Page 48 of Break Me Like a Promise (Oak Valley)

And she deserved better.

Colton tsked. “I just think if you saw how she looks at you, you might consider it.”

“No. And she has enough on her plate, she doesn’t need me throwing that on top,” Dragan sighed.

Colton turned and looked at him. “Is she okay?”

He hesitated, not wanted to share her business that wasn’t his to share, but also wanting to talk to his friend. “She’s fine, just dealing with the shop and her grandparents’ retirement.”

“Oh, I meant to tell you, apparently Ruby is doing some publicity or marketing work for some of the local businesses. Maybe she could do something for the bookstore, off-load June a little.”

Dragan stared out the window, mulling over what Colton said. That could definitely help alleviate the pressure, at least be a finger in the dam while they figured out how to raise money for the back payments. Dragan had enough he could cover most of them, but it wouldn’t be a long-term solution. He’d be cleaned out and in six months June would be right where she was now. No, whatever he came up with, it had to last.

His mind went to the app. If he could just sell it…

“I’m good to drive, Dragan. It’s too cold for you to walk, I’ll drop you off,” Colton said, cutting through his thoughts.

“Thanks,” he managed. He loathed the way Colton drove — even two minutes in the car was enough to send Dragan stumbling out the door, clutching his stomach. He never understood why Colton splurged on such extravagant items — his apartment in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey had been an unnecessarily posh four-bedroom penthouse with a doorman and valet parking — but also knew it didn’t hurt anyone and if it made his friend happy, he might as well spend his money how he wanted.

The drive was short, and Dragan considered what it would cost to buy the bookstore flat out as he made his way up to his apartment. He knew he could ask Colton for the money and he’d give it, but there was no way he could put that pressure on their friendship.

No. He needed to talk to Ruby about a long-term business strategy for June. But first, he needed to convince his stubborn, happy-go-lucky crush that she needed help from someone other than him, and that even if she fought him on the expense, he would cover it.

42

For Goodness Cakes was locked, the clear hanging lights the only thing illuminating the bakery while Ruby added more Bailey’s to her coffee, giggling at something her friends said while they topped up their White Russians and Cosmopolitans and Irish Coffees. She quickly checked her phone for a response from Colton to her last text but put it away when she saw the blank screen.

She tried not to let it bother her it’d been a few hours and it was the time of night when people generally ate dinner, especially if that dinner was part of a date. They weren’t technically together — he could do what he wanted and didn’t owe her anything. She took a sip of her coffee, catching the end of a dad joke from Penelope and smiling at the robust laughter coming from every side of the round table.

Olive loved to shut everything down in the shop and invite their old friend group — Anna, Penelope, Vivian, and Rory — for drinks in the warm back corner of the sitting area. Now that Ruby was back and the holidays were over, Olive was getting back to scheduling them regularly and invited her to the next one.

It was odd and refreshing hearing everyone talk about their lives — so much had changed, but they still got along as if nothing had. They’d stayed in loose contact over the years, between school and internships and out-of-state job placements, but somehow, all of them had landed right back where they started.

Ruby was the only one who questioned if she was ready for it.

“Yeah speaking of the Valentine’s Day Festival, can you believe Macy actually asked my family for more free hot cider?” Penelope Willow shook her head, sipping her cocktail. “It’s like, the audacity of that woman. She just expects the farm to give everything for free for every event she wants to host.”

Olive shook her head. “She did the same to us — she asked my mom for free heart shaped treats.”

“See, that’s where working at the DIA comes in handy — she can’t pilfer from an art museum,” Vivian mused.

“Or a craft store,” added Anna.

Rory laughed. “I’d love to see what she could come up with from the elementary school.”

“Just wait, she’ll enlist all the kids to make a paper chain or heart snowflakes,” Ruby said, laughing.

She couldn’t remember being this relaxed with anyone. Even in New York City, her friends were pavement-pounders, running to and from either one long-houred job or multiple low-paying ones, all to keep the roof over their heads and bare minimum food on the table. No one had time for relaxed drinks and small-town gossip; they were too busy surviving.

And it’s not like the City has gossip. That was unique to small towns, and for once Ruby was grateful to be in Oak Valley where she could talk about something other than deadlines and dating.

But they’d already covered what movies they’d seen, what books they’d read, what artist or poet deserved what award. Moving into town gossip, of course they’d have to touch on dating. As soon as Penelope mentioned a good first date she had, Ruby tensed. She wasn’t ready to talk about Colton. Not with what they shared, not with the uncertainty of where it was going.

Olive also gave her input, talking about the lack of available, upwardly-mobile men in Oak Valley or any of the neighboring towns an hour in any direction. The girls nodded in agreement — it didn’t matter the job he held, they just wanted to see some ambition. Goals, plans, good relationships with their moms and sisters. But the middle of nowhere tended to nurture some level of laziness.

Anna pursed her lips. “Maybe it’s the dating apps.”

Penelope shrugged. “Maybe. I met my good first date on the farm, he runs the cattle farm we buy stock from.”

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