Page 38 of Break Me Like a Promise (Oak Valley)

“Hey now, is that a smile I see? Who were you talking to?” She leaned against the desk, her smile even wider. “Was it… Ruby?” She drew out the name, making little kissing noises. Colton couldn’t stop his smirk from turning into a full on smile, and he turned away, pretending to dig for something in the filing cabinet behind him.

If the mention of her name gave him no control over himself, he was in trouble.

He cleared his throat and took a deep breath, sad attempts at diminishing the heat flowing through him. “If you must know, it was the French pastry people. They want me to fly out to San Francisco next week for a kitchen interview.”

When he finally risked looking at Katie, her jaw was practically on the floor.

“No! Colt, that’s amazing. I… I’m speechless. I’ll cover for you next week, and with Dad.” She bounced on her feet. “Wow, I’m so happy for you. This is huge. We should go to Cheers to celebrate.”

Colton shook his head, anxious to not feed into something that wasn’t a done deal. If it got around he went but didn’t get the job, he’d just be a failure. Again.

And that was all the ammunition his dad needed.

“It’s just an interview, I’m just going to see how it goes. There’s nothing to celebrate.”

“Psh, you’re such a downer,” Katie sighed.

“Speaking of downers, did you talk more with Mr. Denaube about us buying the lot next door?”

Katie hesitated before walking into the back office, dragging him with her. Colton almost tripped getting out of the desk chair to follow, his knee twinging. He almost said something to her, but when she turned to face him after closing the door behind him, he saw tears in her eyes.

Katie didn’t cry.

“Yeah. I think I need your help, Colt.”

She crossed her arms, her lip quivering. Colton put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her into a hug.

“Anything, Katie.”

She took a deep breath, her voice muffled against his arm. “I had plans drawn up for what the extension would look like, I’ve submitted to the Town Planning Board, I have cost and potential income. Everything except the actual purchase of the land. But every time I bring it up to Dad, he finds some silly way to tell me it’s a bad idea. And then he tells me to run it by you, and get your approval. And it just feels like I have nothing that’s mine. He won’t let me. And I don’t know what to do.”

Colton stood holding her, silently fuming over what she said. He wanted to just sign his approval to whatever she needed, but he also wanted to make the old man hurt.

“Give me a couple days to look into some things. And send me all your paperwork. But trust me, Katie-Cat, we’ll get this squared away.”

She nodded against him before pulling away, wiping her eyes as she moved around him and opened the door. “Thanks, Colton. Seriously. I owe you.” She gave him a small smile before heading out.

“Consider you covering for me next week repayment,” he called after her.

She giggled and left the shop, while Colton looked around the office. He thought of all the money sitting in his various accounts. He needed her paperwork, and someone to bounce some ideas off of, but his brain was starting to find ways to give Katie what she wanted, needed. He ran a hand through his hair. He was going to help her. He didn’t know quite how, but he’d find a way. He wanted his sister to know she had the power to live her life. Even if that was not going to college and running an auto shop instead — if that’s what made her happy, so be it.

35

The bus was stacked full of lumber, and Ruby was careful not to trip as she made her way around. Olive and her dad drove her to the closest Home Depot in the family pick-up truck and Ruby had stuffed the bed full of plywood, foam insulation, and wood for framing. Having treated the bared bus floors a few days ago — sanding the rust and patching holes and painting with an insulating sealant — Ruby was anxious to get the subfloor laid and have the materials needed to build out the inside while simultaneously working on replacing unnecessary windows with sheet metal. Having a big metal box for a home meant it was naturally terrible at staying warm in winter and cool in summer, so every inch of insulated wall space helped.

But maybe she over-bought on materials.

She sighed, not looking forward to having to move all the wood every time she needed to get to the space beneath it, but knowing that the sooner she started, the sooner the wood would start to disappear.

The familiar crunch of gravel brought a smile to her lips and a clench to her thighs. Ruby anxiously peered out the window. While she knew she would normally be angry he showed up without notice — how dare he just expect her to be around — she also couldn’t help the flutter in her belly at him showing up, in clothes fit for construction and a tool box in hand. He squinted his eyes and looked around, noticing her car and clearly trying to decide if he should try the bus or the front door.

But he must’ve caught her peeking, sending her a dimpled smile as he walked to the back door. She had closed it behind her, not wanting to let any more January air in than was necessary, so she tried not to trip over the stacks of wood to open it for him.

And as luck would have it, Colton opened the door right as her toe caught a corner, and before she knew it she was falling headfirst right in front of him.

Until she was wrapped in his arms, the wall of his hard chest keeping her stable. It took Ruby a moment to realize how fast he reacted, how if he hadn’t she could’ve been severely injured on any one of the tools or building items left lying about. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight against her. He was so big, so safe, so warm.

“Whoa, there.” He pulled back, looking her over. His hand brushed a stray curl from her cheek, thumb cupping her jaw as he lifted her face towards his.

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