Page 1 of Heart of the West

Chapter 1

Ruby

I’m pushing seventy-five in a sixty-five. I know I shouldn’t, but I’m running late. Everything that could go wrong this morning had gone wrong. Now I’m running late to sign the deal at my new bakery. Well, it’s just a building for now with an apartment over the top of it. It’ll need a lot of elbow grease and TLC, but when I’m done, the place will shine.

I send up a quick prayer.Please let one thing go right today.No sooner than I finish the thought I see flashing lights in my rearview mirror. And here comes the sirens.

“Fuck my life,” I yell out before turning on my signal and pulling over to the side of the road.

I send off a quick text realtor:

Unavoidable delay.

My sincerest apologies.

Will get there ASAP

Ruby xx

I need to remember to remove my automatic signature from the text. The xx was for my ex. It’s likely pretentious to sign off a text with your name anyway. Something Roger insisted on. His family’s from money, riding on the much richer coattails of a distant cousin's last name. A knock on the window jars me out of my thoughts. I roll down my window.

“License and registration, please.”

I reach into the glove box and get my license and registration before turning and getting a good look at the officer. He’sperhaps the most handsome man I’ve ever seen. He’d be the perfect black James Bond. He’s frowning.

“Ma’am?”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Could you please repeat that? I’m a little rattled today.”

Officer, I looked for his name tag, Reeves. Sheriff Reeves, to be exact. I gulp. Great. I ask for one good thing to happen and I get pulled over by the sheriff. The sheriff of the town I’m moving to.

“Ma’am, do you know how fast you were going?”

“Yes, sir. I’m so sorry. I don’t normally speed, but I’m running late. I’m supposed to sign papers for my new place today. I couldn’t find any boots. All my stuff is coming across the country in a truck that’s now going to be a week late. I have to survive a week on what I have in my suitcase, which, by the way, is not a pair of boots.”

I stop, mortified. I spewed all of that at Mr. Hot Cop. Uh, er, Hot Sheriff. It snowed this morning. And all I have is a pair of blue silk heels with straps. Thank God for the straps. According to everything I’ve read, it’s unseasonably cold for Oklahoma. I’m from Indiana, and I was married to a wannabe ass hat. I’ve walked through ice and snow in heels.

“Running late is not an excuse to speed.” Mr. Hottie says with a stern look.

He has nice lips. I wonder what they’d feel like against mine. Ack! What’s wrong with me?You haven’t had sex in three years and he’s H-O-T hot.Thanks, snarky voice.

“I understand. I’m sorry, sir.”

“I’m giving you a warning. You only get one in my town, Mrs. Buffet. Make sure you don’t treat it like the Indy 500.”

“Yes sir. I’m sorry. I won’t speed again.”

“See that you don’t. Welcome to Wolf Creek.” He tips his hat and walks back to his truck.

I wait until he gets into his truck before I start the car and drive away, nerves riding me the entire way to town as he tails behind me. I hope he’s just headed in the same direction and not worried I’m going to put the pedal to the metal. I never speed. I knew I shouldn’t have. Now I’m later than I would’ve been had I went the speed limit. I hang my head a little in self-disgust as I pull in front of the store that’s soon to be mine.

The sheriff drives past me. I see him pull into a parking lot a block down and realize that’s where the police station is. I hurry out of my SUV and to the shop’s front door. I try the front door and let out a small sigh of relief when it pushes open. My handsome as sin realtor, Dustin Whitebear, smiles, gets up from one of the soda tables, and meets me halfway across the room.

“Ruby, so glad you could make it.”

“I am so very sorry I’m late. Murphy and all his laws visited me this morning.”

The look on Dustin’s face changes. “Sounds like you’ve had a rough go of it.”

---