Page 28 of Big Bad Wolf

“Ruby—”

“No, no, it’s fine.” Ruby brushed away the hurt of being left out of this vital piece of information. Callie came, no questions asked, when she called her in the middle of the night. She couldn’t be too mad at her.

“Hold on … were you in Sawyer’s bed when I called you?”

Callie grinned. “No, he was in mine. He kinda … moved in with me.”

Ruby squealed again. “This is crazy!” Ruby hadn’t seen Sawyer in years. He’d left town shortly after graduation and never looked back. Apparently, Callie had changed all that.

“Crazier than an injured wolf in your garage?”

“It might be.”

“He’d been looking for me, I guess,” Callie went on. “Over the past two years. And he, well, he found me.”

“Hold on, do I have Sawyer to thank for you coming out of your self-imposed exile?”

“Partly.”

“Wow.”

“He saw me for who I was and didn’t flinch.”

Ruby had a feeling there was a lot more to that statement, but she didn’t push. Callie was already sharing more than she expected her to tonight.

“So, this is more than sex?”

“A lot more.”

“You’re in love with him?”

“Yes.”

“And he’s in love with you?”

Callie’s smile practically lit up the night.

“Very much.”

They both sighed, leaning back again. The sky was beginning to lighten along the tree line, and exhaustion seeped back into Ruby’s bones.

“I should probably get some sleep, and so should you,” she said, suddenly feeling guilty for dragging Callie out of bed.

“You sure you don’t want me to stay?” she asked with a yawn.

Ruby smiled. “I’ll manage, but thanks for coming.”

“I got your back.” Callie winced a little. “I mean, now that I’m here again.”

“I know.” Ruby gave Callie’s arm a squeeze. “Whatever shit you had to deal with, I’m just glad you came home.”

“Me too.”

“Okay, now go home to Sawyer.” She couldn’t help sing-songing his name, and Callie laughed as she wandered out of Ruby’s yard and out front to where her station wagon was parked. Ruby sighed, thinking about the car that had taken them on many an adventure.

“Love you, Rube!” she whisper-shouted over her shoulder as she went through the old gate with its perpetually squeaky hinges.

“Love you too, Cal.”