Page 25 of Break Me Like a Promise (Oak Valley)

“Hey, Dragan. Hey… Colton.” She gave a slight nod in each of their direction but avoided Colton’s eyes. Colton didn’t respond but stared at her, willing her to look at him. Willing her to pretend they were back in the bus and the rest of the world — and their history — didn’t exist.

“How are you liking being back in Oak Valley?” Dragan stretched his limbs out, finger still stuck in the book raised over his head.

Ruby shrugged. “It’s fine.”

“Just fine?” Katie bumped shoulders with her, casting a glance at Colton. He shook his head. His sister was such an oblivious idiot sometimes.

“Yep. Just fine. Nice seeing you guys, but I need to get going.” Ruby gave a little wave and walked away, still not meeting Colton’s eyes.

He didn’t look away from her retreating body, didn’t acknowledge Katie and Dragan’s chatter.

He stood from his chair and stalked after her.

He wasn’t going to let Ruby get away with this.

24

The wind whipped Ruby’s hair as she scurried away from Will’s Auto Shop. Of course living in a small town meant running into people from her past.

But it didn’t mean she was ever prepared for when it happened.

Especially not when it was Colton Taylor, hanging outside his family’s shop like he was fifteen again.

Heavy footsteps came up behind her, and she would’ve given anything for them to belong to anyone but him. After spending so much one-on-one time with him, it was hard seeing him in public. He wasn’t exactly outright friendly with her, and she tried to take that as a cue he didn’t want a big to-do about their reconnecting. But that flashback to him doing what he did almost when they were kids… Some things never changed, even if he swore up and down they had.

“Ruby, wait.” Colton’s strong hand landed on her arm, not quite grabbing her but still forceful enough to stop her in her tracks. She held her ground, trying not to face him. If he wanted to act like he didn’t know her, she could return the favor.

“What?” Well, she never promised to hide the venom.

“What the fuck was that?”

“What the fuck was what?”

He barked out a laugh. “Don’t play stupid with me, Ruby. You act like you don’t know me and walk away?”

“Are you for real?” It was her turn to find this comical. She risked a glance and immediately wish she hadn’t.

He towered over her, all muscle and broad shoulders. The winter wind carried his woody scent over her. His face was a particular shade of red, from anger or the cold she couldn’t be sure. But the rigid set of his jaw and outline of clenched fists in his jacket pockets told her everything she needed to know about his wounded pride.

She swallowed, meeting his deep mahogany eyes. Beneath the layer of anger was a layer of hurt.

“Colton, I took my cues from you. We don’t need to be friends. Hell, it’s probably best if we’re not.” She didn’t need to tell him that the picture-perfect replication of their teens was enough to send her in the other direction, away from what she’d already experienced.

“I took my cues from you. You weren’t exactly friendly, Ruby.” His shoulders relaxed, the bulge of his fists softening.

“Okay well… I guess we both didn’t know what to do. But I— I think it’s best if we just stay civil. If you insist on helping with the bus, fine. But outside of that…” She couldn’t bring herself to finish. To say how being around him was hard enough, that the closer they got the more she felt herself falling into old habits. And old habits with her ex wasn’t a place she wanted to revisit.

Colton looked disappointed but quickly schooled his face. This was the Colton she knew, the hard-edged, won’t-let-anyone-in, lone-wolf.

Good. Normal. She could work with this this.

“Fine. Civil it is, and you can bet your sweet little ass I’m gonna help with that bus to help mitigate injuries.”

She rolled her eyes at his macho, caveman identity while trying not to blush at his ass comment. “Fine, but it’s my project and I’ll do what I want, when I want.”

“Of course. When are you working on the bus next?”

“Oh my god, Colt. None of your business. Thanks for the agreement, I really have to get going.” She hesitated before offering her hand in truce.

---