Page 21 of Redemption

"Don't worry, if you want the place, I can pretty much guarantee you're gonna have it."

"Thank you, Ruby. Now, please tell me how it went with you and your hot hubby."

I've never been the type of person to share with people who aren't members of my close circle, but Stephanie has been one of my closest friends since all of this started. When I couldn't talk to Kels, because this is her brother, or when Karina wasn't an option, it's been her. She's saved me more than I care to admit, and way more than I've told her. While I would probably keep most of this to myself if it were anyone else, she does deserve to hear it. She's lived this with me for the past few months. "It went amazing. I..." I stop for a moment, letting the memories of how we were with one another rake over my body. "It felt like we were on our honeymoon. Like we were Caleb and Ruby again, not Ruby the business owner and Caleb the cop, or mom and dad."

"That's important." She claps her hands together. "I already see it with Madden and Becca. They get so caught up in what Mick needs and everyone else wants from them that they forget to put each other first. I can't imagine how it is for you and Caleb. I'm happy for you two, though. Everyone has told me how you got together, have been married for so long, and then they mention this hard patch."

"Yeah." I blow out a breath. "This has been hard. I've never told him no or stood on my pride before. Every other time we've had issues, I've given in to him, and been the one to sacrifice. I decided I wouldn't do it. Not for him, not for me, and not for my kids. This time I decided we were going to have to work through it. And we have."

She waves her hand toward the schedule. "Well I'm glad, because there were a ton of inquiries and bookings while you were gone. I think I did everything right. Whitney came to help me, but I'd still like for you to look it over, if you don't care. I'm still pretty new at all of this."

"No problem, I'm sure you did it. If we need to fix something, we can." The me before Caleb and I wouldn't have been so understanding. That's something I've had to work on for myself.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CALEB

Drivingthrough the streets of Laurel Springs is my comfort. I know every inch of this place like the back of my hand. To the left is the high school where I played football. Down the road is the softball field where I coached Kelsea's softball team.

That same field where I played football holds the bleachers where Ruby and I got busy one night when we were dating.

Laurel Springs itself is a main character in my life. There have been times when I wanted to run as far away from it as I could, and there are others when I wrapped it around my shoulders like a warm blanket.

Since the incident, I've been scared to count on it like I used to. Which is why my hands are shaking when I see a truck flying by me, definitely going over the speed limit. I'm ashamed to say I've let a few go, because I didn't want to be in the same situation I was in that caused the breakdown of my marriage. Since Ruby and I have worked things out, I'm okay with it, even though my heart pounds, and my hands are belying my confidence.

"Got one stopped," I tell dispatch. "Getting out. Occupied once."

Slowly I walk over to the car, and touch the back quarter panel. When I get to the driver's side window, I look inside. "Do you know why I stopped you?"

It's a teenage kid with both hands on the steering wheel, staring straight ahead. "Cause I was speeding?"

"That's right," I reply, glancing around the interior before fixing my eyes back on him. "You were going about fifteen over. Where are you headed in such a hurry?"

The kid shifts nervously in his seat. "Just trying to get home. My mom's gonna kill me if I'm late again."

I take a moment, gauging his sincerity. It's afternoon, and there's no reason he should be trying to get home to his mom. More than likely he should be either in high school or college, but I let it go. There's a tension in the air, one I can't quite put my finger on. "License and registration, please."

As he fumbles to retrieve them, a small plastic bag falls out of his backpack. He freezes, and so do I. It's a joint.

His eyes dart up to mine, wide and full of fear. "I—it's not mine, I swear. I was just... holding it for a friend."

I've heard it all before, but something about the way he says it makes me pause. I pick up the joint and weigh my options. It would be easy to write him up. Give him a ticket, and go on about my day. That's who Caleb before the trip with Ruby was. It's exactly what he would've done. However, I'm reminded of my own teenage years, of choices that could have derailed my life if someone hadn’t given me a break, and there were plenty of them. Especially a night in a field with moonshine.

I sigh, holding the joint up so he can see it. "Look, I'm gonna let you off with a warning today. But this is your one and only chance. Get your act together, okay? I'm gonna take it and dispose of it, because that's what we do here in Laurel Springs, but there's no reason you shouldn't get a chance."

His relief is palpable, like a weight lifted from his shoulders. "Thank you, officer. It won't happen again, I promise."

I nod, stepping back from the window, feeling better about myself than I have in a while. "Have a safe drive home. And slow the fuck down."

As I watch him pull away, I'm left with the familiar tug of Laurel Springs wrapping itself around me once again. Giving me hope where I once thought fear would be the only thing I would be able to feel.

CHAPTER TWENTY

RUBY

Today was a long day.The first day back from vacation is always like that, but it feels like today was on steroids. While Stephanie did a lot right, there were a few things she did wrong, and I've had to clean up a few mistakes.

"Mom, do you mind if I head over to Darren's? He's helping me with my jump shot," Levi says as he comes running into the kitchen.

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