Page 27 of Heart & Hope

Chapter Seven

RUBY

The second I step out from the car in the driveway of the inn in Great Falls, I see him. Leaning against his black F250. And instantly, the past few months feels like a year. A long, greyscale, boring year.

He’s looking straight at me. Cap on his head, shaggy dark blond hair poking out under it, his green eyes covered by aviator glasses. A pale blue polo shirt accentuates his arms. And is he wearing Levi’s?

Talk about putting in some serious effort, Reedsy.I close the distance between us, and he slides the glasses from his face and drops them inside the truck. “Hey, darlin’.”

“Hey Reedsy,” I say. It sounds too soft. But the last of my breath disappeared when those green eyes found mine and a smile split his gorgeous face. It should be awkward; we haven’t seen each other for months. But it isn’t.

“Where do you want me, baby?” he says as he tugs me into a hug. Oh yeah, fake husband. How could I forget?

“Ah, you can park your truck by my car, and they will valet it for you.”

He unfolds his arms and leans inside and fires up the engine. It’s loud, really loud. I don’t know much about cars, but that sounds like a V8 or something.

“You want to jump in and run away?” Reed whispers.

I huff an indignant laugh and lay a palm on his chest. “Nope, no can do. Mary-Sue will have my guts for garters. And I really need to have some things ironed out before tomorrow night.”

He tugs the door open and climbs in. “Okay, but if you ever change your mind...”

His truck rolls forward, stopping behind my car. He kills the engine and grabs a bag as he shuts his door.

“I’ll grab my bags,” I say. The trunk swooshes open with the click of a button.

Reed leans in and plucks them up with one hand. “I got ’em, baby.”

He’s sweet. Nothing like the city jerks I’ve dated before. Chivalry is certainly not lost on this man. And when he manages to hold the door open while carrying all three bags, I slip past and give him a shy smile.

We check in, and when Miley hands us two key cards, Reed thanks her in his polite drawl and we head to the elevator. We stand waiting for the silver door to slide open, and Reed steps closer, running a hand through my hair as he dots a kiss to the crown of my head.

“I missed you, Rubes.”

Butterflies fling around my insides like they were shot from a cannon.

Fake husband.

Fake husband.

It’s only for show.

But I missed him, too, and when I open my mouth to tell him, his eyes are shining with mischief and adoration. Good Lord, itis going to be impossible to keep the lines straight between us. “Missed you, too,” I finally say. The words are almost a whisper.

The elevator dings, and the doors slide open. I walk inside as Reed hauls our bags in and comes to stand by my side. When the doors clunk together, his woodsy scent, something expensive and fragrant, swallows me whole. I turn and put space between us. “You don’t have to be affectionate when no one is looking.”

“Break a man’s heart, Ruby Robbins.”

“If it makes you uncomfortable, you don’t have to.”

“Nothing about being around you makes me uncomfortable. I like being around you. But if you?—”

“Oh no, please. You’re the best company I’ve had since Addy up and left me.”

“Oh, yeah right. I forget you two are a thing.” He grins at me.

“Haha. I?—”

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