“You good?”
“I am.”
Her soft voice didn’t match her stormy eyes. Something wasn’t right, and those boxes probably had something to do with it.
“I don’t believe you. Do you have a secret too?” I spoke the words softly as the water heater hummed.
Ruby gave me a nervous smile. We stared at each other for what seemed like several minutes until Ruby spoke.
“I was married.”
I knew that, but I guessed there was more to her story.
“What happened to your husband?”
“He’s in Atlanta.”
Ruby’s answers were short but encouraged me since she answered my questions.
“Is he why you keep to yourself?”
She nodded.
When Ruby bit her lip, I considered stopping but wanted, no, make that needed to know what her secret was so I could support her the right way.
“Did he hurt you?”
When Ruby’s face blanched, I knew I’d pushed too much. Whatever trauma she carried might take her to a dark place she couldn’t escape. With the storm coming, I didn’t want her to be trapped without the resources she needed to process whatever I pulled from her. I was about to change the subject when she spoke.
“Christmas is hard for me.”
I scooted across the love seat and put my arms around Ruby’s shoulders. When she shivered beneath me, the scent of her jasmine-scented hair met my nose. Like a flower, she was fragile and sweet.
“How can I support you? What do you need?”
Ruby leaned into me and rested her hand on my bare chest. Her warm hand and body aroused me despite my wanting to remain supportive and stoic. I instinctively lowered my lips to her hair, cradling her in my arms like a baby.
“I don’t know you.”
The words left her lips and fell into the silence, sounding thin and weak.
“I don’t need to know your story to feel your pain. Let me carry some of it for you as your friend. It’s what you need right now.”
“I’m not used to this.”
“Relax and let go. Feel what you feel.”
Ruby’s body sank deeper into mine. I rubbed her shoulder and stroked her arm down to her hand. She closed her fingers in mine and wrapped her arm around my back.
“Thank you, Amari.”
I kissed her head again.
“Anytime.”
Chapter
Six
