Page 79 of Holding You
As if he knew we were talking about him, a horn honks out front. Colt.
“He's here, Max!” I shout just as Declan appears at the top of the stairs.
His eyes meet mine, and I look away instantly.
Guilt from this morning hits me hard, but my heart pounds harder.
I’ve been avoiding him all day because of it.
Like, I have this need to tell him so that I can be free of it, but I know that will never happen because I’d be mortified.
I move to rush out of the kitchen to greet Colt just as Declan steps into it. I turn to shuffle sideways, but my body still brushes against his.
His hand lingers, his fingers grazing my stomach as we pass each other.
I freeze, my skin hot under his touch.
His head is down, and his eyes are closed.
Relief floods me. I don’t know what would happen if his gaze locked onto mine. Would he read my mind? Would I blurt out something embarrassing?
The sound of a car door slamming pulls me from the moment.
I dash out the front door and don’t look back.
“You made it!” I say, meeting Colt halfway down the driveway and wrapping him in a hug.
He hugs me back.
“I’ve been here many times, Ruby. I’m not going to get lost.”
I swat his shoulder and step back.
Colt’s eyes are on the front porch.
Declan.
“Look, I know we talked about this, but is everything going okay? Do you still think it’s a good move? You weren’t too sure about it before.”
I tilt my head as if to sayare you being serious? and then I sigh, preparing myself to do something I don’t do often but am mature enough to know it’s the right move.
“He’s a good guy, Colt. He’s great with the kids, and Max looks up to him. It’s actually been nice having him here.”
Colt’s eyes flick to me, and then he grins. “Do you like him?”
“What? No.”
I roll my eyes to drive the point home. “It’s actually a little annoying, how nice he is. I mean, just watching him with hisdaughter is so freaking cute, it makes me want to puke sometimes.”
“Come on, Ruby.” He nudges me with his elbow. “Just because it didn't work between us doesn't mean I don’t know you. We lived together for seven years, remember? This man gets a reaction out of you that I was never able to get. His choices leave him on your mind most of the day, don’t they?”
I know he isn’t saying this to make me feel guilty, but I think a part of me always will. Colt tried to make it work with us. More so than me. I accepted that we weren’t a match long before he could. Image is important to his family, so their teenage son getting a woman pregnant and then she up and moved to some small town in Wyoming probably makes his mother cringe. I have no doubt that my moving is why his father feels the need to check in on me with payment updates. To be sure I didn’t leave thinking my debt would be waived, I’m sure.
I don’t know what Colt said to them after I left, but he and I decided together that raising Max here was best, that’s all that matters to me.
Sometimes, I think Colt wishes he lived a different life than the one dealt to him, so when the opportunity for me and Max to leave arose, he didn’t want us to miss it.
“Ruby?” Colt says softly and tilts his head to look at me. “All good?”
