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Heath didn’t wait for Ruby to respond. “Whatever she wants.”
Twenty minutes later, Heath and Ruby were leaving the Rancher’s Daughter with two large shopping bags full of everything she needed for their night at the TCC. They walked down the street to the Royal Diner and popped inside. Heath hadn’t crossed that threshold in quite some time. In general, he avoided it. The diner, with its red faux leather booths and black-and-white checkerboard floor, was an immensely popular spot in Royal, but that also made it a hub for gossip. He hoped they could have lunch in peace.
They were seated at a booth in the back, which gave them some semblance of privacy. “Thank you. For the dress and everything else. You really didn’t have to do that.” Ruby reached across the table and touched the back of his hand. “I appreciate it.”
“I wanted to do it. Don’t think twice about it.” Heath perused the menu, realizing that one thing was still bothering him. “What were you and Morgan talking about before I got there?”
“You mean about you?”
He knew exactly how paranoid it made him seem, but he had to know. “I’m curious.”
“It didn’t take her long to figure out who I was. As soon as I told her that I’d been on her family’s property, she knew that I worked for you. That’s how we got on the subject. I assure you that I didn’t simply pop into her store and start talking about you.”
“Of course not. I wasn’t thinking that you would do that. I assumed she was the instigator.”
Ruby dropped her head to one side, admonishing him with a single glance. “If you want to know the truth, she said that she’s not sure how you could possibly be the bad guy everyone makes you out to be.”
“That’s not a huge comfort.”
“You don’t actually care what people think, do you? If you did, it seems like you would drop the whole thing.”
He had to think about that for a moment. He’d told himself all along that he would never drop it. That it would bewrongto let it go. But that had been when he was walking around town with a big wall around himself, a wall that Ruby had managed to breach in short order. Now he was doing things he wouldn’t have done a few months ago, like going to the Royal Diner and a New Year’s Eve party at the TCC. Hedidcare. At least a little. “Popular opinion isn’t a reason to walk away from something that’s difficult.”
“Heath, you really should tell people about the foundation. Tell them how much good you want to do for others. And for this community. That will turn around their opinion of you.”
“Why? Does that somehow make this battle morally correct?” He leaned closer so he could whisper. “The two women I cared about most in this world were deceived and tricked by powerful people who had nothing to lose other than a bit of money and pride. That gives me plenty of moral high ground.” With every word, he felt his blood pressure rising and his face growing hot. His anger hadn’t lessened because of Ruby. It had only been blurred. “It’s the Grandins and the Lattimores who need to think about what’s good and bad. More often than not, they’re on the wrong side of that equation.”
Ruby scanned his face, her eyes sweeping back and forth. “Okay.”
Her tone of voice told him everything. He’d gone too far. “I’m sorry.” He willed himself to calm down. Maybe everyone in town was right. Maybe he really was a jerk.
“I understand, Heath. I do. My guess is you’re going to have to find a way to put all of this to rest.”
He reached across the table and took her hand, marveling at how soft her skin was. “Let’s talk about New Year’s Eve. And you in that dress.”
“What’s there to say about that?”
“Only that I can’t wait for the moment when we walk in the front door with you on my arm.”
She smiled. “You really are a total flirt. I need to run to the ladies’ room. Order me a cheeseburger when the waitress comes.”
“Got it.” He watched her walk away from the table. Her words were still tumbling in his head.Put all of this to rest.He needed to do that. For himself. For the sake of his growing relationship with Ruby. He just needed to exhaust the one detail that wouldn’t go away. Then he could wash his hands of the whole thing. He’d know in his heart that he had done everything he could to make things right for the memories of his mom and sister. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and sent a text to Albert.Send the letters. Let them know that I know.
His response came quickly.You sure?
Heath imagined what would come next—surely drama, especially from the Grandins. But it would pass quickly, they would finally pay, and then he could move on.Yes. I’m sure.
Six
Ruby was filled with a mix of nerves and optimism. It was an odd cocktail to kick off her New Year’s Eve, but she couldn’t do anything about the way she was feeling. The reality was that she still didn’t know what to make of Heath. She liked him so much that it scared her at times, but there was a temper locked up inside his handsome head and she didn’t like the way it came out when she wasn’t expecting it. Case in point, their conversation at the Royal Diner two days ago. One minute, everything was fine, and then the next minute, he was spewing vitriol about the Grandin and Lattimore families. It wasn’t good for her to be around that kind of negativity, and she wasn’t sure what it would take for him to move beyond it.
But she also felt as though she’d gotten through to him. He’d listened to her. He seemed to appreciate that she understood him on a deeper level. They had both been through so much. That commonality had forged their connection from the very beginning. How rare a thing that was—to feel a real bond so soon after meeting someone. She couldn’t cast that aside or ignore it. Something in the very center of her heart told her that she had to explore where this might go, even if there might be moments that made her nervous.
For now, Ruby was standing in her foyer, looking out through the sidelights next to her front door, waiting for Heath to pick her up for the party. As soon as she saw the headlights coming up the driveway, she gathered her evening bag, draped her faux fur wrap around her shoulders and walked out onto the front porch, then locked her front door.
“Ruby!” Heath called from behind her. “You should have let me come to the door to get you.”
She turned and watched as he stepped into the glow of her porch lights. Good Lord, the man could rock a tuxedo like no one she’d ever seen. The relaxed and genuine smile on his face told her that everything she’d been worrying about earlier was silly.
