Page 40 of Big Bad Wolf

“You have secrets too,” was what she landed on.

Callie looked shocked for a moment and then sad, a furrow forming between her brows. But then she nodded. It was the truth. They both had secrets now. And maybe at one time, they would have shared with each other—they would have told each other everything—but it had been two years. Two years apart. Two years of wondering, of worrying.

As glad as Ruby was that Callie was home, it didn’t fix everything between them. It didn’t mean their friendship could go right back to how it always had been.

They sat quietly at the table, the old clock on the wall ticking away the seconds. It was windy outside and dry leaves and bare branches scraped along the kitchen window. The perfect night for a spooky story, but Ruby kept hers locked away.

Eventually, they got up to clear away the leftovers, silently working side by side.

“You can tell me when you’re ready,” Callie said as they piled the empty mugs and dirty forks into the sink. “Whatever it is, I’ll believe you.”

“Same,” Ruby told her and meant it. At this point she’d believe anything.

Ruby walked her to the front door and stood in the doorway as she watched Callie make her way out to her station wagon. It was dark and a shiver raced down Ruby’s spine. She couldn’t see much beyond the glow of her porch light, but she kept her eyes on Callie’s blonde head, listening for the sound of the station wagon’s engine, thankful for the headlights illuminating the street.

Once Callie had safely pulled away, Ruby ducked back inside and locked the door.

But the feeling of being watched, the thought that she hadn’t been alone out there, didn’t leave her all night.

Chapter Seventeen

“Can I get a Bud Light, please?”

The familiar voice caught Ruby’s attention, but it was Macy who was behind the bar. Ruby had been grabbing more maraschino cherries from the back. That voice stopped her in her tracks. From where she stood, she could see the man who had taken a seat next to Sal, but they couldn’t see her behind the shelves.

“I thought we told you not to come back here,” Macy said, glaring at the man Ruby had dubbed Blaine.

He held up his hands in surrender, flashing Macy a dazzling smile. “I came in to apologize for my bad behavior the other night.” Bad behavior. Ruby pictured the white wolf as it lunged at Rafe, at her. Bad behavior was an understatement.

“In fact, I’d love to give my apologies directly to the lovely waitress who served us, if possible.”

Ruby’s skin crawled at the way the words dripped off his tongue.

Macy’s glare deepened. She wasn’t buying anything this guy was saying. Thank God.

“It’s not possible. She’s not here.”

“And she’s got a big scary boyfriend now, so you better stay away,” Sal chimed in and Ruby rolled her eyes. Ever since Rafe started driving her to and from work, it was all anyone could talk about. For three days now the locals had wanted to ask her all about him.

She’d given them as little as possible and she certainly hadn’t called Rafe her boyfriend, but if it got rid of Blaine then she’d let Sal say whatever he wanted.

“I don’t think we’ve met. Wyatt.” The man formerly known in Ruby’s imagination as Blaine held out his hand to Sal to shake.

“Sal.” The old man offered his hand in return and Wyatt shook it with a smile.

“I’d like to buy this fine man a drink,” he said to Macy. “He’s obviously a good guy looking out for a friend.”

Sal nodded. “Exactly,” he said. “No one gets that around here.”

Macy rolled her eyes, sliding a beer in front of Wyatt and another scotch in front of Sal.

“I really would like to apologize to the waitress. I feel terrible about how I acted that night. I definitely had too much to drink, you know how that goes.”

“Oh, I know,” Sal said with a chuckle. Traitor.

“Anyway, I feel awful about it. Maybe you could tell me the next time she’ll be in. So I can talk to her.”

Macy shot a warning glare at Sal, and the old man didn’t dare speak up.