Page 72 of Break Me Like a Promise (Oak Valley)

“Someone… Someone paid off the bills. A—And they left an account number. So charges will go through that.”

“I don’t know what you’re saying, Ruby.”

Ruby stared at her beautiful mom, realization hitting her. She started laughing, crying, every emotion coming out from places she never knew existed. “Mom, an anonymous donor is taking care of all your medical bills. We… we don’t have to worry about them anymore.”

Ruby’s head fell into her hands, and she sobbed with the relief of it all. For years, she’d worked multiple jobs to help her mom. And she would’ve done whatever needed to be done in order to continue doing so. But someone had answered her dreams.

And she was pretty sure who that someone was.

She could build the life she wanted, living in Oak Valley because she wanted to, not because she felt there was no choice. She could spend time with her mom instead of working multiple jobs. She could quit her job at Maven Media, focusing instead on the everyday people and businesses she grew up loving.

For the first time in her life, Ruby felt truly free.

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Colton had implemented Mission Get Ruby Back, but now he was doing it mainly because he just enjoyed the feeling it brought him to treat the people in his life. And with Ruby, while he started with the driveway, he knew she needed more. She deserved more.

He set up an account with more than enough money, calling the clinic where Beryl’s oncologist and treatments were, and arranged for everything to be taken care of. He didn’t know how often Ruby checked the balance, but that was part of the fun. He never knew when she would find out, only that when she did, it would lighten the weight on her shoulders.

Up next: talk to the Cunningham’s about their land, the old Ryder Farm.

He asked Dragan to drive, since his car was inconspicuous, Liam in the back seat as his real estate agent and Katie just along for the field trip. He found the Cunningham’s number in the phone book at the Town Hall and called ahead, careful not to give all his cards away. They agreed to talk but had a hard edge in their voices.

They’d talk, but they wouldn’t listen.

Dragan pulled into their driveway, and Colton could just peek Ruby’s bus next door. It was now painted a soft butter yellow, the roof and windows trimmed in white. It was sweet, cozy. It made him smile to think of her living in a home she helped build, one that she could make all hers. She earned it, and she deserved it.

“You ready?” Katie patted his shoulder and got out, the guys following her. They walked up the grand white porch to the old farmhouse front door and knocked.

An old man opened the door. “‘Ello?”

“Hi, Mr. Cunningham? Glenn Cunningham? It’s me, Mr. Taylor. I called about wanting to speak with you and your wife?”

The man stared at him, shock of white hair standing in a ring around his head. “Oh, right!” He jolted back, and then opened the door more. “Please come. I see you brought company. Muriel’s in the back sunroom, you can follow me.”

Colton introduced the crew, and they followed his shuffle down a long hallway to the back. It was a beautiful house, if not needing a little TLC, but Colton appreciated the original hardwood floor and the high ceilings. Mr. Cunningham stopped before another door, slowly opening it into a back porch, entirely white and with glass walls. It almost didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the house, even though Colton knew it was probably one of the more original and well-maintained aspects.

Mr. Cunningham sat in a white wicker armchair with a floral cushion beside Muriel, introducing them as they tried squeezing in on the matching loveseat across the way, with Dragon deciding to stand.

“Let’s cut to the chase, what do you kids want?” Muriel asked, leaning back in her chair.

Colton cleared his throat. “I’m hoping to negotiate the sale of a parcel of your land. It doesn’t have to be big, but it does have to abut the Delacey property. Name your price.” He didn’t expect they’d know who he was, but no amount of money was going to keep him from getting Ruby what she wanted.

The Cunningham’s stared at him, glanced at the others, and then moved their gazes back to him.

“Could we have the room, please?” Glenn asked.

“Of course.” They filed out, Dragan ducking his head at the threshold and Katie poking her head into several rooms with doors slightly ajar. Colton and Liam leaned against a wood-paneled wall, trying to figure out what their number would be, and for how many acres.

“You can come in,” Muriel called through the closed door.

They filed back in and took their places.

“Ten acres, $749,000. It’s mostly wooded, has river access in the back, and runs the length of the Delacey’s lot. Final offer.”

“As long as it all tracks, done. Liam here can represent both of us, if you agree, and get the paperwork started.”

Muriel stuck out a hand, shaking Colton’s and Liam’s. “Wonderful. You bring us the papers when they’re ready, we can have an attorney present to review. Hopefully we can sign on the spot.”

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