Page 69 of Break Me Like a Promise (Oak Valley)

She tightened her scarf, turning right onto Main Street, actually excited for the Festival. The center main strip was covered in decorations, from the sidewalk trees and bushes to the window paintings on the shops done by artists in the middle and high schools. Ruby waved to Marco Romano, The Crispy Crust pizzeria owner who had emailed her for help, and passed Cheers and Beers next door. Ruby was blissed out at how everything was working out, she almost fell to the ground when she bumped into someone.

They caught each other, rucking out sorry’s and excuse me’s before realizing who the other was.

“Ruby! Oh my god, I’m so sorry.”

“Katie! No, no,I’msorry. I totally wasn’t looking where I was going.”

She laughed, and Ruby’s heart sank at how reminiscent of Colton’s it was. “H—how are you? How’s… the family?

Slick, Ruby. Real slick.

Katie gave her a knowing look. “You know, you can just ask. And he’s good, he actually came back yesterday. Things are good, I actually left the shop and am contemplating opening my own.” She shrugged, passing off everything she said.

Ruby was still reeling from what she started with. “He’s back? Like, for good?”

“Oh yeah, way for good. He may actually have to go back to physical therapy. And, you know, he actually admitted to missing it here,” Katie said with a shake of her head and a laugh. “But how are you doing? Are you settling in okay to moving back here?”

“Physical therapy?” Ruby could barely keep track of what Katie was saying. “Wait, he actually said he missed it here?” She needed to clean out her ears or Katie was lying out her ass or something. There’s no way in hell Colton got out just to come back, not of his own decision.

Katie just paused her lips and nodded. “Yeah, the long hours at the pastry shop fucked up his knee a bit. But he actually managed to steal the apartment across from Dragan, I think he’s signing the lease right now at Robertson’s. I was going to meet him for pizza, he’s been shitting on San Fran’s garlic knots for the last week.”

“Ruby.”

Her breath caught, and she hesitated to turn around. And when she did, she was both glad and hated herself. She hated how good he looked beneath the bright blue sky. She hated how his tailored coat still showed off his bulging biceps and tapered waist. She hated how he looked at her like he missed her.

No. He couldn’t lie, and then leave, and get her driveway re-graveled — because she knew it was fucking him, probably because it drove him crazy he had to baby his car when he came over — and he sure as fuck couldn’t come back and say her name like he owned her.

It didn’t work like that.

She didn’t work like.

Ruby stood her ground, standing taller and keeping her face straight. “Colton.”

He fucking smirked, and those dimples nearly undid her.

Ruby turned to Katie before he could see the blush in her cheeks. “It was so nice to see you, Katie. I’ll catch you around.”

She pushed straight through them, stopping herself from breathing deeply as she brushed against Colton. But that didn’t stop her from catching a whiff of his earthy scent, and instead of the hint of grease she could usually catch, there was just him. His sweat, his musk. The scent that

covered him after he helped her with the bus. The scent that covered her after they made love.

Ruby refused to look back as she walked away.

If she did, she knew she’d find a way to forgive him.

58

He watched her walk away, begging her to turn around. To give him a sign it wasn’t too late. She didn’t, but he refused to accept that.

“Yo, Romeo. Earth to Romeo.”

He turned toward his sister, rolling his eyes and walking back towards Robertson Realty.

“You know she’s still in love with you, right?”

Colton shrugged, setting his jaw and hoping Katie got the picture.

He didn’t need her as much as she didn’t need him.

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