Chapter 6
SIX
Ruby
I’m happy for all of two seconds when I wake up in Ransom’s bed the next morning. Then I open my eyes, and reality sets in. I realize that I just made a big mistake in about a second, and then panic starts to set in.
What the hell was I thinking? Wolf Valley is tiny. I’m going to have to see Ransom every single day. There’s no way that I’ll be able to avoid him.
What do I do now? Tell him this was just a one-time thing and ignore my feelings for him? That didn’t work so well the first time, and my feelings have only grown since we slept together.
I can’t date him, though. I just can’t, no matter how much I might want to. It would never work between us, and when we broke up, I would be devastated. and I’d have to watch him move on to someone else. I think that might kill me. It’s better to end things before I fall for him even more.
The best course of action is probably just to ignore him. I should just pretend that nothing happened between us and that I’m not in love with him. If I play it off like it was just some fun and I’ve moved on, maybe it won’t hurt as bad. Maybe I could even convince myself that it’s the truth.
I scoot to the edge of the bed slowly, careful not to wake him up. My clothes are in a pile on the floor, and I scoop them up and tiptoe out of his room. I can’t resist taking one last look at him before I close the door after me.
He’s lying on his back, one arm stretched out like he’s reaching for me, and I swallow, blinking back tears as I force myself to close the door and put last night behind me.
I get dressed in his living room and then dial Cameron. She answers on the third ring and I send up a silent thank you. I really didn’t want to walk all the way back to town.
“Hello?” She asks sleepily, and I wince.
“Hey, sorry to wake you. Are you feeling any better?”
“Yeah, a lot better. I think it must have been food poisoning. Where are you?” She asks, her voice groggy.
“That’s actually why I’m calling. Can you pick me up?”
“Sure. From where?”
“Ransom’s house,” I admit, and that statement is met with stunned silence.
“You slept with him?” She hisses. “It’s about time!”
“Can you come get me? Like now? I’ll talk to you then.”
“I’m on my way.”
“Thanks.”
We hang up, and I make my way to the front door and outside. I glance over when I hear a door close, and my stomach sinks when I see my boss standing there.
“Hey, Ruby,” Ford says, like it’s totally normal for me to be coming out of Ransom’s house.
“Morning,” I say weakly.
“Where’s Ransom?” He asks, glancing back at the dark house.
“Uh, he’s still sleeping.”
Cameron’s old car pulls into the driveway, and I almost sprint towards her.
“See you at the diner!” I call to Ford.
“Wait!” He calls, but I’m already hopping into Cameron’s car.
“Go!” I shout, and she takes off.
Ford yells after us, running into Ransom’s driveway, and I slouch down in my seat as we turn out onto the road.
“Um, what’s going on?” Cameron asks after a minute, and I sigh.
“I slept with Ransom last night,” I tell her.
“And it wasn’t good?” She asks.
“It was amazing.”
“Then why are you sneaking out?”
“I can’t be with him.”
“Why not?”
“I just don’t want to be with him. I don’t want to date.”
“Why? I mean, if you’re worried about Ransom, you don’t need to be. That man is obsessed with you.”
“Why don’t you date Ford then?” I counter. “He’s head over heels in love with you.”
“He’s my boss.”
“So? I’m sure that he’d make an exception to the employee fraternization rule if it was for you.”
“It’s just not a good idea,” she says vaguely.
“Okay, well, me and Ransom isn’t a good idea either.”
She seems to want to argue, but I think she knows I can just point the argument back to her and Ford.
We pull up outside of our house and head inside in silence.
“Are you working today?” Cameron asks, and I nod.
“Yeah, I picked up Sharon’s morning shift today. I’m going to shower and then head in for my shift.”
“I’ll see you later then. I start at eleven.”
I nod and head into my room to grab my uniform. I take a quick shower and then get dressed. Cameron is in her room when I come out and call out a goodbye before I rush out the door and down the street toward Nosh.
I have a feeling that Ransom will be coming by to see me sooner rather than later, and I need to be mentally ready for that. I don’t think that he’s going to let me go that easily and I know that I need to be convincing if I’m going to push him away.
I just wish that I didn’t have to.