Page 27 of Waiting for Redemption

“Care to share what moments those might be?” she asks, still wrapped safely in my arms.

“You really want to know?” I sigh, hoping my answer isn’t too much for her. I can feel my chest tighten when she squeezes me a little tighter.

“Yes,” she breathes out. I loosen my grip, taking a small step back as she looks up at me.

“Any moment I spend with you, Honey.Youmake me feel like I’m living.” I swallow hard, afraid of how she’ll react to what I’ve just said.

I can’t take it back now even if I wanted to. ButI don’twant to take it back, because it’s the truth. Having Ruby in my life has given me glimmers of hope that life might not always have to be such a goddamn shit show. But any fear of her rejecting me dissolves when her eyes start to glisten and she smiles up at me. I hold her face in my hands, and even though all I want to do right now is take her lips in mine and thank her for all the ways she’s been there for me, I kiss her forehead and thank her outright instead.

“There’s so much more to you than a fight, Tank Landry. And I can’t wait to watch you find out what it is.”

“Thank you, for your friendship. I really don’t know where I would be without it.” Her eyes flutter open, and she smiles.

“Anytime.”

“Honey?”

“Yeah?” She looks at me questioningly.

“Will you dance with me?” Her smile grows wider.

“Anytime.”

I walk over to the jukebox in the corner and selectTennessee Whiskey,when it begins pouring through the speakers I pull her back into my arms and we dance.

No one else in the bar but us.

No one to cut in.

Just me and the woman I’m convinced is changing my entire world.

But before the song comes to an end, her phone starts ringing.

“Sorry,” she apologizes as she swipes it out of her pocket and slides to answer when she sees Betty’s name flash across the screen.

“Hello,” she answers, clearing her throat after a slight voice crack. “Oh no. Poor thing. Okay, tell him I’ll be home soon. Thanks, Betty.”

“Everything okay?” I ask, walking to grab our shot glasses and whiskey from the pool table.

“Yeah, apparently Hendrix has a stomach ache and was asking when I would be home.” She runs her fingers through her hair as she blows out a breath and looks around the room. I know that look—it’s the face she makes when she’s trying to prioritize what needs to be done in order to close the bar the fastest.

“You go ahead, I’ll close up tonight.” I nod her towards the door but she immediately starts shaking her head at me.

“No. I’m not leaving you to do all of this by yourself,” she argues, trying to move past me. I grab her shoulders gently, guiding her back to where she previously stood.

“Yes, you are. Your boy needs you and if I had to guess—after tonight—you need him too. Go.” She lets out a sigh, finally surrendering as she grabs her bag from behind the counter.

“Thank you, Tank.” She walks over and stands on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on my cheek. “I really needed this.”

“Yeah, me too.” I smirk at her, getting a smile in return before she heads towards the door.

“Hey, Ruby.”

“Yeah?” She turns around quickly, making her long black waves swoosh around her.

“Text me when you get home. So I know you made it there okay.”

“Sure thing.”

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