Page 24 of From Fling to Ring

“She died when I was a baby,” Ruby says matter-of-factly, followed by a giant bite of her burger.

How did I not know this?

“I… I’m so sorry,” I sputter.

“Thank you,” she says, nodding.

She’s clearly been explaining this to people for a long time.

“Yeah, Mom died when I was a baby, so Tyler kind of raised me. Along with Dad, of course. But he was so blown away by losing Mom, Tyler had to step in.”

She looks up at him with what can only be called complete adoration.

Jesus, that’s sweet. I actually get a lump in my throat. My cynical, dried-out throat.

Tyler shrugs. “Yeah, poor Dad was so checked out, I had no choice but to keep this little cretin alive on my own.”

“What? You did this at how old?”

“Six,” Ruby says.

“Six years of age?”

Incredible.

“Seven,” he corrects.

Same difference.

“How?” I ask, short on words.

Something like sadness washes over Tyler’s face and he looks down at his burger like he doesn’t want anyone to see. “Before Mom died, she showed me how to do a bunch of things. Diapers, bathing, making a bottle. And Mrs. Sibley next door helped a lot too. She was Mom’s friend.”

“Holy crap,” I breathe.

I don’t even know what to say.

Lucy gives him a shoulder noogie. “Yeah, he was stuck with me. Kind of still is.”

“No kidding,” he says with fake disgust. “I’ll never get this child out of my life. She’s like Velcro.”

This is so not fair. I am not supposed to like this guy. Not at all. I mean, I wasn’t planning on hating him, no need to go that far, but to feel for him? And actually have some admiration for him? This is so not part of the plan.

Players and fuckboys do not change their little sister’s diapers. There’s just no way.

Ruby leans over the table. “Lucy, have you had any of Tyler’s cookies yet?—”

He nudges her so hard she drops her burger, following up with a dirty look that shuts her right up.

I don’t give up that easily.

“What about cookies?” I ask, looking between the two of them.

“Nothing. She meant nothing,” Tyler snaps.

Fine. I’ll get to the bottom of that later.

We pile our burger wrappers and soda cups onto one tray and I take them to the trash. On the way home, Ruby falls asleep in the backseat of Tyler’s Escalade.

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