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Chapter Twelve
Ruby had leaned against her quilted headboard and tried to digest what Kurt had just told her. Who in the world would want to break into her house? Hell, for that matter, who would attack her and why now?
The only reason she could come up with was her bizarre pregnancy. Nothing else had changed in her otherwise comfortable, stable world.
She couldn’t imagine anything at work that might lead to this craziness, nor in her personal life. If asked, she’d admit to being a slightly boring firefighter who loved her job, worked well with her colleagues, and adored her mom. What in that scenario would prompt the earlier attack or the house getting broken into?
Feeling completely disoriented, all the angst that had built up earlier still reeling inside, she swallowed hard and slowly stood by the bed. It took a few seconds for her to feel stable enough to make her way to the bathroom.
“Holy hell!” What a mess! They’d gone through all her toiletries, her bathroom drawers, tossed her medicine cabinet, and even emptied her garbage. For what? What were they looking for?
Before she made her way to the kitchen, she’d stopped to place a call. When she’d heard the chief’s voice, she figured her luck had changed. Why the one person she wanted would be at work so late was weird, but she wasn’t about to question it. “Hi Don, this is Ruby. I need help. Can you send someone to my house as soon as possible?”
“Sure, Ruby. What’s up?”
“It’s been trashed.”
“Damn. I’m sorry. You figure it’s some bratty kids?”
“Nope. I’m pretty sure it’s by the same guys who attacked me earlier and put me in the hospital.” She heard the swift intake of breath.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, thanks to the FBI agent who happened to drop by to deliver my lost phone. The Doc who checked me over in the ER let me leave, and when Agent Storm brought me home, we found this mess.”
“Stay where you are, I’ll be right there.”
Madder’n a wet hen, wishing she could smash something, she headed for the kitchen. Before he could call her to say the food was ready, Ruby had slammed into the room, her face betraying anger at the mess she’d seen on her way through the house. “Bastards were thorough.”
The incredible homey smells wafting from the room hit her upon entering. Hunger surfaced and her stomach growled with pleasure when it saw the heaping plates filled with steamy food.
Once she’d voiced her disgust over the state of her home, she grabbed one of the plates Kurt had set out and filled it. Then she went to the drawer, chose her favorite teabag, and righting one of the stools, she quickly began to dig in. Nothing had ever tasted better.
Kurt passed over a mug and poured the steaming water. It surprised her how comfortable the atmosphere was considering they were virtually strangers.
Shoveling in the food, she pointed her finger at the ketchup bottle and took it from him. “You’re the only other person I know who eats this shit with eggs.”
“Just when I scramble them.” He glanced up at her. “You okay?”
“If loving every bite of this delicious meal is the right answer, then I’m in heaven.” She glanced around the rest of the room and shook her head. “If seeing all my stuff in this condition, then no. I’ve never felt so violated. Hey, wait… that’s not true. I felt exactly that way when I found out I was pregnant.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she wished them back. It had been the shock from her announcement he hadn’t been able to hide quick enough that woke her to what she’d just admitted.
Holy hell, Ruby, watch what you say around this dude. His antennas are already fixed to take in everything. They train FBI agents to stick their noses in where shit doesn’t add up. And lately, nothing about her life has added up.
“Do you want sugar and milk with your tea?”
“What? Excuse me?”
He pointed at the black liquid. “Sugar, milk? They say a cup of hot, sweet tea is good for stress. And you certainly qualify.”
“Yeah, sure. Thanks.” She swallowed the reaction his unexpected sympathy wrought and held out her mug.
***
Kurt heard what Ruby said and decided to ignore the words… for now. Something had happened to this woman, and it didn’t add up. First, she kisses a total stranger, and after thinking back, he would swear she did so when she saw someone entering the bar.
Then, she gets her dander up at the restaurant for no reason he could think of except the physical discomfort she exposed before she disappeared. His finding out she was pregnant answered that query. But being attacked and having her house trashed, well that just didn’t make sense. And where was her husband?
