Page 26 of One Hundred Humbugs

“So, what made you decide to quit?” he asked as they took a break, sitting on the floor surrounded by half-empty boxes and piles of knick-knacks.

Ruby sighed, fiddling with a paperweight shaped like a UFO. “I just … couldn’t do it anymore, you know? Spending my days in a cubicle, working on projects I didn’t care about.”

Becket nodded, understanding in his eyes. “That’s brave, though. Taking that leap.”

Ruby snorted. “Brave or stupid. The jury’s still out on that one.”

“Hey,” Becket said, reaching out to touch her hand. “For what it’s worth, I think it was brave. And I think you’re doing great.”

The sincerity in his voice made Ruby’s heart skip a beat. She looked up, meeting his gaze, and the world seemed to narrow to just the two of them.

The moment was broken by a sudden power dip, the lights dimming before coming back to full brightness. Ruby and Becket looked at each other, a hint of worry in their eyes.

“That can’t be good,” Ruby muttered, getting to her feet. “Let’s prepare for a potential outage.”

They spent the next hour gathering candles, flashlights, and extra blankets, all the while keeping an anxious eye on the lights. Just as they finished their preparations, the power went out, plunging the house into darkness.

“Well,” Becket’s voice came from somewhere to Ruby’s left, “I guess we were right to be prepared.”

As Ruby fumbled for a flashlight, her hand brushed against Becket’s in the darkness. The touch sent a jolt through her, and she was acutely aware of how close they were standing.

“Ruby?” Becket’s voice was soft, uncertain.

Before she could respond, a loud crash came from the direction of the garage, followed by a chorus of alarmed bleats.

“The goats!” they said in unison, all thoughts of the moment forgotten as they rushed to check on their four-legged guests.

As they navigated the darkened house with flashlights in hand, Ruby couldn’t help but reflect on the situation. This wasn’t how she’d envisioned her time in Aspen Cove, but somehow, amid the chaos and uncertainty, she found herself feeling more alive than she had in years.

And as for Becket? Well, that was something she’d haveto figure out. But for now, as they faced the darkness and whatever goat-related crisis awaited them together, Ruby knew one thing for certain: she was where she wanted to be.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The muffled sound of an engine struggling against the snow drifted into the room, pulling Becket from sleep. He blinked, momentarily disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings of Ruby’s spare room. Then the events of the past few days came rushing back—the storm, moving the goats into the garage, the lights turning off, the long, cold night, and then the relief when power was finally restored.

Ruby’s unwavering support through it all had been a bright spot in the chaos. The heat of the house now felt like a luxury after those tense hours in the cold.

He stumbled to the window, rubbing sleep from his eyes, and squinted at the old pickup truck making its way up the snow-covered driveway. The vehicle was unfamiliar, but that didn’t mean much. He didn’t know anyone in town but Ruby and the few people he’d come across. Curiosity piqued, Becket dressed and made his way to the kitchen.

As he entered, he almost collided with Ruby, who was emerging with two steaming mugs of coffee.

“Whoa there, Goat Whisperer,” she laughed, deftlymaneuvering to avoid spilling. “I was just coming to wake you. Looks like we have a visitor.”

Becket accepted the offered mug gratefully, inhaling the rich aroma. “Any idea who it is?”

Ruby shook her head, peering out the window. “No clue. I’m still getting used to the idea that people just show up unannounced out here. In Chicago, unexpected visitors usually meant you forgot to pay a bill.”

Becket laughed. “Small town life is a bit different. Could be someone in trouble, or someone coming to help. Or just a neighbor being nosy.”

“Well, as long as it’s not bill collectors,” Ruby said. “I’m not sure I’m ready for that level of small-town hospitality just yet.”

A knock at the door cut through their banter. Exchanging glances, they moved to the entrance. Ruby opened it to reveal a tall, weathered man with kind eyes and a snow-dusted hat.

“Mornin’, Ruby,” the man said. “Hope I’m not disturbing you too early. My name’s Cade Mosier.” He tipped his hat to Becket. “You must be our new goat wrangler. Heard you might be needin’ some help with the storm and all.”

“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Mosier,” Becket said, shaking the man’s hand. “What brings you out in this weather?”

Cade’s eyes crinkled. “Well, Doc Parker mentioned you folks were new in town and might be needin’ some help. It got me wondering about those goats of yours. Do they have a proper shelter?”