Page 9 of Made For Ruin

But it’s home, or at least the closest thing Ruby and I have managed to create since Dad died, and I couldn’t keep up payments on the house.

“You look exhausted.” Ruby sits up, tucking her legs under her to make room. “Bad shift?”

I sink down next to her, letting my head fall back. “The worst. The oven’s dying. Carl came by to look at it. But he says it’ll cost at least twenty grand to replace.”

“Oh no!” Ruby’s eyes go wide. “The one that does all the pies?”

“And the biscuits. And basically everything else.” I close my eyes, seeing dollar signs swimming behind my lids.

“We could do a fundraiser? Get the regulars involved?”

I shake my head. “Dad never took handouts. I can’t start now.”

“It’s not handouts if people want to help.” Ruby nudges my shoulder while Spike scrambles down her arm to investigate the couch cushions. “The diner means something to this town.”

A lump forms in my throat.

Ruby Wilson has been my rock since we were kids. I remember the first day she showed up at Cooper Heights Elementary, her red hair wild and her green eyes daring anyone to mess with her. She plopped down next to me at lunch, declared my PB&J looked better than hers, and we’ve been inseparable ever since.

When Dad got sick during my senior year of college, Ruby was there—holding my hand at the hospital, helping me study for finals when I could barely keep my eyes open, and showing up at the diner after school to bus tables when I needed an extra hand. I don’t know what I do without her.

But before I can get too emotional, my lips curl into a small smile.

“There was one bright spot today.”

“Yeah?”

“Marcus came in.”

“Ooh, Marcus Ruins? Spill. Now.”

I groan, covering my face with my hands.

“It was mortifying. Before he got there, I spilled dishwater all over my uniform. And then I slipped right in front of him because my shoes were still wet.”

“Please don’t tell me you fell on your face”

“I almost did. But right before I hit the ground, he caught me.”

“He caught you?”

“Yep. And when he asked if I was okay, I started babbling like an idiot. I told him that I was fine, just a little wet.” I peek at her through my fingers. “And then I said, ‘not that kind of wet, just regular wet.’ Regular wet, Ruby! I actually said that to Axel’s fucking dad.”

Ruby gasps dramatically. “What did he say?”

“Just sat there looking all intense and gorgeous.” I pause, remembering the heat in his eyes and the way his jaw tightened. “Fortunately, he took mercy on me, and I ran back to the kitchen before I could embarrass myself any further.”

Ruby’s laughter fills our tiny living room.

“Well, it’s a good thing that Marcus is probably secretly in love with you too,” Ruby says, her grin widening as she leans back against the couch, clearly enjoying herself. “I mean, come on. He caught you mid-fall? That’s some rom-com-level heroics right there.”

“Ruby!” I swat her arm, my face flaming. “Stop it. You can’t just say things like that about Axel’s dad. It’s weird.”

“Weird? Or is it just true?” she fires back, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Spike chirps in agreement, or maybe he’s just reacting to Ruby’s dramatic hand gestures.

Either way, I’m outnumbered.

“Marcus is not secretly in love with me,” I say, trying to sound firm but failing miserably because now I’m laughing too. “He’s just polite.”

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