“She probably thinks she can fix him.”
“Well, she won’t.”
“Once a criminal…”
My hand froze on the door handle. Heat slid up my throat, and my pulse hammered. I turned and walked away before they could step out and see me. I wasn’t ready to deal with the looks, the half-smiles, or the quiet judgment disguised as concern.
The day stretched. My students were wound up with holiday excitement. Normally I’d soak it in. Today I was fraying at the edges. During recess, I sat at my desk and opened my drawer, where I’d tucked Kingston’s letter after reading it a dozen times the night before.
I didn’t take it out. Just rested my fingers on the envelope. He’d carried everything alone for years. I hadn’t known, and the town for sure didn’t know. They didn’t know what he took on himself and they didn’t know why. They didn’t know the man underneath the tough outer shell, but I did.
A lump formed in my throat. I pressed the heels of my hands to my eyes until the sting faded. No more running. Not from this. Not from him.
School let out in a flurry of snow boots and red and green glitter. I gathered my things, shrugged into my coat, and drove toward Main Street. The snow had tapered off, leaving the world crisp and glittering under the sun. A few families bustled along the sidewalks. Holiday decorations sparkled in every window.
I parked in front of the Merc where Ruby ruled over the town’s gossip mill. The bell over the door jingled as I stepped inside. She spotted me immediately and swooped in, her scarf trailing behind her like a cape.
“Sit,” she ordered.
“I just walked in?—”
“Sit.”
She shoved a mug of hot cider into my hands and steered me toward the back counter. I did what I was told because no one stood up to Ruby and lived to talk about it. Once I’d settled onto a stool, she leaned against the counter. “Alright. Tell me what’s going on.”
I let out a shaky breath. “It’s been… a day.”
“I heard.” She arched a brow. “And by ‘heard,’ I mean three people came in this morning pretending they weren’t talking about the petition.”
I frowned. “So everyone knows?”
“Honey. This is Mustang Mountain. Everyone knows everything about everyone around here.”
I huffed out a small laugh, that faded into a sigh.
Ruby’s voice softened. “You love him.”
It wasn’t a question. My eyes burned. “Yes.”
“And he loves you.” Again, not a question.
My throat tightened. “I’ve worked so hard to get where I am, to put my feelings for him aside and find my own place without him.”
“You sure have, sugar.” Ruby reached across the counter and squeezed my hand. “But is it worth anything without love?”
“I don’t know if I’m strong enough to keep loving someone who won’t let himself be loved.”
Ruby studied me for a long moment, sympathy and steel mixing in her expression. Then the bell above the door jingled. We both looked up.
Slade Kincaid stepped inside, snow dusting his dark jacket, his cowboy hat pulled low over his eyes. He was tall, quiet, and gave off the kind of steady calm that made the whole store pause and take notice.
“Afternoon,” he said, voice gravel-deep.
“Slade.” Ruby nodded. “Your delivery’s in the back.”
He tipped his chin at her, then glanced at me. “Hey, Scarlett.”
“Hi, Slade.” I tried to smile but I couldn’t quite force my lips into a curve.
