Page 5 of Holding You
I wrinkle my nose as flashbacks of growing up and going to school in our small town hit me.
Oh, Ruby, dear, your score was one of the highest. Right under Declan Young.
Lovely, just lovely, Ruby. Your art piece has the second-highest student votes ever. Right after Declan Young.
Just one more point and you would have tied the school record with Declan Young.
Ruby Asher almost knocked Delcan Young out of first place for the school record in the mile.
I roll my eyes at no one. I was always second-best to the town's golden boy.
By default, this made me despise Declan.
It didn’t matter that he was old enough that we were never in the same school at the same time.
Teachers and staff loved to bring up his name anytime they could.
Now, he owns one of the biggest anti-virus software companies in the world and our town isstilltalking about him.
Until my father invited him to Sunday breakfast and all three of my brothers decided to befriend the enemy last summer, I’d never really spoken to him, so, sure, I probably shouldn't care about this anymore.
But I do because this town has made it impossible to move on.
I’m twenty-five now.
It’s annoying.
“Ruby!” One of the PTA moms, Sandy, calls me over as I reach the parking lot where the last blast games are being held.
I smile, thankful that the people of Lovers welcomed me back after so many years, despite the rumors that filtered through town while I was away, and unfortunately, still do. I’ve been invited to join committees at the school, locals talk to me as if I never left, and I'm lucky enough that my three older brothers have all fallen in love over the last two years, so I now have what I feel like are sisters. Considering they are all engaged now, it’s basically a done deal.
Something much,muchneeded in my life.
I didn’t really have friends back in Boston. Which helped in a way. I didn't leave anyone behind, except Colter, Max’s father, and his family.
And good riddance to his parents. They might be Max’s grandparents and treat him like a prince, but to me they were nothing but toxic.
Then again, they never saw me as more than the seventeen-year-old girl whom their son knocked up while on vacation eight years ago.
Max and I moving back here was a choice Colt and I made together.
It was the best one.
We didn’t belong on the East Coast, living the big city life.
Ididn’t belong.
“Hi, Sandy,” I say and take a seat, sliding the tray of cupcakes onto the table filled with cookies, cakes, fruit cups, and snack trays.
Then I look out into the school's parking lot and smile.
It might be a silly thing to celebrate, but that’s one of the reasons I love living in a small town.
That and the only things Max and I have to do each day are the thingswedecide to do.
“Oh, more cupcakes with frosting—the kids will love them,” Sandy says, and I glance over the table once more.
There’s only one other set of cupcakes. They're adorable, too, and look professionally frosted with just the perfect number of sprinkles on each one.
