Brooks dropped his gaze to the ground, shaking his head.
Ruby stepped closer and stared into his handsome face, which was tightly lined in raw pain. He was fighting to keep the tears away. “It’s okay to feel all the things you’re feeling. Coming here will give you closure, trust me. It will. When you get back home and think about this, you’ll feel better. You’ll begin to feel whole again.”
Brooks slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her closer. She laid her head on his chest. His heart was beating so fast she placed her hand there to calm him, to give him the balm he needed right now. Nestled in his embrace, she waited for the beats to slow to a normal pace.
“How come you know me so well, Ruby?” He brushed the top of her head with a kiss.
“I just do, I guess.”
He tightened his hold, locking her against his body as they swayed ever so slightly together to the music. Electricity sizzled. It always did when they were this close. “You feel so damn good in my arms.”
“Humph.”
“I didn’t mean it that way.”
“I know how you meant it, Brooks.” He welcomed her comfort. He needed her here, and she wouldn’t want it any other way. “I’m just giving you jazz.”
“Because that’s what you do.”
“Yeah, that’s what I do.”
“Don’t ever stop doing that,” he whispered into her ear.
Something fierce and protective crackled and snapped inside her. And in that moment, Ruby knew she never wanted to stop giving him anything. She’d fallen in love with him. She loved him so much, she wanted to take away his pain, absorb it and tuck it away in some deep, dark place, never to return. She loved Brooks Newport.
But did she still love Trace, too?
Right now, in Brooks’s arms, she was giving him all he needed. She wouldn’t think about the future and the fact that Brooks would be leaving after the holidays.
He had a home in Chicago.
A thriving business there.
And none of it included her.
* * *
The next day, Ruby licked around her cone of dark chocolate fudge ice cream, enjoying every second of her indulgence. Sitting beside her at the Fudge You Ice Cream Factory, Eve was doing the same, digging into her chocolate cone, and Serena, who was happy to join them today, sat across the booth, devouring a dish of French vanilla scoops topped with caramel sauce.
“Yum,” Eve said, crunching down on the sugar cone. “I can’t remember the last time I had ice cream.”
“You don’t crave ice cream?” Serena asked. “Isn’t that the go-to craving when you’re pregnant?”
“That’s what I hear. But for me it’s more potato chips and dip. Give me salt and I’m happy. But I’d never turn down good ice cream. If I don’t watch it, I’ll be floating away like a balloon soon.”
“Eve, you look fantastic. You don’t have to watch anything,” Ruby said, hiding the fact that it was her craving for ice cream and not Eve’s that had brought them here today.
Eve chuckled. “Thanks for that. The ice cream is amazing. And so is the company.” Eve smiled at both of them.
“It’s your reward for beating me at pool,” Ruby added. “I told you if you won, I’d have something fun in store for you.” Fun and indulgent. Ruby needed that, too, now more than ever. Coming here with Eve and Serena was much better than suffering alone at her cottage and digging into a pint or two of decadent ice cream in front of the television set, pining over the state of her love life.
How could one man make her so happy and so sad at the same time?
Brooks had been hurting yesterday and it was only natural for her to comfort him, to allow him time to grieve over his grandfather...because that’s exactly what he had done. He’d met Bill Turner for the first time and said farewell to the old man, probably never to see him again, all in one afternoon. The ordeal had shaken Brooks, and seeing him that way had sent her own wobbly emotions out of whack.
“Actually, it’s really sweet of you to entertain me today while Graham and Brooks are out riding with Beau,” Eve said. “Graham couldn’t wait to ride on one of his dad’s Thoroughbreds.”
Ruby turned her attention back to the girls. “Are you kidding? My stomach is doing somersaults right now. It’s been too long since I’ve had Fudge You ice cream. I’m happy to do it.”
“This does beat eating lunch,” Serena said. “I’m glad I’m on winter break right now so I could join you.”
“Serena is the new principal of Cool Springs High School,” Ruby explained to Eve. “The kids love her over there. She’s made going to the principal’s office a cool thing.”
“Oh, really? How so?” Eve asked, her brows lifting as she turned to Serena.
“Well, there are still times it sucks getting summoned to the principal’s office,” Serena said, “but now, if students do something remarkable like helping a fellow student out of a jam or achieving higher grades than expected because of hard work, I reward them.”
“She takes them to lunch,” Ruby said, “or lets them skip gym for a week, or gives them a season pass to the football games.”
“Among other things,” Serena said. “It gives the kids an incentive to do well. They seem to like it.”
“They sure do,” Ruby said, praising her friend. “And they like Serena a whole helluva lot more than we cared for Mr. Hale, our principal back in the day. That man never cracked a smile.”
“I like your creative approach,” Eve said. “I can see why the kids adore you.”
Ruby gobbled up her cone before the girls were halfway through theirs. She gazed longingly at the mounds of ice cream under the glass case, wishing she could have another cone or maybe a sundae with whipped cream and cherries on top. What was wrong with her? Even with the Trace-and-Brooks-induced stomachache she’d had lately, her appetite was voracious.
Too soon, all the cones were history, and Serena was rising from her seat. “Sorry to dash out, but I’ve got an errand list a mile long for this afternoon. It was nice meeting you, Eve. I hope to see you again.”
“Same here, Serena,” Eve said. “I’m glad you joined us.”
“Serena’s coming to Look Away for our Christmas party, so you’ll see her again,” Ruby said.
“That’s great,” Eve said. “Well then, I’ll see you in a few days.”
“I’m looking forward to it. Bye girls.” Serena exited the shop.
“She’s nice,” Eve said. “You’ve been friends a long time?”
“We have. Serena’s like a sister to me.”
“And Beau’s like a father.”
“He is. He’s a good man. I’m fortunate to have the Prestons. We’re pretty tight.”
Eve sipped water and smiled. “I can see that. It’s really refreshing. My family...well, we’ve had our differences. But my sisters and I are close. You know, in a sense, you and I will be sisters, too. In-laws, but sisters.”
“Yeah, I’m happy about that.”
“So am I,” Eve said. And then, suddenly she gripped her belly, and the blood drained from her face. “Oh.”
“What’s wrong?” Ruby rose halfway out of her seat.
Eve waved her off. “Nothing. Just a bout of queasiness. I get that sometimes. But I’m... I’m okay.”
Ruby sat down, relieved.
Seconds ticked by before the color returned to Eve’s face. “Pregnancy sometimes knocks you for a loop, you know.”
Ruby didn’t know. None of her friends had children yet, so she didn’t have any firsthand knowledge of the subject. She knew how mares gave birth and had pulled foals on the ranch under the supervision of her father, but the whole human pregnancy thing was new to her. “How do you mean?”
“Well, first off, you get all these weird sensations. In the beginning, you’re hungry all the time and feel like you can’t get enough food in you. One day, and I’m ashamed to admit this, I consumed two omelets for breakfast and a thick foot-long sandwich for lunch, and I st
ill had room for a barbeque chicken dinner with chocolate cake for dessert. I inhaled food in those early weeks. I couldn’t believe it.”
“Eating for two?”
“More like an army,” Eve said, her eyes twinkling. “But that’s passed. Now I’m sensitive all over.” She pointed to her chest. “I’m full and tender here all the time.”
Ruby froze up, holding her breath tight in her throat. The only thing moving were her eyes. And they were blinking rapidly. She’d been feeling those very sensations lately, too. If she put her bra on too hastily, her nipples would tingle and actually hurt. The pain was foreign to her, and it would take a while before it disappeared. She hadn’t thought much of it, but now, as she took another glance at the mountain of ice cream sitting in the refrigerator case, her stomach grumbled. She was still hungry. She could do major damage to those big cartons. Chocolate. Strawberry. Vanilla. And every other flavor.
Good God. Had she missed her period this month?
“Ruby?”
She tried to calculate back in her mind.
“Ruby, you’re turning green right before my eyes. Are you okay?”
Ruby stopped blinking and focused on what Eve was saying. She forced herself to recover from the shock and shoved her doubts to the back of her mind. “I’m fine. Um, are you ready to see the best Cool Springs has to offer by way of shopping? It’s no Rodeo Drive, but there’s a shopping district that has some pretty neat boutiques.”
Eve’s brows knit together as she subtly scrutinized her, making Ruby wonder if she’d actually fooled her. “Sure, I’d love to. We can walk off the ice cream calories.” Eve reached across the table to touch her hand. “Thanks for making me feel welcome in Cool Springs. I think of us as friends already.” There was a flicker in Eve’s eyes that said she was willing to listen if Ruby needed to talk.
“I feel the same way,” she replied genuinely.
Astute as Eve was, Ruby suspected she had already guessed about her involvement with Brooks. But admitting it would make it all too real, and there would be questions she couldn’t answer. And feelings she’d have to face. About Trace. About Brooks. And the wrinkle that she might be carrying a child even though she’d been very careful, was all too much for her right now.
It was better to put her head in the sand and let the world keep on turning for a while.
Nine
Brooks gave the living area of his cabin a final once-over. Dozens of roses he’d had flown in from his hometown were arranged in vases and glass bowls all around the room. Their unequalled beauty and sweet scent reminded him of the woman who had stolen his heart. He had pillar candles ready to flicker at the strike of a match. Ideally tonight, after the Christmas party, he would finally show Ruby how much he cared about her.
It had been days since he’d touched her, days since he’d held her in his arms and kissed the daylights out of her. He totally understood that Ruby was torn in two by the return of her ex. She’d banked her future on Trace Evans and had envisioned a life with him. And Trace had failed her. The guy wasn’t good enough to shine Ruby’s boots, and tonight was Brooks’s chance to win her over. To show her that they needed more time together, that what they’d started at the C’mon Inn was worth pursuing.
In just a few hours, he’d be face-to-face with her, and he wouldn’t let up until Ruby was his.
A knock at his door shook him out of his own head. It was his brother Graham.
“Hey.”
“Hey. Thanks for showing up on time.”
“My brother calls and I come.”
Graham stepped inside the cabin, immediately took in the romantic setting, lifted his nose in the air and grinned. “Smells like a funeral home in here.”
Oh man, Graham was such a pain sometimes. “Don’t make me sorry I let you in here.”
“You’re doing this for Ruby?” Graham walked farther into the room.
“Yep. You know I don’t like to lose. And Ruby is worth winning.”
Graham eyed him carefully. “Just don’t blow it, Brooks. Seems weird saying this, but she’s family now. And you’d have the entire Preston house come down on you if Ruby gets hurt.”
“I don’t intend to hurt her,” Brooks said, hearing the commitment in his voice.
“Man, you’re really hooked, aren’t you? I mean, you two are polar opposites.”
“Let me worry about that. And we’re not that different when it comes right down to it.”
“Hey, I have my hands full with wedding plans and the baby coming. I’m not going to say another word, except you deserve to be happy.” He looked over the place again. “Nice touch with the candles. Ruby will love what you’ve done. I hope it works out.”
The sincerity in Graham’s voice made up for his crap from earlier. “I appreciate that.”
“So, what’s up?”
“I’ve been thinking.”
“About Bill Turner? I do plan to see him one day, but after what you told me, apparently there’s no rush. He won’t know who I am, right?”
“Probably not, but if you need to see him, to meet with him, I wouldn’t stop you. Ruby said...” Brooks paused. Everything Ruby had told him was true. She’d gotten him through a tough day, and that was only one of the reasons he was crazy about her.
“What did Ruby say?” Graham asked.
“A lot, and I’ll tell you later, but first I want to run something by you. I think I’m ready.”
“Ready?” His brother gestured to the decked-out room. “Obviously, if you’ve gone to so much trouble for Ruby—”
“I’m talking about my vendetta against Winchester. I think I’m through, Graham. Once and for all. I wanted to get your opinion. I want to make peace.”
His brother’s brows shot up. “Really?”
“Yeah. It’s time. Being here at Look Away has cleared my head some. I’m not the same man I once was. Vengeance can be taken only so far before it destroys you. Coming here made me see that I want to look to the future and not bury myself in the past. What’s done is done.”
“I like what I’m hearing, Brooks. And Eve will be grateful if you could put the past behind you. She’s come here to support me in meeting my father while her own father is very ill. Sutton isn’t long for this earth. Eve, Nora and Grace are struggling with all of it. I mean, say what you might about the man, but he is their father, and he’s dying.”
Brooks drew breath in his lungs. He’d had a long-running feud with Sutton Winchester and had come to learn the man hadn’t been guilty of many of the things Brooks had once believed. Winchester’s biggest crime had been to love his mother, Cynthia, so much that he hadn’t revealed her secrets. In a way, that had been honorable. Though it had caused the Newport sisters a lot of grief, Brooks’s anger had softened recently. “Yeah, I know.”
“I’ve already put the past behind me, for Eve’s sake and for the sake of our baby. It’s no good clinging to a grudge. I’m a happier man for it and I think you would be, too.” Graham slapped him on the back. “You’ve got my full support.”
“Wonderful. I’ll make that happen soon. Now get out of here. I’ve got to get ready to sweep Ruby off her feet tonight.”
Shortly after his conversation with his brother, Brooks got dressed in a Western tux, a bolo tie and a black Stetson. He took a final look at himself in the mirror. This was it. He would make his stand for Ruby’s affection tonight and, he hoped, make this Christmas holiday one of the best ever for both of them.
Any doubts warring in his head were quickly replaced with positive thoughts as he exited his cabin and approached the Preston home. Surrounding oak, cottonwood and white birch trees glimmered with thousands of lights. The path leading up to the house sparkled from the ground up, and an array of colorful twinkling lights outlined the beautiful home’s architecture.
Peace settled in his heart.
A part of him had always known there was something more for him than city life. A part of him had always known something was missing. Now, as he g
azed at this home in all its magnificent yet simple splendor, a sense of true belonging nestled deep down in his bones.
Beau greeted him at the door with a big papa bear hug. The man was not ashamed of wearing his emotions on his sleeve, and Brooks hugged him back with the same enthusiasm. “Welcome, son. The party’s just getting started.” Beau smiled wide, his eyes bright. “My dream of having my whole family under one roof is the best gift I could ever receive.”
Brooks got that all too well. Except for Carson, everyone who mattered most to him now was right here at Look Away.
“Let me introduce you and Graham to some of my closest friends.”
Brooks followed his father into the house. But as he began shaking many hands and making small talk with Beau’s neighbors and friends, he kept one eye on the front door.
And then she walked in.
Ruby.
He swallowed a quick breath. And then excused himself from a conversation that couldn’t compete with the stunning creature removing her coat at the front door. She wore her hair partly up in a sweep secured with rhinestones, the rest of her raven tresses flowing down her back. The dress she wore was ruby red, the color perfect for the holidays and perfect on her. The dress exposed her olive skin, dipping into a heart shape in the front that cradled her full breasts.
His heart beat wildly at the vision she made. And suddenly, his legs were moving and his focus was solely on her. He couldn’t seem to get to her fast enough as he strode the distance to put him face-to-face with the Ruby of his fantasies.
“Ruby, you look incredible.” He hadn’t seen her since he’d visited his grandfather. “That dress on you...is a knockout.”
“Thank you.” She gave him a smile. “You do a pretty good version of a cowboy for a city dude.”
“I tried.”
“I love the tie on you.” She gave it a sharp tug. “And the hat.”
He removed it immediately. “Uh, sorry. I, uh...” Why was he tongue-tied?
“It’s cool, Brooks.” She took the hat from his hand and set it back on his head. “I like the look. Don’t take it off on my account.”
The Texan's One-Night Standoff Page 13
