“You’re coming back tonight, right?”
“Yeah, Mikey’s finishing up the van right now. Why?”
“No reason.” Her voice takes on the pitch it gets when she’s lying. “I have a doctor’s appointment in Salem on Friday, so I wanted to make sure you were going to be able to handle the café.”
“Yeah, should be fine. Everything okay?”
“Yep!” she says, almost too cheerfully. “Just a routine yearly checkup. Boring stuff.”
I could have sworn she went to Salem for her yearly check up in October, but I could be wrong. It’s not like we share notes about our doctor visits and tell each other everything about them.
“Let me know if you need someone to go with you, I guess. But I’ll handle the shop.”
“I’ll be fine. See you and Mikey when you two get here! I have a whole dinner planned. Stella is coming, too.”
“What about Slater?”
“He’s not invited.”
“Ruby, he’s my best friend. He’s the whole reason Mikey’s even moving to Cupid’s Cove. You can’t let whatever weird beef is between you two stop him from coming to dinner.”
“Fine.I’ll invite him.”
“What’s going on with you two, anyway? It feels like you’ve been snappier with him lately.”
Ruby’s silent for so long I check to make sure the call is still connected. I hear a frustrated sigh before she says, “Nothing’s going on. He’s just been getting on my nerves more than usual. I don’t know. I’ve been extra tired and stressed. I think I need a vacation.”
Guilt swirls in my gut. Has she been overstressed with work? Have I left her to run the shop alone too much? Have I not been pulling my weight because I’ve been trying to spend more time with Mikey?
“As soon as I’m back, you can take a week off, and I’ll cover everything so you can rest. Deal?”
“No, I'm fine. I’ll just?—”
“No arguing. I’m your big brother. I make the rules.”
Ruby scoffs. “Whatever you say. Text me when you leave Salem so I can get everything timed right.”
“Okay. See you soon.”
“Bye.”
After she hangs up, I resume packing Mikey’s books, trying to think of ways I can lessen the load on Ruby’s shoulders.
I’ve just tapedthe last box shut—not that there are many, Mikey doesn’t have much stuff—when Mikey opens the door. Her eyes are a little red, like she’s been crying.
Wordlessly, I open my arms, and she wraps herself around me in a hug. I feel her shoulders sag and the tension bleed from her body, and I have to stop myself from pumping my fist in the air because I love helping to ease her worry.
“Sorry I’m all greasy,” she mumbles against my chest.
“I don’t care. Clothes can be washed. Are you okay?”
“Merv’s like a… well, not a dad, but he’s been an important part of my life for the past three years. He took me aside today when the van was done, gave me a brand new Craftsman tool set, and told me I better come visit him. He said he’s proud of me and I found a good one. He expects an invite to the wedding.” She chokes out a laugh. Her teal eyes look up at me through her lashes, shimmering with tears. She blinks, and one slips down her cheek. I wipe it away, cradling her face in my palm.
“Are you regretting this?”
“No. It’s a big change, but I don’t regret it. Just don’t break my heart.” The last sentence comes out as a whisper.
“I promise.”
