He accepted the ice from Nash.
“You were a dick,” Nash said.
“Yeah.”
“She’s pissed.” Again, Travis had to agree.
A slow grin swept across his face. It seemed as if some things hadn’t changed after all.
Chapter 2
“You punched him?”
Ruby stared across the table at her best friend, Sid, and nodded. “I did.” It wasn’t as if she could lie. Hell, it was probably all over town by now, and she was surprised Sid hadn’t already heard about it.
“And Chance saw this?” Sidney’s mouth fell open.
“He had a front-row seat.”
“What did he say?”
Ruby’s gaze slid away, and she shrugged. “Nothing. We didn’t really talk about it.” That was a bit of a white lie, but hell, it was one she was going to take. Chance had wanted to talk, but she shut him down. In fact, their evening had ended in a fight, and she had no one to blame but herself. She made a face. And Travis Blackwell.
She was a bad girlfriend. With bad impulses. Oh, and there was the whole control-issue thing. All it took was one encounter with Travis and she’d lost it. It was if the last ten years hadn’t happened. As if the smart, sophisticated woman she’d become had never happened. As if the life she’d built for herself had never happened. How the heck had Travis Blackwell managed to destroy all that in less than a minute?
That had to be some kind of record.
“I can’t believe you punched Travis.” Sidney slowly shook her head.
“He just……” She groaned and blew out a long breath, still out of sorts and annoyed that she was. “He made me angry, and I probably overreacted.”
“Probably?” A hint of a smile curled around Sidney’s bright pink lips, and she leaned forward. “Did you hit him hard?”
“Hard enough to hurt my hand.” Which still felt tight and bruised.
“Where?”
“The Coach House.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Sidney’s sleek, short, blonde hair swished around her face, and Ruby could tell she was trying not to laugh.
“It’s not funny.”
“No, it’s not.” Sid cleared her throat. “Where did you hit him?”
“I don’t know.” Inwardly, Ruby winced. “His face, I guess.”
“You guess?” Sidney’s tone was incredulous, and then she giggled. “Did you break his nose? Please tell me you broke his nose.”
Ruby crumpled her napkins and tossed them into the garbage bin before flopping back onto the bench. They were in the park, down near the water, and she’d made quick work of the greasy fries and burgers offered up by The Caboose.
“No, Sid. I didn’t break his nose.”
“Too bad.”
Ruby didn’t say anything for several moments. She knew Sidney had her back, and even though there was no love lost between her best friend and Travis Blackwell, it seemed somehow wrong to take delight in the notion of breaking the man’s nose.
Even if he deserved it.
“I guess he’s back visiting his brother,” Sidney murmured, watching Ruby closely.
Ruby arched an eyebrow. “Hudson?”
Sidney nodded. “When I was grabbing my coffee downtown, Melissa told me him and Becca had their baby yesterday. A boy.”
Right. Their baby. A stupid lump formed in her throat, and Ruby had to work hard to clear it. “I didn’t realize.” Of course, she knew Hudson and Rebecca Draper had hooked up again the previous year. In a town this small, it wasn’t surprising their pregnancy had made the gossip rounds, considering it had happened so quickly. Ruby had heard they were expecting and pretty much put it out of her mind.
It wasn’t as if she socialized with any of the Blackwells. They were one family she avoided at all costs, and it wasn’t hard to do. The boys had been away for years (until recently), while the elder Blackwell, John, kept to his immediate friends and family. Ruby had never been part of that circle—not even when she’d been married to Travis. His brothers hadn’t been around, and the last time she’d spoken to John had been a blur. She’d been back in Crystal Lake for nearly five years, and not once had she run into her former father-in-law. She’d seen him from afar a few times, at various functions and charity events, but managed to keep out of sight.
The fact he hadn’t bothered to get in touch with her was telling.
“Hey,” Sidney said quietly. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “I’m good.” She leaned back on the bench with a small smile. She was good. Kind of. She sighed. Not really.
Damn, Travis Blackwell. She’d been living in a bubble and hadn’t seen that one coming. She should have been prepared. Should have had her armor in place. Instead, she’d let him press every button she had going. God, she couldn’t even remember what he’d said, other than banging and wife. As if he had the right to think such things.
She made a sound of disgust. Ruby decided the best thing to do was forget about it. Travis wasn’t here to stay. This was just a quick visit to see the new baby (what a joke that was), that was all. Heck, he’d probably already left for LA and the fancy home he owned on the coast.
Her cheeks got hot at the thought. She would die if anyone knew that on occasion she grabbed a tub of chocolate ice cream, sat her butt in front of the computer, and Googled her ex. Why in hell he’d purchased a home in Los Angeles when he played hockey in Detroit didn’t make sense to most. Ruby got it. Detroit was too close to home. She’d done the same thing. Left town without any intention of returning.
But life, such as it was, had decided to give her more than one cross to bear, and less than two years after she’d left, she found herself back in the one place she didn’t want to be. A lesser woman would have crumbled or taken the easy way out and not come back. But Ruby wasn’t that girl. Besides, Ryder needed her.
“Ruby?”
She jumped up from the bench and glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to go, Sid. I’m already late.”
Her friend brushed crumbs from her pale pink skirt and joined her. “Ryder?”
Even though Ruby didn’t have to pretend with Sidney, she pasted a smile on her face—one that said everything was fine—and nodded.
“How is he?” There was more than just concern in Sidney’s voice. Considering the history between her bestie and her brother, Ruby wasn’t surprised.
“Well, he didn’t show up for work today, and he’s not answering his phone. That’s never a good sign. I guess I’ll find out when I get to the house.”
“Let me know, okay?” Sidney said quietly. “We still on for dinner?”
“Can I get back to you about that?” At the moment, Ruby had no idea what she was walking into. On top of the crap week she’d already had, she wasn’t sure she’d be good company for anyone. Even for someone as understanding as her girlfriend.
Sidney hugged her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “For sure. Let me know.”
Ten minutes later, Ruby was headed across the bridge, her expensive Mercedes pointed in the direction of The Rails. Her roots were dug in deep here, but it wasn’t nostalgia that pumped through her veins as she drove along streets that needed to be paved, lined with older homes. Some sported overgrown lawns or weed-filled flower gardens, while others were long abandoned, their boarded-up windows now sad, dark, unseeing eyes that stared silently into the street.
She didn’t really have a name for what filled her as she turned onto First Avenue, mostly because it was a culmination of a lot of different things. Sadness. Pain. Anger. Hurt. Shame.
It was dumb, really. She was a grown ass woman who’d made something of her life. She’d done what others hadn’t—made it out of The Rails. She’d taken a chance, gambled all her money, and invested in the new development across the lake. She was the sole owner of The Pines Spa and Wellness resort, and in only five short years, it had become one of the premier spas in the country, catering to those with deep pockets and a need for seclusion.
She’d given one hundred and fifty percent of herself to make sure it was a success, and with a waiting list up to six months, she’d reached a level that made her feel as if she could finally live a little. She’d accomplished a lot for a woman of twenty-eight, and yet this place still made her feel like that twelve-year-old girl in used clothes from the thrift shop. The girl who felt as if she didn’t deserve to belong. The girl whose mother had taken off for something better when Ruby was five, leaving her with a cold, distant father and a twin brother to share the misery. There’d never been enough money. Or food. Or love.
She was the cliché. The classic “girl from the wrong side of the tracks,” full of false bravado and attitude. A girl who kept her heart hidden beneath invisible scars. That girl was never far away, because there was no running from the past.
Ruby pulled up to a small bungalow, the last one on First Ave, and the closest to the railway line. The paint was new—she’d managed to get that done the last time Ryder was in treatment. But the shutters needed repair, and the front step was sagging. The flowers in the garden were overgrown with weeds, the purple and pink impatiens barely alive, and she pursed her lips as her gaze ran over the knee-high grass.
“Jesus, Ryder.” He must have done something to piss off the landscape company she’d hired.
Ruby slipped from the car and gave a quick wave to old Mrs. Davis. The woman sat on the front porch of her equally small and nondescript bungalow. Her place was tidy and well kept, and Ruby felt that old familiar sting of embarrassment. She made a mental note to contact another company to look after the place. Mrs. Davis nodded back at Ruby, her frizzy gray hair bobbing around her chin, and drank her tea as she settled back on her rocker with a book. There were no words exchanged, but then Mrs. Davis had never been much of a talker.
Ruby stepped gingerly onto the step and scooped up a pile of flyers that littered the front door. Balancing what had to be at least a few weeks’ worth of adverts, she tried the door handle, and it swung open easily. Ruby hesitated for a moment and then walked into the house she’d grown up in.
It was dark and quiet. She wrinkled her nose and tossed the flyers on the small table near the entrance before heading to the kitchen. Dishes were left on the table and countertop and in the sink. The milk carton was expired, and she made a face as she grabbed it and emptied the sour contents down the sink before turning around and gazing about in disgust. The place was a pigsty.
It looked as if Stella, the cleaning lady, hadn’t been in days. She spied moldy food on the floor beside the garbage bin. Hell, Stella probably hadn’t been in weeks.
A slow burn began in the pit of her stomach, and she headed down the small hall that led to the three modest bedrooms located at the back of the house. All the doors were closed, though her focus was on the last one. It used to be her father’s, but when he went to the home, Ryder had taken over.
She didn’t hesitate and reached for the door, not flinching when the damn thing swung open and banged into the wall. It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust, and with a grimace, she took a few steps toward the bed.
“What the hell?” A woman sat on the edge, half dressed with a cigarette dangling from the corner of her mouth. Dark, tangled hair snaked down her bare back, and she looked over her shoulder at Ruby. Her makeup was smudged badly, her mouth exaggerated and her raccoon eyes hollow. She was thin, her shoulder blades sharp, but then again, weren’t all addicts?
“Oh, it’s you.” The voice was rough, hoarse from cigarettes, and the tone dismissive. More than just annoyed, Ruby moved an inch closer, eyes now fully adjusted to the dim lighting, and frowned. Fiona Winters.
Ruby’s gaze moved to the other side of the bed, where the top of her brother’s head poked out from underneath the covers. Jesus. Some things never changed. Ruby cleared her throat, eyebrows raised. “I’m guessing Dan is away?” Fiona’s husband was a good guy. Too bad he was married to an addict and—again her eyes rested on her brother—an adulteress.
Fiona shrugged, though there was a wary look in the recesses of those dark, racoon eyes. “I don’t know.” She took another puff from her cigarette and slowly blew it out. “I haven’t been home in a few days.” She reached for her cell phone and held it in her hand. “He stopped calling me yesterday morning.” Her voice now hushed, a slight tremble rode beneath her words.
Before Ruby could respond, Fiona yanked up her dress and shimmied until it settled properly over her hips. She scooped up her purse, smokes, and a jacket from off the floor, and, with a pair of fire-engine-red, four-inch spikes in her free hand, walked past Ruby.
“He’s probably out cold for at least a couple of hours. We tied one on last night.” Fiona disappeared down the hall, and a few moments later, Ruby heard the front door slam shut.
She wasn’t sure how long she stood there in the dim light, eyes on the sleeping form of her brother. But it was long enough for those old emotions to take hold. The ones that clawed at her. Kept her up at night. Would her brother ever defeat the demons that haunted him? Would he ever be healthy again?
Throat tight, Ruby quietly left the room and shut his door. She walked back to the kitchen and stared at the mess before her. It was midafternoon, and she had a ton of work waiting for her back at the spa. Reports to go over, emails to return, and a conference call at four. She glanced down at her expensive shoes, at the cream Gucci skirt wrapped around her hips. The sleeveless pink blouse she’d never worn before. Her manicured nails a matching shade.
It was a study in contrast, to be dressed like this, standing in this kitchen. She glanced at her watch once more and, after a slight hesitation, kicked off her shoes. The cupboard by the front closet still held her old slippers, and Stella’s cleaning products were stored neatly on the shelf. She carried a bucket, mop, and all the other stuff she needed back to the kitchen, then tied her hair up into a loose knot.
Ruby tucked away all those feelings that clogged her chest and made it hard to breathe. She tucked them away fiercely, because there was no time to dwell on things that couldn’t be changed.
She grabbed a pair of rubber gloves and got to work.
Chapter 3
“So, what’s your plan?”
It was Sunday, and the first rays of sunlight had just broken open the night sky. Outside, the birds greeted the coming morning with an enthusiastic burst of song, and, with a yawn, Travis reached into the cupboard for a coffee mug. He looked back at his brother with a frown.
“Christ, Hudson, it’s not even six yet. What the hell are you doing here?” His brother’s loud knocking had dragged him out of bed less than ten minutes earlier.
“Couldn’t sleep and didn’t want to wake Becca or the baby.”
Travis held up a second mug and, at Hudson’s nod, poured two black coffees. The men didn’t say a word and headed outside to the dock. Travis grabbed a small towel on the way out, and once he dried off the Muskoka chairs, they settled in to watch the sunrise.
Travis glanced at his brother. “How’s the kid?”
“Hank’s doing great.”
Travis paused, mug halfway to his mouth. “I thought his name is Jameson?”
Hudson nodded. “It is.”
“But you call him Hank.”
“Yep.”
Travis took a sip of coffee. He wasn’t going to ask.
Silence fell between the two of them, and Travis’s thoughts moved to Ruby. No matter what he did, he couldn’t seem to shake them. Hell, he’d even dreamt about her the night before. He’d woken up hot and sweaty and horny as hell. And she was the number one reason for his current grumpy mood. Though Hudson was coming up a close second.
“Travis!”
Startled, he glanced at his brother. “What was that?”
Hudson set down his mug. “I was wondering what your plans were. Would you consider sticking around Crystal Lake for the summer? I could use a hand out here. Someone to keep an eye on things, at least for a month or so until Rebecca’s back on her feet. With
all the construction, we’ve decided to stay in town.”
The resort was in the midst of a major renovation. Travis had been lucky enough to score one of the newly updated cottages, but there were still several in various stages of work. He sat up a little straighter, eyes once more on the water. He forgot how much he missed this place. This lake. This resort. How many summers had he spent here with his family? Too many to count. Back then, things had been good. Back then, his mother had still been alive, and his father hadn’t been eaten up by bitterness and guilt.
“I hadn’t really thought about it,” he admitted, slowly turning the idea around his head. There’d been talk of deep-sea fishing with some of the guys on his team, and a golfing trip to Scotland, but he hadn’t committed.
Hudson set down his mug and swore. “Jesus, Trav, I didn’t…” He paused and turned in his chair. “I guess it would be hard with Ruby back here and all.”
Travis shook his head. “No worries there. She wants nothing to do with me, so we’re good.”
“Have you seen her?” Hudson asked quietly.
Staring straight ahead at the lake, he nodded. “Sure have.”
“And?”
He waited a bit and then shrugged. “She pretty much hates my guts, and if I walked in front of a bus, I don’t think she’d care.”
“That’s a little harsh.”
“Accurate, though.”
Silence fell between the two men as the gray morning brightened. Hudson finished his coffee in one last gulp and got to his feet. “So will you think about it?”
“Yeah.” Travis nodded. “I will.” He frowned. “You leaving already?”
Hudson stretched and ran his hands along the whiskers at his chin. A wry grin slashed across his face as he nodded. “Hank is due to wake up soon, and I like to be there when he feeds.”
Travis watched his brother until he disappeared from sight, and as the low rumble of Hudson’s truck cut through the silence, he settled back in his chair, eyes falling on the lake. The water was like glass, not a ripple to break the glossy surface. In the distance, fog slowly rolled away from the shore, and he spied a Loon near a piece of driftwood.
You Rock My World (The Blackwells of Crystal Lake Book 3) Page 2