Page 5 of Redemption

"Thank you." I owe those words to many people, including my kids and friends. They've all worked hard to make sure Ruby doesn't know what's happening, and at the same time, she's prepared.

His voice is full of empathy and concern when he speaks. "Don't thank me. I would do this for you every day if I could, you know that. All I want is for the two of you to work this out. I've never seen two people who love each other as much as y'all do, but are refusing to actually listen to what the other person is saying. This stubbornness is going to be the end of you, if you let it."

I hear him, and I know he's right. "We're going to work it out. If not, we'll go down in flames doing our best." The words hurt because I'm terrified of exactly that happening.

He clears his throat. "I haven't asked you what's been going on, because it's none of my business, and I've always trusted you to come to me if you need help. I'm sorry you've been having problems, and I want you to know that Rina and I are rooting for you all."

"I know, and I haven't said anything because it's embarrassing. Ruby and I have always been solid in our marriage." I swallow hard, my throat tightening with the realization of where she and I are.

"What would be embarrassing is neither one of you fighting to save what you have. I have no doubt that you'll get it together. You have to put each other first, and be willing to make changes. I'm hoping you all can figure it out over your time away."

Me too. "Thanks, Dad."

"You're welcome. I love y'all."

"Love you, too."

I'm sitting outsideof my house, my thumb and palm beating against the steering wheel. I'm nervous, as nervous as I was when I asked Ruby to marry me. My stomach has butterfliesdancing worse than when we welcomed Molly and then Levi. Then when she told me she'd had a mammogram that the doctors were worried about.

None of those things can beat how I'm feeling right now. Ruby and I have danced around each other for months, and now is the time for it to stop. We've got to make decisions, and I refuse to decide without having uninterrupted time together.

Getting out of my Jeep, I put my feet on the driveway and walk toward the front door. I haven't been here in months, my own home. My name is on the deed, and I built the railing around this porch. I've been scared to step foot here again, because I've been afraid of rejection.

But today my need to be a family again outweighs my fear. I knock on the door and patiently wait for Ruby to answer. The me who's been irritated about everything lately is begging her to hurry before I lose my nerve. The husband who's afraid he's going to lose his family is willing to wait however long it takes. Looking through the window, the minute she recognizes me, her footsteps falter. I give her credit, though. She continues straight to the door, and pulls it open. She opens her mouth to speak, and I reach forward, covering it with the palm of my hand.

"Don't say anything. I want you to listen. Neither one of us has been doing a lot of that lately."

She makes noises against my hand. I do what I didn't initially want to, but I decide there's no other way. Pushing her back into the house, I crowd into her personal space, before turning her around. It's been way too long since we've been this close. My cock rises to attention.

She gasps when she feels it. "Caleb..."

I wrap my hand around her mouth again, not letting her try to talk her way out of this. My voice is hoarse and full of need when I speak again. "Here's what I'm going to say to you. We've talked over and around each other. We've ignored what the otherperson needed, and we've flat out disregarded feelings that at one time meant everything to us."

She makes a noise in the back of her throat. One that sounds like she's agreeing with me.

I drop my mouth to her ear. "Here's what I'm telling you, Ruby Red. Dad and Rina are taking the kids, Stephanie is taking care of the business, and you're mine for at least four days. We're going to a cabin, it's got one bed, no internet, and a view like you've never seen before. You and I are going there, we're going to fight, we're going to kick and scream, we're going to fuck, and by the time we leave, we'll know."

She tilts her head back against my shoulder, her eyes meeting mine. I drop my palm from her mouth. "Know what?" She asks.

"If this is the beginning of a new start for us, or the beginning of the end."

CHAPTER FIVE

RUBY

I watchthe passing scenery as we head east. "Where are you taking me?" I ask softly.

It's been too long since we've been out together without the kids. In actuality, Caleb's been living in his own apartment for months. Looking across the center console at him, I'm struck speechless by how much he's changed.

The Caleb, who left that day after our big argument, had gained a little weight. He'd not looked comfortable with himself, or like the man I married. The one sitting beside me right now? He's lost a few pounds, and he's more muscular than he's ever been.

"Georgia," he answers. "The mountains. I figured that would be the best place to go." He swallows, his throat moving up and down. "More than anything, I wanted to give us the time we need, and I wasn't sure we'd be able to get it if we stayed close to Laurel Springs."

I completely understand where he's coming from. We've tried a couple of times to talk, and we've always been interrupted. "Are we staying in a hotel or a cabin?" God, the awkwardness between us is painful. Even when we were first dating, it wasn't this bad. Caleb was the guy I could always bemyself with. From the first moment he saved me from my awful date, we've been able to relate to one another. Over the past year, we've lost that, and it fucking hurts.

"I thought about a hotel, but then I realized we may not have enough privacy. I worried about paper-thin walls, and fire alarms, and housekeeping showing up at the most inopportune of times. When I looked at the cabins, they seemed like they would fit our needs better. We can cook there and walk around naked if we want."

It's been so long since we've walked around naked with each other that I'm beyond nervous. He hasn't seen me, just like I haven't seen him. But the changes in him are right in front of my face. Mine are deeper, and I hope he's willing to dig, because I'm not sure how easily I'll be able to lay them out. "Sounds good. Are we going to hit up a grocery store when we get there?" I want to keep this conversation going just so I can hear his voice. I've missed it.

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