Page 20 of Holding You
“There was one rule, of course.” She looks at Susie with a grin.
“I can keep them as long as I am the only one who eats them.” My daughter lets out a laugh. “I said, no problem!”
I glance at Ruby with anare you serious?look, and she shrugs before she walks out the door.
I close the door behind them, and Susie climbs back onto the counter, peeking out the window over the sink.
We both watch as Ruby and Max disappear through the fence.
Once they are gone, Susie grins and tosses me the container.
“Don’t tell Ruby,” she says.
“Deal.”
Container in hand, we head for the living room to settle in with snacks and a movie.
We’re about fifteen minutes into K-Pop Demon Hunters for the hundredth time when my phone pings with an email notification.
I jump up immediately and move for my computer, which is still where I left it in the kitchen.
I open the email, read quickly, and ball my fists with each word.
Turns out, I’m not the only one trying to purchase the Collins Corporation.
CHAPTER THREE
RUBY
One of my favorite things about moving back to Lovers has been watching the relationship between Max and my brothers grow.
With Luca, he’s learning how to build and repair things. With Hudson, he’s learned how to skate on ice and pretty much any other kind of hockey move Hudson is willing to teach. With Miles, the brother who was always the first to play with me as a kid, Max has learned how to change a tire, change the oil in multiple car models, and to slow down in the day to day. That last one still blows my mind. Miles used to be all about structure, but since he fell in love with Quinn, he’s all about experiences and not taking life too seriously.
To be honest, I think all of my brothers have shown him this in one way or another.
So, when all three of them showed up at my door at seven in the morning to steal Max away for a lake day, I couldn't say no. Not that I was planning to.
I have a to-do list a mile long.
As soon as they left, I started from the top of my checklist.
Food. Our house needs food.
I give myself twenty minutes to get in and out of the grocery store, but with the way Mrs. Whittaker is looking at me, I don’t think it’s going to happen.
“Hi there, Ruby.” She waves at me and then blocks my shopping cart with her own. “I can’t tell you enough how delightful it is to have you back in Lovers. We all missed you while you were gone.”
She has told me this every time she’s seen me in the last year.
Either she wants me to really know this, she forgot that she told me, or she’s hoping that by bringing it up again, I’ll reveal the true reason I left in the first place. You know, so she can be the first to spread the news.
Still, this is Mrs. Whittaker. A nosey old woman who is sweeter than a jar full of sugar. I’ve never been anything but kind, despite her motives for repeating herself to me.
“Thank you, Mrs. Whittaker. I appreciate hearing that.”
“Don’t leave us again, okay?”
I smile and nod, “If I have a say in it, I won’t.”
