Total pages in book: 12
Estimated words: 10886 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 54(@200wpm)___ 44(@250wpm)___ 36(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 10886 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 54(@200wpm)___ 44(@250wpm)___ 36(@300wpm)
“You look beautiful, Ruby.”
His comment brings me out of my thoughts, and I cross my arms over my chest. “Thank you, Austin. You look good too. What brings you to Florida?”
He hesitates for just a second. “A wedding.”
My breath hitches. “You’re going to Avery and Gabe’s wedding?”
He nods.
We stand here, looking at one another, and I do my best to guard my expression. It doesn’t make sense that Austin is here for the wedding. Did he come because Becky is due with her baby soon and couldn’t travel? Regardless, I’m not going to ask him about it.
I grab on to my luggage on wheels. “I’d better get to my room. I’ll see you on Sunday, Austin.”
I barely get two steps and Austin is beside me. “Come and take a walk with me on the beach.”
Again, I stumble, and this time, Austin reaches out and holds on to my elbow. I pull from his grip. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
I keep walking, my eye on the elevators. I punch the button and stand there, ignoring the man next to me.
When the doors open, I step on, and Austin does the same. I can feel his gaze on me, and I don’t even blink, staring at the gray metal doors in front of me.
“Ruby.”
I close my eyes and open them. “Yeah?”
“Look at me, honey.”
The endearment catches me off guard. I turn my head and look into his dark brown eyes. The hat is back on his head, and I try to ignore the way my heart is racing in my chest. “What?”
“Will you please take a walk with me?”
I blurt the word without even thinking about it. “Why?”
Chapter 3
Austin
“Why?” I repeat after her, stalling to answer her. There's no way that I can tell her the truth and let her walk away. I did that seven years ago because she was too young and had her whole life in front of her. But I've obsessed over her since. I can't just go back to Whiskey Run and forget about her. But the way she's looking at me, I know she's not ready to hear any of it. So I decide to go with the truth but not all of it. “Why? Because we were once friends, Ruby. I haven't seen you in seven years. Surely you can take a walk with me and catch up.”
She doesn’t answer me, and I try to reassure her. “Just take a walk with me. We can come back anytime you want.”
She's going to say no. I can see it written all over her face, and I prepare myself for it. But she surprises me when she says, "Okay. Let me put my bags away."
At that moment, the elevator dings, and the doors open. I take her suitcase and motion for her to go ahead. Following close behind, I trail her down the hallway to her room, pausing just behind her as she opens the door.
I hold my breath as she turns to me, expecting her to tell me she’s changed her mind. "Do you care if I freshen up a little bit and change clothes?"
I let out a sigh of relief. "Absolutely. That's fine. I'll wait right here." She takes her luggage and disappears behind the door. I stand in front of it, my arms crossed, waiting impatiently and breathe a sigh of relief when I hear her turning the doorknob.
She joins me in the hallway, and I notice that she’s changed into shorts and a sleeveless top. Her long hair is up in a ponytail on the top of her head, and I swear she almost looks 18 again.
We're both quiet as we go back to the elevator and then down to the first floor. I point and show her the direction to the back of the hotel and to the beach. We walk side by side, but I don't say anything until we have our shoes off and our feet in the sand. The sun is about to set, its light catching in her red hair, making it look like a halo crowns her head.
"How's your job going?" I ask her.
She shrugs and turns her head away from me, looking out into the ocean. "It's fine."
I nod. “You always were good at numbers.”
When she doesn't say anything, I continue, "Becky misses you. She said she hasn't seen you in a while."
She folds her hands together behind her back as we walk. "Yeah, I plan to come and see her when the baby is born. Are you excited about being an uncle?"
It's my turn to shrug. "Yeah, I'm excited. I never thought that my baby sister would have kids before I did."
Ruby's eyes turned to me. “I didn’t know you wanted kids.”
Instead of telling her that I've thought about having kids with red hair and green eyes that look just like her, I answer with, "I do."