Page 48 of Deception and New Direction

“I know,” she replied. “Icame over mostly forRuthie’sbenefit.Shewas worried about you this morning and was half tempted to call off work, butArcherneeded her for some things, so she called me.Ithink she got the better end of the deal.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”Igrumbled, feeling likeIshould be offended.

“Jack,Ilove you, butIremember what you were like as a child when you were sick.Youwere the worst patient ever.”

“No,Iwasn’t,”Idefended. “Ijust always got a worse version of whatever you got.”

She chuckled next to me. “Sure.”

I sat up soIcould drink some of her amazing soup and hoped it still had its same magical healing powers it had when we were kids.

Clearly unafraid to contract the death virus thatIhad,Elliesat next to me on the bed whileIate.

“Look, you’re my favorite brother, butIhave to ask.”

“I’m your only brother,”Ipointed out.

She waved me off as if it were one and the same. “Whatare your intentions withRuthie?”

I nearly spit out my soup. “Whyare you asking,Mom?”

“She may not have had a crazy ex like me, but she’s had a rough go,”Elliespoke up, andIknew this was hard for her to bring up still soIlet her speak. “I’mnot saying you’re a bad guy, but she’s my friend andI’mwatching out for her, that’s all.”

“She’s lucky to have someone like you to do that, sis.Whichis whyI’mnot going to be overly offended that you would thinkIwould do harm to her.”

“Jack,Idon’t think you would ever harm her,”Elliequickly added. “Noton purpose.Butyou work together, and if it goes bad, it’s going to be tougher on her since she doesn’t have as many people in her corner like you do.”

“I get it,Ellie-girl,”Isaid, using my nickname for her from our childhood. “Youof all people should know that mixing work with pleasure can get complicated.”

My sister’s blush was the only responseIneeded.Iknew she would get it because she andWadehad worked together when they were first dating.Wadehad taken a step back from the bar lately since he had givenTammymore of a managerial role so that he could focus more onRangerShield.Still, they continued to work together on occasion, so she understood.

“I’m only telling you this because you are my sister andIknow you care for both of us, but if you tellRuthie,Iwill tellWadeall your embarrassing secrets from childhood,”Isaid, holding my hands up before she could protest. “Ruthieis it for me, sis.Iknow that with a certaintyIcan’t really explain, butIknow it to be true.ButEllie—Ruthieisn’t ready for that yet.I’mmaking my way through to her slowly because that’s how sheneedsit to be.Howit has to be because of her shitty family situation.”

She sighed and nodded, letting me know she knew about the family dynamic there and understood all too well.

“I wouldn’t put that added pressure on her ifIwasn’t one hundred percent sure on my end,”

I continued. “ButIam.SoIwill go as slow as she needs me to go to get her there.I’min it for the long haul.”

She smiled back at me. “Ialways wanted a sister.Ijust always assumed you’d get stuck with a loser because of your terrible personality.”

I loved having her tease me.Therewas a time when she was more of a broken version of herself because of her asshole ex, but she wasn’t that person anymore.Shewas herself again, andIwas happy to have her back.

“Alright, well, now that that heart-to-heart is over,Ineed you to leave because your nagging is making my headache worse,”Itold her, hoping the medsI’dtaken would kick in soon.

MostlyIwas just giving her crap, but my headache had actually gotten worse, soIwanted to nap again.Hopefullyfor longer than the last time.

19

RUTHIE

I was able to sneak home a little early from work, thoughElliehad warned me there was really no need.Shetold meJackwas the dictionary definition of man-cold and it was best just to let him sleep.

I understood that, but this felt like my chance to repay the favor toJackfor housing me these last nearly two months with my cast.

Archer dropped me off after work since he was coming over to look at his property again and check on construction.WhenIgot home,IletDashout first.I’dtaken him with me to work, mostly becauseIdidn’t want him botheringJackall day.Hewould seeJackin the house and assume he was there to play and not to rest, which was really what he needed.

AfterDashwas settled,Imoved on in search of my terrible patient.Ihad grabbed another round of medicine and some water to give him since he was likely due for more.

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