“That’ll be $11.34.”
He put his card in the reader and waited for the chip to scan or whatever it did. Then he signed the slip and was out the door. Daydreaming about the look on Rubi’s face when she got the package, he headed out to the warehouse.
As much as he hated to admit it, right now,nothaving a girlfriend in the state was probably a good thing. Rubi already took up too much space in his head and he was barely keeping up on orders as it was. His first priority when he hit the office would be to post a help wanted ad online in theAtlanta News.His second priority would be to get every single thing done and get ahead so that when she got back in town, he could soak her up like an afternoon of summer sunshine.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“Rubi! Package,” called Tanya.
This far into a remote filming expedition, the cast and crew gelled together. Last night, while waiting for dinner, they’d played an impromptu game of whiffle ball. Even the guys over the animals had joined in, trying their best to tag Beau out before he made it home. He was such a braggart that they relished beaning him in the back with the ball, which was apparently legal in pickup whiffle ball games.
“I’m coming.” Rubi jogged over from her chair in the shade where she’d taken refuge from the heat while Beau and Chad Wilkenson walked through a fight scene. They’d rehearsed it several times and were down to refinements for camera angles. The work was tedious at best. However, she didn’t want to go back to her trailer and sit alone, even if it meant air conditioning. If she was alone, she’d miss Atlanta, she’d miss her house, she’d miss her sister, and she’d especially miss Cash, who was at work.
“Thanks.” She took the box back to her seat. The label said Knight Studios and she wondered what she’d forgotten. “Nice of them to ship it all the way out here.” She smiled as she pulled off the clear tape.
Inside was a bubble set, like the ones the Lowell kids were playing with at the lawn party. On top was a note. “Have a little fun today. –Cash.”
Rubi’s heart melted right there. She giggled and then attacked the plastic wrap, assembling the wand in no time. Searching the area, she found a spot out of the way, yet close enough she could hear her call.
She poured the bubbles into the little pan that came with the kit and dipped the wand. Closing her eyes, she pictured the emerald-green grass, and listened for the sound of children’s laughter to float all the way from Atlanta on the breeze. Standing, she twirled, holding the wand out to the side and creating fifty bubbles at once. She did it again, and again, stopping to watch the rainbows that danced on the clear surfaces as the orbs floated up and popped against the red cliff.
She found a playlist and put in her earbuds and danced in the sunset with bubbles all around. When the song was over, she turned to find Cindy holding up her phone, taking pictures.
“They’re just for you, don’t worry.” Cindy lowered her phone. “I thought you might want to remember that moment.”
“I want to share it; can you send them to me?” She was in costume, wearing khaki shorts and a dingy white button-up, her hair down but stringy. Cash wouldn’t care how she looked. Heck, she’d gone out on the lake with him with bed head and he didn’t seem to mind. Her tummy flipped thinking about the lake.
“Sure.” While Cindy worked, Rubi put away the bubble set. “I take it these are from your Mystery Man.”
Rubi nodded. Neither Cindy nor Beau had pressed her for a name or information. At first, she wanted to keep it all to herself, but doing that was like living inside a pressure cooker. “His name’s Cash.” With the way she felt about Cash, and how those feelings deepened each day, Cash and Cindy would meeteventually. He didn’t seem to be running away and all she wanted to do was run home to him. “He sent me some fun.”
“Sounds like something Beau would do. He’s a good balance to my tendency to work too much.”
Thinking of how Cash had run all day long while she stood there and signed T-shirts, Rubi said, “I think his philosophy is ‘work hard, play hard.’”
“There.” Cindy tucked her phone in her pocket and Rubi pulled hers out.
“Thanks again,” she said as she opened the ongoing text message between her and Cash. She scrolled through the half dozen images Cindy sent to find the one she liked the most and typed out a thank-you. She hit send and her shoulders sagged. As glad as she was to share the moment through text, she wanted so much more to share it in person. For the first time in her life, she understood what true loneliness was. It was knowing who you wanted to be with, and not being able to be with them. That was ache-in-your-bones hard.
“Rubi Walsh on set,” called the director’s assistant.
“I’m coming.” Unsure how much longer she could stay away from Cash, and knowing that she’d committed to this movie, Rubi stowed her new toys with a heavy heart. Shakespeare was wrong. It wasn’t better to have loved and lost than never love at all. She’d been content before Cash, and now she was sad. Technically, she had him, but literally they were farther apart than star-crossed lovers.
Something had to change. She just wasn’t sure what.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Cash rolled his head around, trying to loosen the tightness in his neck. Since the Outdoor Expo, he had orders coming out of his ears and no one wanted to wait for production. Pictures of Rubi in a Sweet Birch Outfitters hat, signing everything from T-shirts to backpacks, flooded social network sites. Her one-time appearance, unscheduled and un-announced, was still trending locally two weeks after the fact. Atlantians loved their hometown girl.
He was so busy, he hardly had time to sleep because all of his dreams were coming true.
He should have been ecstatic. He should have been bouncing off the walls. Instead, he was lost—adrift on the lake without a paddle, motor, or desire to get to shore.
He missed Rubi.
His dad came into the office carrying a picnic basket in one hand and a newspaper in the other. He dropped both on the desk. “Brett is fit to be tied over the review article.” He nodded towards the paper. Taking out two plates covered in foil, Dad unleashed the scent of Mama’s fried chicken, making Cash’s stomach growl. He couldn’t remember what or when he’d eaten last.
“Thanks for the food.” He tore off a piece of chicken with his teeth and started reading the review. Basically, the writer talked about a few booths and some notable attractions—Rubi being the most attractive. He dropped the paper on his desk and leaned back.
