CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Ruby
It’s a hot summer day, as I walk onto the practice field. Since school let out in early June, I’ve been catching up on sleep, taking a summer class, and spending as much time with the man in my life as I can. Neither Mason nor Caleb are here today. Both are on duty, so another parent has offered to help the girls practice. Karina is sick with a summer cold and me? I’m here, not sure what the hell I’ve gotten myself into. Kelsea and I are spending the afternoon together, beginning with me picking her up. So we’ll see how this goes.
“Ruby!” I hear as I shield my eyes and look out along the field. Kelsea is running toward me, her backpack bouncing as she runs.
“Hey Kels,” I greet her, a real smile on my face. She and I haven’t had a ton of time with one another, but as Caleb and I have gotten closer, the same has been true for the two of us. “You ready?” I wave to today’s coach as she walks beside me.
“I am, it’s hot out here.” She pushes her hair back from her forehead.
Taking a good look at her, I see her face is beet red, and she’s sweated a good deal. “You wanna go take a shower before we go do our thing?”
She looks up at me, nodding. “I feel so gross.”
“No problem, your brother’s apartment is closer than mine. Is it okay if we go there?”
“How are we going to get in if he’s not there?” she questions as we get to my car.
“I have a key,” I say the words off-handedly, as we get to my car. He gave me one not long ago, and it had been a turning point in our relationship. Whatever this is between us, is serious.
“He gave you a key?” Her eyes are wide. “Ruby, does that mean you’re gonna get married?”
I’m taken aback by her question, but I can understand how she probably came to that conclusion. A kid doesn’t understand the way things like this work. “I don’t know Kels, maybe one day, but definitely not tomorrow.”
“I wouldn’t mind it,” she announces. “I’ve always wanted a sister and I’d love it if you were mine.”
I’m overcome with more emotion than I want to admit. This little girl with a heart so much like her brother’s, has totally worked her way into mine.
“I’ve always wanted a sister too, Kels, and if I had to choose, you would be it.”
She seems happy with the answer as she sings along to the radio. Meanwhile I’m trying to hold my shit together, pleased beyond all belief that she sees me as worthy of Caleb. A part of me always wonders if I will be, because he’s had such a hard life, I want to make sure I’m the one he wants to come home to at the end of the day. The one he always wants to confide in, and I want him to know he’s the most important person in my life, because I want to be one of the most important in his.
This is definitely a good start.
* * *
“Alright chick, when you get done with your shower, we’ll head out for some lunch and then we can go get our nails done if you want?” I offer. Getting my nails done is something I truly enjoy, and given the amount of times Kels asks me about it, I’m pretty sure she likes it too.
“Just gonna go grab my clothes.” She runs into the room that Caleb calls hers when she spends the night.
Sitting down on the couch, I pull up a girlie show on Netflix I’ve been watching the last few weeks, before texting Caleb.
R: Kels and I are using your apartment so she can take a shower before we go get our nails done. She was really hot when I went to pick her up.
I expect for it to take a little time for him to text me back, but to my surprise it doesn’t. Must be a slow day for him.
C: Do whatever you need to, baby. That’s why I gave you a key.
Most days I can’t get over the way he talks to me, and today is no exception to that. I haven’t seen him in two days and I miss him. Our schedules have been off a little from one another.
C: Maybe you can come back when you get done? Not seeing you for two days is not working for me.
R: Funny, hot stuff, it’s not working for me either. I miss you.
Texting isn’t the same as hearing his deep voice, not the same as feeling his fingers against my skin, feeling the warmth of his body pressed to mine.
C: I miss your face too, Red. Send me a pic?
The smile that’s spread across my face can’t be denied. The fluttery feeling in my stomach can’t be denied either. I’ve waited my whole life for a man to make me feel this way, and I’m so happy the man to do it is Caleb Harrison. Holding my phone up, I give him my best smile, along with a wink into the camera. Hitting a few buttons, I send it, and wait for him to get back with me. A few minutes later, I get a response from him. A picture of his smiling face.
I allow a smile back at him, wanting to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming. His brown eyes, the color of bourbon, sparkle as he grins. There’s a small dimple in his left cheek, and he’s got a five-o’clock shadow coloring his deeply tanned skinned, even though it’s only early afternoon. His lips are full, like he’s been licking them most of the day, and I can’t wait until I put a kiss on them. If anyone had told me when I went into The Café that day, that I’d end up with Caleb, I would have told them they were crazy. Yet, here I am, having the time of my life.
“Ruby, can you braid my hair?” Kelsea asks as she comes into the living room, carrying a brush and a hair tie.
“Sure, let me finish this, and then we’ll get it done.”
R: Kelsea is done. I’ll see you tonight?
We hadn’t been planning on seeing one another, but now that I know we’re both thinking the same thing, I can’t help but want to see him.
C: Be at my apartment when I get off, babe. I go off-shift at 6:30
Looking at the clock, I know Kelsea and I will have plenty of time to get our stuff done together.
“Alright, come over here, and we’ll get you fixed up.”
Kelsea sits in front of me, crossing her legs. “Can you do a braid in the front?”
“So you don’t want all your hair braided? Just some of it?” I verify as I brush her hair.
“I want it the way you had your hair the other day.”
I wish I had my curling wand with me, because then I could curl the rest that’s not going in the braid, and she could look like me. “We’ll get it right.” I motion for her to turn around and get to work. Because I do my hair like this all the time, I’m done in a few minutes. “There ya go!”
We grab our stuff and leave Caleb’s apartment, setting out for our adventure.
“The Café good for lunch?” I question as we head toward downtown.
“It’s where we always go.” She nods. “I love their chocolate milkshakes.”
“I think after the afternoon you had at practice, you probably deserve a milkshake.”
“Caleb always lets me get them too,” she admits, a smile on her face. “Mom and Dad don’t like for me to have so much sugar, but it’s my favorite.”
“That’s because Caleb and I are the cool couple.” I think of Karina and Mason.
Something tells me they aren’t as serious as they like to make people think they are. They probably have a damn good time when it’s just them, but they try to set a good example for Kelsea.
“You are, you two let me do everything my parents won’t let me do.”
That’s the fun part of not being the parent, but I don’t tell her that. Parking at The Café, I turn the car off. “Let’s go eat!”
* * *
“You home?” I announce myself as I enter Caleb’s apartment. I saw his Jeep outside, but that doesn’t mean he’s not with Morgan working out. Since our texts earlier, I’ve wanted nothing more than to see him.
“Yeah.” He comes out of his bedroom, towel around his waist, water making rivers along the ripples in his skin. “Just got here.”
“I can see that.” I lick my lips as I make a feast out of his body.
“You see something you like, Red?” His grin is mischievous. He knows I like his body, knows I love to explore it, and knows exactly what it can do to me.
“Sometimes I just can’t believe you’re all mine,” I inhale deeply as I say the words.
“Believe it, babe, you got me.”
For some reason those words affect me in a way that I have to cross the room, fold him into my arms, and hold him close to me. Every day he goes out into the field to protect the people of this town, I worry about him, know that no matter what he’s doing, he’s living his dream, but when I get to see him at the end of a shift? It’s the best feeling, because I know he’s okay. I know he’s made it, and we’re going to have more seconds, minutes, hours, and days together.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” He tilts my face up to his, those brown eyes searching mine.
“Nothing.” I shake my head, voice thick. “Just really happy to see you today.”
The smile he gives me is my favorite kind. It’s huge, shows a small dimple in his cheek and works it’s way up to his eyes. “I’m happy to see you too. Favorite part of any day I have, Red. You’ve gotta know that. You’ve made my life better.”
Resting my head against his chest, I close my eyes and breathe in the after shave he still uses. Somehow those words seem like an omen, but I’m not sure if it’s good or bad. All I know is I want tonight and every other night with him, and I’ll make sure he always knows it.