Then I grab two more glasses, I refill mine and then fill theirs before handing them out.
“I’m on duty,” Maddox informs me and Joel says, “I’m driving,”
“Riiight,” I nervously draw the word out. Taking another sip, I look over the rim of my glass at Joel. Swallowing my mouthful, I place the glass down. “You wanted to talk?”
“I … I wanted to apologize to you, Ruby. I shouldn’t have done that to you, and I will forever be sorry for how I behaved.”
“That’s nice of you, Joel, and I appreciate the apology, but why did you leave it till the last minute?” Over the past week, I’ve rehashed every moment and looking back at the lead-up to the wedding, he was clearly having doubts then. He was always absent and “working” and everything was left for me to do. Hell, Maddox helped me with the thank-yous and a few other last-minute wedding items. It should have been my fiancé helping me with those, not another man.
“Because I’m gutless,” he dejectedly utters. “When I proposed, I honestly wanted to marry you but the closer our big day got, the more I started to fear the future. But at the same time, I wanted you to be happy but when I woke up that morning, I just knew I couldn’t go through with it. I … I couldn’t put your happiness above mine an?—”
“But you waited till right before the ceremony to tell me, why didn’t you do it as soon as you knew?”
“I … I don’t know, and I will always regret doing that but seeing you so happy now, I know I made the right choice.”
“When did you see me happy?”
“Yesterday,” he says. “I came here to talk to you but when you weren’t here, I went for a walk around the square and then on my way back to check here again, I saw the two of you at the ice skating rink. I haven’t seen you smile like that in a very longtime, Ruby.” He stops and looks thoughtful at the memory he’s recalling. “You threw your head back and laughed, a proper belly laugh, and when I saw that, I knew I’d made the right choice, but at the same time, I was gutted I no longer had that. Which is stupid because I’m the one who walked away.”
Another silence befalls us but it’s broken when Maddox speaks. “I have a question for you, Joel.” Ohh shit, I think to myself, this can’t be good . “Why did you come to the station and ream me out that day?”
“To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. I had a feeling you cared deeply for her, and I guess I wanted you to confirm my suspicion. Maybe even find out she was cheating so I could end it without remorse, but after chatting with you, I knew you weren’t together but I think I always knew that.” He looks intently at me. “You’d never cheat, I know that now but at that point, I … I was struggling with what I wanted. I think, deep down, I wanted to make sure if I decided to leave Ruby that she’d have support.”
“And you didn’t think I cared for her?”
“Looking back now, I know you did, but at the time, I wasn’t confident. I couldn’t break her heart if she had no one, so I decided to suck it up and marry her. ”
“Joel,” I cry, “your happiness matters too.”
“I know that, and that’s why I did what I did.”
“I just wish you’d told me, Joel. We always said, communication is key.”
“I know, but be honest, you moved on pretty quickly, which tells me you too had doubts.” I go to interrupt but he raises his hand. “I’m not angry about that, I’m just stating we we’re both at fault.”
He’s right; we’re both to blame. Neither one of us said anything, we just kept going along as if everything was fine. Imagine if we had gotten married, it would have been a divorce just waiting to happen. “You’re right, Joel. I’m sorry.”
“What’s done is done, Ruby. No need for apologies but I really am happy that you’re happy.”
“I hope you find happiness one of these days too, Joel.”
“I’m sure I will.”
Walking out from behind the bar, I hug Joel one last time and slip off the engagement ring I’ve still been wearing, and I hand it to him. Being the gentleman he is, he tries to give it back to me but I refuse. Eventually, he takes it and with nothing else left to say, he walks out of my life.
Standing here, I stare after him, feeling lighter after our conversation. Maddox steps behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, I lean back into him and his support means everything to me. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I think I am.” Looking over my shoulder at him, I ask a question I’m not sure I want the answer to, “Do you think he’ll be okay?”
“I really do,” he confirms with a nod. “He was just lost and confused. Yes, he made a mistake but then again, sounds like you both did.”
“Yeah, we both did. ”
Turning in his arms, I drape mine over his shoulders. “Thank you for being here for that.”
“I’ll always be here, Reindeer. Anywhere, anytime. Now, let’s get you home so you can change. Rumor has it, you and I have a date tonight.”
“That we do, and just so you know,” I lean into him and whisper, “I put out on the first date.”