Page 12 of Waiting for Redemption

CHAPTER6

RUBY

I hate malls.I truly, deeply, hate them. As if they aren’t bad enough on a regular day, I am shopping inNovemberwhen everyone seems to lose their minds, manners, and driving skills. If I could shop online for everything, all the time, I would. However, my darling child—the sun, moon, and stars of my life—wants a LEGO set for Christmas that is sold out online, and onlyonestore near me showed it in stock. So here I am, full of anxiety and dread, looking for a parking space in an overcrowded lot. When I finally snag a spot about two football fields from the entrance, I throw my car in park and give myself a good pep talk before booking it inside.

I probably should have grabbed a jacket, but I came straight from work and never seem to need one there. So instead, I’m currently freezing to death in nothing but a Chattahoochies T-shirt and blue jeans. I keep my head down and my feet moving straight into the LEGO store, and lo and behold, the exact set he wants is sitting on the shelf just waiting for me. Snatching it up before anyone else has the chance to, I let out a sigh of relief that my shopping is officiallydone.As soon as I turn around to make my way to the register I’m frozen in place by a figure that looks eerily too familiar.

It couldn’t be.

There’s nothing telling about him that should make me think it could be the man who haunts my past, only thisfeelingaccompanying his very average look. He has the same shade of brown hair, is the same height, and has on an expensive winter coat I’d imagine he would wear. All I can see is the back of him, but it’s the feeling in my gut that brought me to a halt. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 26 years of life, it’s to always trust your gut. I’m only broken from my trance when a pair of perfectly pink manicured nails grab onto the box.

“Oh, excuse me. I wasjustabout to grab that one.” I turn to see a woman devilishly smiling at me, her face made up with a shade of pink lip gloss that matches her nails and puffer jacket perfectly. Of course, I’m gonna have to fightBarbieover this damn toy.

“Yeah, but you didn’t. It wasfullyin my possession before your hands touched it so… Good luck.” I pull the box away from her, turning around once again before she latches onto my arm, spinning me around to face her.

I really fucking hate malls.

“Listen. That’s theonlytoy my kid asked for this year. I can’t let him go giftless, so why don’t you give me that one, and you can take…thisone.” She pulls a different box down from the shelf that looksnothinglike the one I am buying for Hendrix. I look at the box and then back up at her with a raised brow.

“Or…youcan buy that one foryour kidsince you were too busy batting your eyelashes at the store manager to turn around and find it yourself, and I’ll keep this one.” I give her one final look, assuring her this conversation is officially over, then head to the register and secure the gift that will no doubt have Hendrix’s booty shaking with excitement on Christmas morning. I do one subtle sweep of the store, looking for the man from earlier, but he’s nowhere in sight, giving me the chance to finally exhale.

When I get home, I run straight to hide Hen’s gift at the top of my closet before picking him up from Betty’s. Once we are in for the night, we both hop into our pjs and turn onIt’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brownwhile I make my famous chicken casserole for dinner.

* * *

One of my favorite things about working at Chattahoochies is all of the regulars I have connected with throughout the years. Drengr—the biker gang that stays around here—is always in here, and their president Lenny is a fucking riot.

“Hey gorgeous, how about another round for the boys.” He winks at me as he walks outside to smoke.

“You got it, Len.” I get to work putting their drinks on a tray, but as soon as I finish, I look up to see a familiar face walking through the door. Along with two others, I don’t recognize.

Mall Barbie.

“Why the fuck is she here?” I mumble to myself, looking around for Heather.

“Oh, Heather. Could you grab that table please?” I ask, nodding to the booth they just sat down in, hopeful I won’t have to interact with this woman again.

“Sorry, Rubes, I just clocked out for my break. Want me to run those drinks first though?” she offers.

“No, it's fine. Have you seen Tank?” I ask, desperate to find a way out of having to go over there.

“I think he was taking the trash out.” She scrunches her nose before walking through the door to the kitchen.

Shit.

“Okay. Thanks anyway,” I mumble, taking a deep breath to try and maintain my composure and not let my anxiety start taking over.

I pick up the tray of drinks for Lenny’s table, which is inconveniently right behind theirs, and make my way over. I try not to make eye contact with them until absolutely necessary, but before I reach Drengr’s table, I trip over a strategically placed foot and the drinks spill all over me. Giggles erupt from the table where said foot is attached to none other thanBarbie.I grind my teeth so hard I’m sure the enamel on them is chipping as I place the tray of fallen drinks on an empty table nearby.

“Wow, the bitch is clumsy too, why am I not surprised?” I hear the woman from the mall say, making her friends scoff and cast judgemental glances in my direction.

I feel my face turning red as I decide how best to deal with this. Old Ruby is really trying to come out and slap the makeup right off of her face, but this is my place of work and I have to handle myself in aprofessionalway. Before I get the chance to say anything, I feel the warmth of a hand grabbing me gently by the arm, turning me around.

“You okay?” I’m still slightly in shock as I look up and see Tank staring back at me with an intensity behind his green eyes I’ve never seen before. I glance down at my favorite purple work shirt, now covered in beer, and swallow hard before nodding. I see his jaw flex and his nostrils flaring—- like a bull seeing red. He cuts his eyes over to the women at the table, then stands up a bit taller. He pulls his baby blue Chattahoochies T-shirt over his head, now standing in front of the entire bar bare-chested, with his eyes solely on me. It’s not the first time I’ve seen him shirtless, but it surefeelslike it is. My eyes fall to the ink on his skin that reads “No Quarter”and I make a mental note to ask him about it later.

“Here. Take this and go change. I’ll finish up here.” I know I should be making eye contact with him. I should take the shirt, go change, and just walk away. I should not be looking at him like this, butshit—this man is beautiful. Before I can peel my eyes away, his fingers tip my chin up, forcing my eyes on his. “Go.”

I blink away my wandering thoughts and take the shirt from his hands, heading straight to the bathroom to change. As I am walking off I hear one of the girls begin to flirt with Tank, which for some strange reason pisses me off more than being covered in beer, but what he says next surprises me.

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