Red and the Wolf (3 page)

She glanced at Otsana, expecting her to either chase Lowell and demand his return, or comment on the rude departure. Instead, she acted as if it were nothing unusual. She turned her gaze to Rafe. His jaw was clenched, mouth tight, but he also made no comment. Odd.

Later, Rafe offered to drive her home. Considering the wolf attacks, Ruby agreed. At least, that was her excuse. It had nothing to do with wanting to spend time alone with him.
Right
.

She climbed into his mom’s car with him. As they pulled away from the farm, she thought she heard howling. She glanced out the window nervously.

“Did you hear that?”

“Probably just the wind,” Rafe said. Ruby could hear the falseness of his words. The rest of the trip was made in uncomfortable silence.

When they arrived at her house, she turned to him. “Thanks, Rafe.”

He didn’t answer, just opened his door and got out. Ruby hurried and pushed out her own door.

“You don’t have to walk me to the door,” she said quickly.

“I want to,” he said. Ruby tried to think of an excuse—any excuse—why he didn’t need to, but his words had scrambled her thoughts. He
wanted
to.

As they neared her front door, the reason she’d been trying to keep him from walking her yelled out.

“Who’s there? Tha’ you, Rubes?”

Ruby wondered if the slur in his voice was as obvious to Rafe as it was to her.

“Yeah, dad, it’s me.” She turned back to Rafe. “Thanks again. It was fun to see your family again.”

“Speaking of that,” he said, not taking the hint. “Why haven’t you seen much of my family? Other than Lowell, that is. It sounds like he sees you plenty.”

“I don’t—”

“Rubes!” A loud crash followed the yell. Ruby closed her eyes against the sound. Before she could stop him, Rafe opened the door.

“Rafe, don’t—” She was left talking to nothing as he went in. She grunted and followed him.

With horror, she saw Rafe bent down to help her father to his feet—or rather, to lift him to his feet as he got no help from the drunken man.

“Hey, Mr. Hood,” Rafe said. “Let’s get you up to bed, huh?”

Her dad looked up blearily at Rafe. “Tha’ you, Rafe?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Rafe!” His joyous slur was painful to Ruby. “You came back. I tol’ ‘er you would.”

“Yes, sir. You were right.”

Her father’s legs crumpled beneath him as he passed out. Rafe easily swung him up into his arms, cradling him like a baby. Ruby’s hands held her cheeks with mortification at the scene before her. Rafe carried the loudly snoring man up the narrow staircase, Ruby on his heels. He laid her father on his bed and began removing his shoes.

“Rafe, please, you don’t have to do that. I can do it. He’s okay, you can go now. We’ll be fine.” Her protests fell on deaf ears as Rafe continued to undress her father until he was in nothing but his boxers. He pulled the covers up to his chin then turned to Ruby, placing a finger on his lips as if telling Ruby to be quiet so as not to disturb him. Ruby prayed for a hole to open in the earth and swallow her.

Rafe followed her back down the stairs. Shame tied Ruby’s tongue.

“He’s gotten worse,” he said quietly. Ruby only nodded. “Is he always this bad?” She wanted to deny it, tell him that no, this was out of the norm. She couldn’t form the lie. She nodded again. “Oh, Red,” he said sympathetically, pulling her into a hug.

As many times as she’d fantasized about being in his arms again, it had never been following him tucking her drunken father into bed, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her life was a disgrace.
She
was a disgrace . . . a pathetic disgrace who ached for the guy who’d left her heart in shambles.

Rafe simply held her, gently rocking her, his cheek resting on the top of her head. When she felt like she could control her emotions, she gathered the courage needed to push away from him. He let her go easily.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, arms crossed, refusing to look at him. “You shouldn’t have done that. You shouldn’t have
had
to do that.”

“Red, he’s your dad. I don’t mind. I’ve known him my whole life.”

“I know, but . . . he’s not the man you knew. He’s . . . different, now.”

“You take care of him.” It wasn’t a question.

“Someone has to,” she murmured.

“You stayed in Piera because of him.”

“No, Rafe, I stayed because it’s my home.”

It was the truth. Sort of. Piera was her home, and she loved it. She loved working with Marina, creating new recipes. She was content. Other than the gaping hole left when Rafe left, she was content. As much as she loved Piera, she would have followed him anywhere, across any continent.

If her father didn’t need her.

If he’d asked.

Rafe took a step closer to her. Ruby reacted by stepping quickly back and to the door. She opened it and said, “Thank you, Rafe, for everything.”

He sighed, but didn’t push any further. He moved onto the porch, turning back to her.

“Can I take you to lunch tomorrow? We haven’t really had any time to talk.”

Ruby’s stomach lurched at the thought of “talking” with Rafe. What did they have to talk about? She had hundreds of questions for him, none of which she would really ask.

“I have to work.”

“Dinner then,” he said. “I’ll meet you at the shop at five.”

For the first time ever, Ruby regretted Marina’s absolute predictability in her store hours. Rafe didn’t wait for an answer as he walked to his car. Just before getting in, he turned back.

“You have no idea how good it is to see you again, Red.”

As he drove away, Ruby heard the distant howling again and quickly closed the door. She didn’t know which would be worse—throwing herself to the wolves, or spending time with Rafe to “talk.”

* * * * *

The day flew by to Ruby’s dread. She had burnt one batch of cupcakes for which she’d hoped Marina would send her home. No such luck. Instead, Marina set her putting the base frosting on piles of cupcakes while Marina decorated them. She’d rather have scrubbed toilets all day. There was nothing creative in either, but at least with the toilets she could be alone with her thoughts rather than listening to Marina go on about how nice it was to have Rafe back.

Fifteen minutes before the shop closed—and fifteen minutes before Ruby would have to face Rafe again—Lowell walked in.
Great
, Ruby thought,
just what I need to complete my day.

“Hi, Marina,” he said charmingly to the shop owner. Ruby kept her back turned, hoping he came for something other than her. “Hey, Red.” She closed her eyes against his voice. “Ruby?” he called, louder.

“Hey, Lowell,” she said, waving over her shoulder without turning around.

“Can I help you with something?” Marina asked him.

There were a few beats of silence, then he said, “Uh, no. I actually came to see Ruby.”

Marina walked back to the table where they frosted the cupcakes. “It’s for you,” she said, waggling her eyebrows at Ruby. Teeth clenched, Ruby turned around.

“What can I do for you?” she asked shortly. “I’m kind of busy.”

“I’ve got it,” Marina said, and Ruby shot her a dirty look. She moved toward the counter to stand opposite Lowell.

“I was wondering what you’re doing when you get off,” Lowell said.

“Oh. Um. Well, I—”

The bell over the door chimed as Rafe entered. At the sight of him, Ruby’s heart thudded.
What’s wrong with me?
If Lowell’s scowl was any indication, his reaction to the appearance of Rafe was the opposite of hers.

“Hi, Red, Marina,” he said cheerfully. “Lowell, what’re you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same,” Lowell grumbled.

“Came to get Ruby,” Rafe said with a grin. “We have a date.”

“Oh, really?” His words sounded close to a growl.

“Really,” Rafe said.

“It’s not a date,” Ruby chimed in. “Rafe wanted to go to dinner.”

Rafe’s smile fell at her words, his eyes cutting between her and Lowell.

“Sounds like fun,” Lowell said, indicating it sounded anything but. “Mind if I tag along?”

Ruby didn’t want to spend time with Lowell, but his presence would buffer her from the awkwardness of being alone with Rafe. She opened her mouth to agree to the plan, but Rafe spoke first.

“Sorry, bro. I want some alone time with my old friend. Maybe next time.” His tone was final. For Lowell to persist would make him seem like a jerk, so he nodded.

“Maybe,” Lowell said, turning back to Ruby. “I’ll talk to you later.” He turned and strode from the shop, barely glancing at his brother.

“Ready?” Rafe asked, unperturbed.

“I just need to get my stuff,” she murmured, hurrying into the back room, Marina hot on her heels.

“What’s your secret?” Marina hissed.

“Secret?”

“C’mon. You have the two hottest guys in town fighting over you.” She smiled as if Ruby should be enjoying the attention.

“They’re not
fighting
over me. I’m not interested in being with either one.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” Marina said flippantly.

“Marina, I’m serious. Lowell is a jerk, and Rafe is . . . Rafe.” She jerked her purse from its hook.

“Who you were in love with,” Marina said quietly.

“
Were
being the operative word here, Marina.” Her shoulders sagged. “What am I going to do?”

Marina hugged her. “I wish I could tell you.”

Rafe paced in front of the door while waiting. As soon as she appeared, he stopped and smiled. He pulled the door open for her and she hesitated a step before exiting. Opening her door was something Rafe had been adamant about their whole lives from the time he was old enough to reach a door handle.

“What did you drive?” she asked.

“I thought we’d walk,” he said.

“Okay. Where’re we going?”

“You’ll see,” he said. Side by side, they moved down the street.

“How was work?” he asked when the silence stretched.

“I burned a batch,” she said.

“Hmm.” Another long silence, then, “How’s your dad today?”

Ruby cringed. “I’m so sorry about that, Rafe.”

“Don’t be,” he said. “It’s not your fault he drinks like that, Red.”

Her heart twisted at the nickname.

“This way,” he said, taking her elbow and leading her down an alley. She glanced up at him. There were no eateries this way. They came to a steel, gray door and Rafe knocked. Ruby’s gaze narrowed and he smiled, dipping his head slightly toward her. “Trust me,” he said.

The door was pushed outward into the alley by Tanemahutu Fa'amasino, a big Samoan man whose gentle nature contradicted his fierce appearance. A tattoo covered the right side of his face and both massive biceps. His black hair was pulled back into a tight bun. His colossal size made even Rafe appear diminutive. A welcoming smile lit his face.

“Malo, my friend,” Hutu said in his deep baritone, placing a beefy hand on Rafe’s shoulder. Rafe grimaced a little at his squeeze. “Welcome home.”

Rafe placed a hand over Hutu’s. “Thanks, my friend. It’s good to see you again.”

“You’ve been gone too long,” Hutu laughed, pulling Rafe into a brief but smothering bear hug. He rubbed his knuckles on Rafe’s head, and Ruby laughed, drawing Hutu’s attention. “You’re as beautiful as ever, Mumu.”

Hutu had called her Mumu for years before Ruby discovered it was the Samoan word for “red”. Previously, she’d thought he was calling her chubby, as in muumuu’s worn by his own rather large mother.