Chapter 7
SEVEN
Ransom
When I first wake up alone, I assume that last night with Ruby was just a very real feeling dream. Then I smell her sweet lemon scent on the sheets and realize it was real.
I smile as I sit up in bed and look around for her.
“Ruby?” I call as I start to climb out of bed.
The house is quiet, and I frown. Is she in the bathroom?
I head over and frown when I see the door wide open and the lights off. Maybe she woke up early and went to explore the house. Except, I notice that her clothes are gone.
“Wait!” Ford yells outside, and I pull on my clothes from last night and race outside.
“What’s going on?” I ask him, and he turns to me.
“Ruby just left with Cameron,” he tells me, and my stomach drops.
“Damn it!”
“I tried to stop them.”
Why did she leave? Last night was amazing. We connected on every level. I thought we were over all of this, but I’m guessing she had second thoughts when she woke up this morning.
I’ll just have to show her that she was wrong to have doubts and that we’re perfect together.
“She works today, right?” I ask Ford, and he nods.
“Yeah, she picked up a shift so she opens. Unless she switched shifts with Cameron.”
I nod.
“I’ll see you at Nosh soon, then,” I tell him before I head back inside to get ready.
I stomp inside and into my room. When I see the messy bed, I get even more pissed. I can’t believe that she snuck out. I thought we were making progress, but now it feels like we’re back at square one, maybe even worse than that.
I’ll just have to talk some sense into her.
I take a shower and get dressed quickly. It’s still early enough that the diner is just starting to open up. I decide to go to her house first in case she took today off. I hop on my bike and take off.
Normally, I would love riding my bike. It always clears my head and makes me feel better, but riding without Ruby just feels wrong now.
I stop outside her place and climb out to knock on the door. When Cameron answers a moment later, I know Ruby must be at work.
“She’s at Nosh,” Cameron says as soon as she sees me.
“Thanks.”
“Good luck,” she calls as I head back to my bike.
I could swear that she mumbles that I’m going to need it, but I don’t turn back to ask her what she means.
It only takes me a minute to drive over to the diner and park. I’m scanning the windows for my curvy little brunette, but she’s nowhere in sight. When I walk in, I head right up to the counter.
“Hey, I’m looking for Ruby,” I tell Sandy, one of the other waitresses.
“She just left, sugar,” she tells me, and I frown.
“Left? To go where?”
“I’m not sure, honey. She seemed upset. Maybe she wasn’t feeling well.”
“Did she go home?” I demand to know, and she shrugs and heads to help a few customers who just walked in.
Ford comes out of the back, and I wave him over.
“Where’s Ruby?”
“She just left. She said her stomach hurt, and she looked kind of pale. She must have gone home.”
“She didn’t. I was just there, and Cameron told me she was here.”
“Maybe you just missed her?”
I frown, but he might be right.
“I’ll go check again.”
“Good luck,” he tells me, and I grind my teeth together.
I’m starting to get sick of people saying that to me today.
I hop back on my bike and race back over to her house. This time, when I knock, no one answers. I peek in the window, but the place is dark, and I know that no one is home.
Where could she have gone?
I climb back onto my bike, swearing under my breath as I start it and take off. I drive all over town looking for her, but she’s nowhere. I head back to the diner, hoping to talk to Cameron, but she’s not there either.
I sigh as I slide into a booth. Ford heads my way, raising his eyebrow in question. I scowl back at him.
“Haven’t been able to find her yet?” He asks as he slides in across from me.
“Nope. I went by her house a few times, but she and Cameron were both out. I’ve been all over town, but she’s nowhere to be seen.”
“I can try to call Cameron,” he offers, and I nod.
“Please.”
He pulls out his phone and I wait impatiently while he calls her. I can tell by how long it takes that she’s not going to answer.
My hands ball into fists, and for the millionth time today, I wonder why she snuck out and where she could be.
“Sorry, man. She didn’t answer.”
“Thanks. Where do you think Cameron is?”
“I don’t know. She’s probably ducking my calls, too,” he grumbles, and I frown.
“Trouble between you two?”
“I’m not sure you can say that since there isn’t really an us two.”
“What are you going to do about that?” I ask him, and he sighs.
“I wish that I knew. It feels like if I push her, she pulls back, but if I don’t do anything, then, well, nothing happens.”
“I know, I get it. It’s the same way with Ruby and me.”
“It sucks,” he sighs, and I nod.
“It sure does.”
We’re quiet for a moment, and then he sits up straighter.
“Well, they can’t hide forever. Wolf Valley is small, so we’re bound to run into them soon. Then we’ll make them see reason,” he says, sounding so confident.
I wish I felt as confident about his plan as he does, but I know Ruby. She’s not going to be that easy to convince.
Still, I’m not giving up that easily.