“Yeah.” His voice was quiet, almost like he was afraid he’d scare her away. “You saw my family. I want to be a dad one day.”
“One day?”
He chuckled. “Well, not tomorrow. But someday.”
She nodded, even though he couldn’t see it. “Someday is good.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Settling back, she took a deep breath. “Your turn. Ask me something.”
“How do you know someone loves you?”
It was her turn to pause. “I—I don’t know what you mean.”
He laughed. “What makes you feel loved?”
Her heart pounded so hard she thought it might just explode. This whole talking about everything was scary. Why hadn’t Beau and Cindy told her it was scary?Jerks!
“Um, I think I feel it in a touch. Like when Carolyn grabbed on to me at the hospital, after she’d lost the baby. I just knew that she loved me enough to share her grief. Does that make sense?”
“Does that mean you don’t like flowers?”
“Who doesn’t like flowers?” Rubi teased. “But if I have a fight with someone and they buy me a present, I feel like they are trying to buy me off, not like they’re really sorry.”
“Got ya. Your turn.”
“What makes you feel loved?”
“That’s easy. If someone goes fishin’ with me, I totally feel loved.”
Rubi giggled. “You read quite a lot into a girl wanting to soak up some sun.”
“If that’s all she’d been doin’, I might believe you.”
“You are not allowed to make me blush without bein’ here to see it.”
“I wish I was there.”
“Me too,” she whispered. Even though she was saying the biggest thing in her heart, she wasn’t as nervous as she had been when she called. They talked for a while longer, about much less important things, before hanging up. Rubi tossed her phone on the counter and threw herself back on the small couch with a sigh. She’d shared more with Cash in that one conversation than she had with anyone else in all her past relationships, and she was all warm and gooey inside. With a bounce in her step that shook the whole trailer, she made her way to the shower.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Five days had passed since Rubi flew to Utah. Cash taped up the flat-rate box and grinned. He and Rubi had fallen asleep last night with their phones on.
Siri had informed him that the call had ended and he’d jerked awake, his earlier concerns flooding back as if his boat was sinking. Rubi wasn’t happy. There was this note in her voice that he could hear even though she tried to hide it with funny stories and oh so many questions. He could just tell that something was wrong. It sounded like she was homesick. When he asked her about it, she brushed off his concerns and hurried to end the call.
With the bright light of morning flooding his room, he’d had an idea and hoped it would help her feel better. He drove to the store, picking out something that was inexpensive yet had some meaning between them. A moment of doubt hit him as he handed over the five dollars. Rubi could easily buy herself whatever she wanted; this small trinket may make him look the fool.
He considered what was in the bag as he made his way to the post office. If she didn’t like his little gift, then she didn’t like it. But if Rubi was the type of person he thought she was, then an inexpensive but well-thought-out suprise was the way to go.
He looked up the address for Knight Studios and printed it carefully on the packing slip. Then he waited in line.
There were several post office workers behind the counter, pressed and dressed in their light blue shirts and shiny nametags. One spot opened and he hurried to the counter.
“Anything perishable?” asked the large man.
Just my heart. Cash had never been in this position before, where he was aching to make someone else happy. He both loved and enjoyed the sensation. “No.”
