Mr. Wolfe turned from where he stirred something on the stove. Ruby was relieved. Ulric Wolfe was a far better cook than his wife, Otsana. Rafe and his mom looked up from their seat on the couch where they held a large photo book. She noticed Rafe’s gaze fall to Lowell’s arm about her.
Ulric reached her first. He pulled her into a bear hug. “Ruby, love, long time, no see. Where’ve you been hiding?”
“Oh, um, I’ve—”
“Leave her alone, Ulric.” Otsana Wolfe pushed her husband out of the way—not difficult since she towered over his five-foot-eight height, the same height as Ruby. His sons definitely got their height from their mother’s side. She stood an even six feet, but her brothers and father were all as tall as Lowell’s six-three. Rafe topped them by two inches.
Once Otsana released her from her smothering hug, she grasped Ruby’s shoulders and said, “So, dear, where did you say you’ve been hiding?”
Ruby peered around Otsana and grinned at Rafe. This felt the same as it always had. Only Rafe wasn’t grinning. He watched the scene, eyes squinted the smallest amount, lips pressed tightly.
“Ruby brought me cupcakes,” Lowell said.
“I doubt she brought them for you,” Otsana said, slapping Lowell’s hand as he reached into the box to retrieve one of the small cakes. “You can have one after dinner. Get your paws out of there.” She took the box from Lowell as he stared at her, mouth open.
He glanced at Ruby. “Did you see that? See how she treats me like a child?”
“That’s because you are a child,” Otsana said, handing the box to Ulric. “Put those away, sweetheart.” She grasped Ruby’s hand and pulled her toward the couch. “Come, Ruby. Rafe and I were just looking at old photos.”
As they passed Rafe, he finally gave her a small smile, lifting his massive shoulders in a shrug. She had no choice but to sit next to Otsana on the couch. Lowell walked toward them. Rafe quickly moved to sit on Ruby’s other side, forcing Lowell to sit in the chair opposite. The couch wasn’t small, but couldn’t accommodate the bulk of both Wolfe boys along with Ruby and their mother.
Otsana laid the photo book on Ruby’s lap. She glanced down and saw that they’d been looking at photos of Rafe and Lowell when they were just boys. Rafe looked to be about three, and Lowell five. Ruby smiled at the image of them, skinny as toothpicks. They were tall for their age, even then, but nothing gave even a hint of how hardened their bodies would become from working the farm.
“You guys were so cute,” Ruby said.
“Were?” Lowell asked incredulously.
“Boy, I’m amazed your head fits through the door at night with an ego that size,” Otsana said without looking up from the photos. Rafe chuckled softly. The sound travelled up Ruby’s spine, right into her heart. Otsana turned the page.
“Oh, look, there you are, Ruby.”
“Where?” Rafe said, leaning forward to look. He lifted an arm and placed it on the back of the couch behind Ruby in order to get closer. He leaned his head forward, which put his face next to Ruby’s. Ruby managed to keep her eyes on the book, but she had no idea what she was seeing.
“Right here,” Otsana said, pointing.
Ruby breathed deeply. She’d always loved the smell of Rafe, earthy and clean, like the world smelled just after a cleansing rain. Even before she’d thought of him as a guy, rather than just her best friend, she’d loved his scent. If she leaned just a little to the right, her cheek would touch his shoulder.
“You were pretty cute yourself,” Rafe said, looking down at her. She glanced up at him. He was only inches from her. If she just tipped her face up a little—
“Get a room,” Lowell muttered, no trace of humor evident. Rafe and Ruby jerked apart, heat suffusing Ruby’s face. Rafe shot his brother a glare. Otsana either didn’t hear him or chose to ignore him. Ruby turned back to the photo, this time really looking at it.
Ruby, Rafe, and Lowell sat on a bench. Ruby remembered the day. She and Rafe were six or seven. Their moms, best friends, had taken the three of them to the park. The remembrance of her mom brought a pang to Ruby. They’d bought the kids ice cream cones. Lowell, being the bully he’d always been to Ruby, had shoved her, causing her to drop her cone. Just before this photo, Rafe had come to her and offered to share his. In the picture, Rafe and Ruby sat side-by-side, Rafe holding his cone toward Ruby who was taking a bite as Rafe watched. Lowell sat on the other end of the bench, eyes on the pair, looking distinctly unhappy with the situation.
“I remember this day,” Ruby said. She glanced up at Lowell. “You made me cry.”
“Wasn’t the first time—or the last,” Rafe said.
Lowell leaned forward in his seat. “Bet I never made her cry as hard as you did.”
Rafe cut a glance toward Ruby then away as humiliation flooded her.
“That’s enough, boys,” Otsana said, turning to the next page.
“Get in here and eat,” Ulric called from the kitchen.
“How about some manners?” Otsana said testily, standing and turning to face her husband. “We have a guest. Surely you can pretend to have manners while she’s here.”
“She’s not a guest. She’s family,” Ulric said, unrepentant.
Rafe stood and held a hand toward Ruby to help her up. “Welcome home, huh?” he smirked. Ruby laughed, placing her hand in his.
Ruby sat next to Rafe, across from Lowell. Their parents sat on either end of the table. Ruby could feel tension between the brothers and wondered why. Lowell seemed edgy, restless. Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe verbally sparred throughout the meal, as they always had. Ruby used to think they hated one another, until one day when she realized that they loved one another more than most couples who never argued. Now, there was a security in how they dealt with each other.
As soon as Otsana moved to stand, Lowell was out of his seat.
“I’ll be back,” he said. He strode to the front door, glancing back once toward Ruby. She couldn’t decipher the look he gave her before slamming out the door.
She glanced at Otsana, expecting her to either chase Lowell and demand his return, or comment on the rude departure. Instead, she acted as if it were nothing unusual. She turned her gaze to Rafe. His jaw was clenched, mouth tight, but he also made no comment. Odd.
Later, Rafe offered to drive her home. Considering the wolf attacks, Ruby agreed. At least, that was her excuse. It had nothing to do with wanting to spend time alone with him. Right.
She climbed into his mom’s car with him. As they pulled away from the farm, she thought she heard howling. She glanced out the window nervously.
“Did you hear that?”
“Probably just the wind,” Rafe said. Ruby could hear the falseness of his words. The rest of the trip was made in uncomfortable silence.
When they arrived at her house, she turned to him. “Thanks, Rafe.”
He didn’t answer, just opened his door and got out. Ruby hurried and pushed out her own door.
“You don’t have to walk me to the door,” she said quickly.
“I want to,” he said. Ruby tried to think of an excuse—any excuse—why he didn’t need to, but his words had scrambled her thoughts. He wanted to.
As they neared her front door, the reason she’d been trying to keep him from walking her yelled out.
“Who’s there? Tha’ you, Rubes?”
Ruby wondered if the slur in his voice was as obvious to Rafe as it was to her.
“Yeah, dad, it’s me.” She turned back to Rafe. “Thanks again. It was fun to see your family again.”
“Speaking of that,” he said, not taking the hint. “Why haven’t you seen much of my family? Other than Lowell, that is. It sounds like he sees you plenty.”
“I don’t—”
“Rubes!” A loud crash followed the yell. Ruby closed her eyes against the sound. Before she could stop him, Rafe opened the door.
“Rafe, don’t—” She was left talking to nothing as he went in. She grunted and followed him.
With horror, she saw Rafe bent down to help her father to his feet—or rather, to lift him to his feet as he got no help from the drunken man.
“Hey, Mr. Hood,” Rafe said. “Let’s get you up to bed, huh?”
Her dad looked up blearily at Rafe. “Tha’ you, Rafe?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Rafe!” His joyous slur was painful to Ruby. “You came back. I tol’ ‘er you would.”
“Yes, sir. You were right.”
Her father’s legs crumpled beneath him as he passed out. Rafe easily swung him up into his arms, cradling him like a baby. Ruby’s hands held her cheeks with mortification at the scene before her. Rafe carried the loudly snoring man up the narrow staircase, Ruby on his heels. He laid her father on his bed and began removing his shoes.
“Rafe, please, you don’t have to do that. I can do it. He’s okay, you can go now. We’ll be fine.” Her protests fell on deaf ears as Rafe continued to undress her father until he was in nothing but his boxers. He pulled the covers up to his chin then turned to Ruby, placing a finger on his lips as if telling Ruby to be quiet so as not to disturb him. Ruby prayed for a hole to open in the earth and swallow her.
Rafe followed her back down the stairs. Shame tied Ruby’s tongue.
“He’s gotten worse,” he said quietly. Ruby only nodded. “Is he always this bad?” She wanted to deny it, tell him that no, this was out of the norm. She couldn’t form the lie. She nodded again. “Oh, Red,” he said sympathetically, pulling her into a hug.
As many times as she’d fantasized about being in his arms again, it had never been following him tucking her drunken father into bed, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her life was a disgrace. She was a disgrace . . . a pathetic disgrace who ached for the guy who’d left her heart in shambles.
Rafe simply held her, gently rocking her, his cheek resting on the top of her head. When she felt like she could control her emotions, she gathered the courage needed to push away from him. He let her go easily.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, arms crossed, refusing to look at him. “You shouldn’t have done that. You shouldn’t have had to do that.”
“Red, he’s your dad. I don’t mind. I’ve known him my whole life.”
“I know, but . . . he’s not the man you knew. He’s . . . different, now.”
“You take care of him.” It wasn’t a question.
“Someone has to,” she murmured.
“You stayed in Piera because of him.”
“No, Rafe, I stayed because it’s my home.”
It was the truth. Sort of. Piera was her home, and she loved it. She loved working with Marina, creating new recipes. She was content. Other than the gaping hole left when Rafe left, she was content. As much as she loved Piera, she would have followed him anywhere, across any continent.
If her father didn’t need her.
If he’d asked.
Rafe took a step closer to her. Ruby reacted by stepping quickly back and to the door. She opened it and said, “Thank you, Rafe, for everything.”
He sighed, but didn’t push any further. He moved onto the porch, turning back to her.
“Can I take you to lunch tomorrow? We haven’t really had any time to talk.”
Ruby’s stomach lurched at the thought of “talking” with Rafe. What did they have to talk about? She had hundreds of questions for him, none of which she would really ask.
“I have to work.”
“Dinner then,” he said. “I’ll meet you at the shop at five.”
For the first time ever, Ruby regretted Marina’s absolute predictability in her store hours. Rafe didn’t wait for an answer as he walked to his car. Just before getting in, he turned back.
“You have no idea how good it is to see you again, Red.”
As he drove away, Ruby heard the distant howling again and quickly closed the door. She didn’t know which would be worse—throwing herself to the wolves, or spending time with Rafe to “talk.”
* * * * *
The day flew by to Ruby’s dread. She had burnt one batch of cupcakes for which she’d hoped Marina would send her home. No such luck. Instead, Marina set her putting the base frosting on piles of cupcakes while Marina decorated them. She’d rather have scrubbed toilets all day. There was nothing creative in either, but at least with the toilets she could be alone with her thoughts rather than listening to Marina go on about how nice it was to have Rafe back.
Fifteen minutes before the shop closed—and fifteen minutes before Ruby would have to face Rafe again—Lowell walked in. Great, Ruby thought, just what I need to complete my day.
“Hi, Marina,” he said charmingly to the shop owner. Ruby kept her back turned, hoping he came for something other than her. “Hey, Red.” She closed her eyes against his voice. “Ruby?” he called, louder.
“Hey, Lowell,” she said, waving over her shoulder without turning around.
“Can I help you with something?” Marina asked him.
There were a few beats of silence, then he said, “Uh, no. I actually came to see Ruby.”
Marina walked back to the table where they frosted the cupcakes. “It’s for you,” she said, waggling her eyebrows at Ruby. Teeth clenched, Ruby turned around.
“What can I do for you?” she asked shortly. “I’m kind of busy.”
“I’ve got it,” Marina said, and Ruby shot her a dirty look. She moved toward the counter to stand opposite Lowell.
“I was wondering what you’re doing when you get off,” Lowell said.
“Oh. Um. Well, I—”
The bell over the door chimed as Rafe entered. At the sight of him, Ruby’s heart thudded. What’s wrong with me? If Lowell’s scowl was any indication, his reaction to the appearance of Rafe was the opposite of hers.
“Hi, Red, Marina,” he said cheerfully. “Lowell, what’re you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same,” Lowell grumbled.
“Came to get Ruby,” Rafe said with a grin. “We have a date.”
“Oh, really?” His words sounded close to a growl.
“Really,” Rafe said.
“It’s not a date,” Ruby chimed in. “Rafe wanted to go to dinner.”
Rafe’s smile fell at her words, his eyes cutting between her and Lowell.
“Sounds like fun,” Lowell said, indicating it sounded anything but. “Mind if I tag along?”
Ruby didn’t want to spend time with Lowell, but his presence would buffer her from the awkwardness of being alone with Rafe. She opened her mouth to agree to the plan, but Rafe spoke first.
“Sorry, bro. I want some alone time with my old friend. Maybe next time.” His tone was final. For Lowell to persist would make him seem like a jerk, so he nodded.
“Maybe,” Lowell said, turning back to Ruby. “I’ll talk to you later.” He turned and strode from the shop, barely glancing at his brother.
“Ready?” Rafe asked, unperturbed.
“I just need to get my stuff,” she murmured, hurrying into the back room, Marina hot on her heels.
“What’s your secret?” Marina hissed.
“Secret?”
“C’mon. You have the two hottest guys in town fighting over you.” She smiled as if Ruby should be enjoying the attention.
“They’re not fighting over me. I’m not interested in being with either one.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” Marina said flippantly.
“Marina, I’m serious. Lowell is a jerk, and Rafe is . . . Rafe.” She jerked her purse from its hook.
“Who you were in love with,” Marina said quietly.
“Were being the operative word here, Marina.” Her shoulders sagged. “What am I going to do?”
Marina hugged her. “I wish I could tell you.”
Rafe paced in front of the door while waiting. As soon as she appeared, he stopped and smiled. He pulled the door open for her and she hesitated a step before exiting. Opening her door was something Rafe had been adamant about their whole lives from
the time he was old enough to reach a door handle.
“What did you drive?” she asked.
“I thought we’d walk,” he said.
“Okay. Where’re we going?”
“You’ll see,” he said. Side by side, they moved down the street.
“How was work?” he asked when the silence stretched.
“I burned a batch,” she said.
“Hmm.” Another long silence, then, “How’s your dad today?”
Red and the Wolf Page 2
