Recoiling from any judgment, Ruby furrowed her brow. “My plans haven’t changed. I’m going to go get him. I thought that was obviously my intent from the beginning.” Her voice raised only an octave, but her confusion increased exponentially.
Jessica adjusted her glasses and peered at Ruby. “Have you thought about him though? Have you thought about what is going on with him? How will this kind of information and change affect him? I think it’s fair to bring it into focus.”
Panic welled in Ruby’s chest. Was Jessica suggesting Ruby shouldn’t claim her son? Why would she do that? She didn’t care what happened to Ruby. She wasn’t there to help her. Ruby hadn’t trusted Jessica from the start and now she could see why. She threw her hands in the air. “What are you talking about? This will be a good thing for him. It will be a good thing for me. What else is there to think about?”
Jessica didn’t raise her voice. She lifted a hand and spoke calmly which only irritated Ruby more. “The child has lived with his family for ten years. This is his family. His home. You want to take him from the only security that he knows. You don’t see a problem with that?” She narrowed her eyes as she studied Ruby.
“These people stole my life. Whether they did it knowingly or not, they still did it. I want it back. I’ve missed him for over ten years. They just ripped him from me as if he was a toy.” Ruby blinked back infuriated tears. Where did Jessica get off treating her that way? Who was she anyway? No one. She wasn’t even an important part of the case. Ruby wouldn’t come back. She didn’t need that in her already unsteady life.
The counselor relaxed into the couch and shook her head. She lowered the pad of paper and pen. “I’m afraid I can’t sign off on this. I don’t think you’re ready. I don’t think he’s ready. I don’t think you’re coming at any of this with a maternal perspective. Your approach is purely selfish. It’s all about what you want, not what’s best for him or you.”
The counselor didn’t wait for Ruby’s reply. She continued as if Ruby cared what she thought. “Without putting too fine a line on it, I’m going to recommend that Sloan hold off on reuniting you with your child until you’re in a better state of mind. We need time to go over this, you and I, and come up with a plan.”
Bitterly, Ruby bit into the soft skin of her inner cheek. Bland’s name should have been Blunt. She slapped her hand on the couch, the thwap loud in the small office. “I won’t be back. Sloan already told me about it, so there’s nothing you can do to stop this. I’m surprised he’s hired such an incompetent person to do a job that is so important.” Ruby jumped from the couch and rushed from the room. She knew she couldn’t trust that woman.
All Jessica wanted to do was keep Ruby’s son from his mother. Jessica and Aunt Cindy were probably best friends.
Fleeing the room, she couldn’t believe how she’d arrived so excited only minutes before. Halfway down the hall, almost to the stairs leading up to her room, she ran into Sloan. Her damp cheeks burned in humiliation at being seen like that.
He slowed her down, wrapping his fingers gently around her upper arms and ducking his head to see her better. “Sh. Sh. Ruby? Are you okay? What’s going on?” He lifted his gaze and looked beyond her as if to see who chased her.
Ruby’s nervous anxiety didn’t quell the butterflies stirring in her stomach at his presence. She was excited to see him, especially when she was so upset. His calming presence was exactly what she needed. Plus, he had told her about Camden’s whereabouts. Sloan wanted her to be happy. She could trust him.
She spluttered, trying to gather her thoughts into a cohesive explanation. She caught a whiff of his cologne and needed another second. She inhaled. “I just had a meeting with Jessica. She said I shouldn’t take my son back. She said that I shouldn’t do what I’m doing.”
“She said that?” Sloan’s eyebrows knit together and he glanced over her head and then back at her.
Ruby rolled her eyes, reveling in his steady grasp on her arms. “Well, not exactly, but she definitely insinuated it. She insinuated that I’m not the best thing for him. She said something about the best thing for him might be for me to leave him alone. As if I would disrupt his life and that would be worse than anything.”
How could anyone think that? She scoffed, waiting for Sloan to agree with her or sympathize with her frustration and disbelief.
Sloan turned his face away and studied a poster on the wall before looking back to Ruby. Dread pooled in her stomach, replacing the thrill of his touch. He nodded, carefully. “I see where you’re coming from, but I can also see where she’s coming from.”
Ruby pulled back, her mouth falling open. She blinked at him.
He held up a hand and stepped toward her. “Ruby, let’s be serious. Have you thought about the consequences of pushing him? He’s only ten. Learning how to think beyond just your pain is an important skill. That’s one reason I had you seeing a counselor. I was hoping you would be able to have some more time to go through the sessions before we found him, but since the topic is here and the situation is rushing faster than I wanted it to... You need to address these issues before we go any further.”
Ruby stepped back again, eyeing him as if he wasn’t telling her everything. “What is there to think about? He’s my son. I want him back.” What wasn’t Sloan saying? She blinked rapidly.
“Let’s talk about this some more.” He reached out but she sidestepped his grasp. He dropped his chin. “Would you like to go to dinner tonight? I’m not saying no, Ruby. I’m saying we need to talk about it. There’s nothing wrong with talking things out more. You’re still reeling from your meeting with Bland. Come with me to dinner and we’ll talk it out, come up with a game plan for how to attack this. There’s a lot more involved than just going to his house and introducing yourself.”
Of course there would be. She hadn’t thought that far ahead. She’d only planned on having him in her arms immediately. She hadn’t even thought of where they would live or what she would do. “Of course, you’re right.”
She had to be overreacting. Sloan wasn’t out to get her. He wouldn’t do something to keep her from her son. He cared for her. Ruby had to believe that. “I’m sorry. I’m still feeling weird after my meeting with Jessica.”
He reached up and ran a finger down the line of her jaw, speaking softly, soothingly. “You know I just want what’s best for you. I promise, we’ll get this figured out.” After she nodded, he continued. “Do you like Mexican? I’m going to be busy for most of the day. We just got a new guest in. I’ll swing by and grab you about five?” He smiled reassuringly.
Ruby nodded, trying to push down the stress of the last few minutes. “Of course. I’ll see you tonight.” She watched Sloan turn and walk toward his office. Why couldn’t she have faith in the process and believe in anyone? Sloan had done nothing but stand by her side and get results.
The least she could do was have patience in his plans.
She answered her own question. Having faith in others was hard when no one ever lived up to their promises.
Seeing Sloan had calmed her anxiety like she had hoped, but awoke new ones she hadn’t been aware of. She’d assumed Sloan wanted her reunited with Camden so she hadn’t considered that there would be any other option. That was an assumption she would pay for, but what would the cost be? Would she lose her chance at her son? Would Jessica Bland convince Sloan that Ruby wasn’t ready?
She was ready. She’d never been unprepared to love her son and that’s all it would take. Love. She could do anything as long as she had Camden with her.
Somehow, Ruby had made her way to her room. She couldn’t sit or lie down or do anything restful.
In the kit that Jessica had put together, Ruby found a bright yellow stress ball emblazoned with a white heart. Ruby tossed it back and forth while she paced from the window by the door in her room to the line on the floor where the linoleum and carpet met at the bathroom.
Why would Bland suggest Ruby wasn’t ready? Why hadn’
t Sloan immediately stood up for Ruby? If he was being loyal to his employee, that made sense and was something Ruby could support. Would he go and discuss things with Jessica and then have more information for Ruby at dinner?
Ruby didn’t have anything concrete in mind regarding Camden. She didn’t know how she expected it to play out. The only goal she’d had in mind regarding talking to Jessica about the latest development was to tell someone. She had no one else to tell. She just wanted to be excited and share what was going on. Why couldn’t Jessica have been excited with her? She could have responded with excitement and then offered the ideas she tried shoving on Ruby from the start.
The lack of bedside manner would be detrimental to creating any kind of counseling relationship between the two of them. Not that Ruby would be going back to pursue anything with the woman. That bridge had burned.
Ruby needed to burn some energy before dinner that night. Maybe a few laps in the pool would help. She could release some of the doubt that morning’s events had created and reclaim the excitement of Sloan’s announcement.
Camden. She had to focus on Camden and seeing him again.
Changing into her suit which was really nothing more than a t-shirt and shorts, she grabbed a towel from the bathroom and made her way down to the pool. The appeal of the open pool with the rooms looking down on the water was it was only women allowed in there for treatment. There was safety and security in just that thought alone.
Ruby pulled up short at the sight of a woman standing at the edge of the pool, staring into the sparkling water. She was fully dressed in faded jeans and a stained sweatshirt with her hair pulled back in a double-plaited braid. Ruby recognized the despondency on her expression. She’d felt that way many times and, even then, she tried to drown out those negative feelings.
Walking up beside the woman, Ruby followed her gaze. “It’s so much better when you’re dressed for swimming.” She laughed, motioning at her own clothes, then held out her hand. “I’m Ruby. It’s nice to meet someone else in here.”
The woman’s jitteriness had her fidgeting. She couldn’t settle red-rimmed eyes on Ruby for more than a second. “Catherine. Is it just us in here?” She shivered and looked back to the pool like she’d been hypnotized by its depths.
“Yeah. It’s just been me for a while. What’s your story?” Ruby moved over and draped her borrowed towel on the chaise closest to them. She sat down and kicked her shoes off and tucked them under the chair.
Catherine followed Ruby away from the water’s edge and sat on the chaise across from Ruby. Leaning forward, Catherine braced her forearms on her knees, hanging her head and then lifting her face to offer a condescending laugh. “My story... My story is I’m a junkie who everybody thinks they have to save.” She gave a derisive snort, pushing herself back off her legs to lean back. Shaking her head, she twisted her lips. “The only problem is I’m happy exactly where I’m at. The drugs keep the pain at bay...”
Motioning toward her shaking hands, Catherine continued, “The withdrawals. They’re awful. I’ve been raped a few times, and, you know what? I don’t care.” Her false bravado struck a chord in Ruby who ached for the new woman.
Unable to hide her anguish, Ruby nodded, scrunching her nose. “Yeah, I get it. I was raped in high school, the guy date-rape-drugged me. I got pregnant. They told me he died but I just found out my son was actually taken from me and given away.” She replaced her frown with a broad smile. “But Sloan and his investigator have found him. I’m really excited to get him.”
The woman’s teeth were dark in the cracks where she had some and she smiled encouragingly. “Are you going to get your boy today? Is here coming here? Is that why you’re swimming?” Catherine picked the soft skin beside her thumbnail. She chewed on it and spit whatever she pulled off to the side by their feet.
“No, they’re asking me a bunch of questions and telling me it’s not the right time.” Ruby rolled her eyes. “It’s so frustrating because I’m ready, but they don’t feel like I am, you know?” Jessica didn’t. Sloan would understand, but he had to follow procedure. Was there procedure for something like her situation? How many times had a child been stolen that there had to be policy in place?
“What’s holding them back from getting him for you, right now? Do they know where he is or not? It sounds like your case would be cut and dry.” Catherine leaned forward, narrowing her bloodshot eyes. “What aren’t they telling you?”
Ruby didn’t have an answer. The woman’s question was logical and made sense. Ruby couldn’t figure out why they wouldn’t take her to him immediately. She’d thought she was just being unreasonable and paranoid. If there were legal ramifications or something else, that would make sense. But nobody had said anything to her about that. The law should be on her side since he’d been stolen from Ruby.
She was the victim and, in this instance, if it would get her son back, she’d take the label.
She could ask Sloan. He wouldn’t lie to her.
Would he?
Chapter 12
Sloan
Walking into the Mexican restaurant, Sloan rested his hand on the small of Ruby’s back. There were other men on the street and in the restaurant, and Sloan had the aching desire to claim her as his own. Of course, they hadn’t declared anything yet, but he was growing attached to her fast. The intoxicating smell of her natural perfume had become his favorite smell. He looked forward to catching even the briefest glimpses of her.
Getting attached wasn’t something he was prepared to do, but if he was going to do it, Ruby was the perfect woman to link himself to.
Bright hues of reds, oranges, and browns decorated the Mexican restaurant with splashes of green where real plants filled ceramic pots throughout the building. White was used as an accent. Heady aromas of mole sauce and thick queso sauces filled the air. Around the perimeter booths, a group of wait staff sang Happy Birthday with maracas and large sombreros with gold tassels.
“Let’s go this way.” Sloan led Ruby to a back booth in the opposite corner and handed her a menu from the stack on the side under the window. He sat across from her to see her eyes. She had a way of expressing her feelings with the smallest movement of her eyelids or eyebrows that made her face come alive with emotion.
“How have you been? I hate that I don’t get to see you every day.” Sloan pointed at the corn tamales on the menu. “These are my favorite, but get whatever you want. I’ll only buy these anymore. They are addicting.”
“You could see me every day. I’m almost out of there, I kind of wish it was longer.” Her reply warmed him and worried him at the same time.
Sloan longed to tell her that his feelings for her were growing and that he didn’t want to scare her away, but he was also nervous that he would terrify her. She wasn’t the type of woman to jump into anything that wasn’t one-hundred-percent steady or guaranteed. He bit back the words he wanted to share.
He sat back as the waitress set a glass of ice water in front of both of them then disappeared again. Playing with the condensation already forming on the outside of the drink, Sloan glanced up at her and held his emotion to a simple smile. “I love seeing you. We’ll do our best to make sure we get to see each other more.”
“I mean, once I get my son, I won’t be staying at Parker’s Place anymore, right? I’m not sure where I’ll end up, but that would make it hard to see each other, won’t it?” She drew her bottom lip between her teeth and stared at him.
“You’re planning on leaving? So soon?” He hadn’t considered that she would want to go. He’d assumed she would be at the facility for a couple months. Sloan had depended on that time to get a chance to get to know each other better, develop whatever pull they had on the other. Her perception was vastly different from his and that filled his heart with dread.
“If I don’t need to be there, why use up your resources? I can get my feet under me. Obviously, Jessica Bland isn’t doing anything for me. I think that’s fairly clear. Once I have
Camden, I won’t need Thompson anymore. And you...” She raised her green eyes to him and pursed her lips together, sorry suddenly filling her gaze. “I’m not sure what’s going on with us, but... we can pursue that even if I’m not at your work, right?”
Stunned at the sudden turn in topic, Sloan rested his hands on the ledge of the table. He hadn’t considered her leaving so soon which left him feeling abandoned in a premeditated manner. What was he supposed to do once she’d left? She’d become the only bright spot in his day.
He shook his head and extended his hand across the table, waiting for her to put her fingers in his. Once they connected and the warmth of their touch flooded up his arm, he softly asked, “Why do you want to leave so soon? What are you running from?” Me? How I make you feel? He wanted to ask the obvious questions, and the not-so-obvious ones. He wanted to know just what he’d done to make her want to flee.
She blinked at him, once, twice, three times. “Running from? I’m not leaving out of fear. I’m ready to get started in my life – be a mom, a provider, and be on my own. I deserve that, Sloan. I need that.”
Watching their hands together, Sloan swallowed. “I just don’t to lose you, you know?” He looked up, taking in as much of her face as he could. What she said didn’t matter; she’d already left in her mind. She could see herself holding her son and walking off into the sunset – without Sloan.
That reality slammed home just how much he’d grown to care. What was he doing? Why had he told her about her boy? Because she needed to know, but that didn’t mean it would help him in his selfish endeavors. Who was he kidding? He’d never do anything to get in her way or hurt her. He cared too much and it wasn’t in him to be cruel.
They sat there in silence, holding hands.
After a moment, she leaned forward over their clasped fingers. “You won’t lose me... Sloan, when are you guys going to take me to get my son? Or at least see him?” Ruby ignored the menu he’d pushed toward her a few times. “Just be straight with me, Sloan. Don’t sugar-coat it. I need the facts and I need to know what you’re thinking.”
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