Page 27 of Bluebell Tides

“I’d love to come check out your breakfast,” Quentin said. “I’m sort of hungry.”

“It’s only for guests.”

“It says right there that you can buy the breakfast without being a guest,” Quentin said.

Ruth took another step back, praying that the staircase wouldn’t creak and give her away. She knew that Quentin was hunting her, that somehow he’d discovered her recent article about the Eco-Lodge and decided to come here. What did he want to do? Threaten her? She was already scared out of her wits.

“Right. Well. I guess I can’t stop you,” Sophie said. “I can tell you that the breakfast is really bad today and you’d be an idiot to buy it, but that’s on you.”

Quentin had had enough of Sophie and her mischief. “Can I talk to someone? A manager or…”

“I’m the manager today,” Sophie said snidely. “It’s this or nothing, Mr. Caldwell.”

“It’s Weck. Caldweck,” Quentin corrected her.

Ruth smiled, remembering how much Quentin had hated when people had mispronounced his name. It was as though Sophie intuitively knew that.

Sensing that Quentin wasn’t going to leave without eating his weight in bacon and pancakes, Ruth crept the rest of the way to her bedroom, closed the door behind her, and locked it. Her heart fluttered in her neck. For more than an hour, she sat on her bed, watching the clock and praying for Quentin to leave. From where she was, she knew she’d see him walking down the sidewalk when he finally left. But nothing could have prepared her for seeing him, striding along, his hands in his pockets, his hair still black and glowing in the sunlight. He was still staggeringly handsome, which felt unfair. Anger made her stomach roil.

Within a minute, she called the front desk and got Sophie on the line.

“Oh, hi Ruth,” Sophie said.

Ruth’s breathing was ragged. “Hi.”

She sat quietly for a moment, willing herself to ask Sophie what she needed to ask.

“Can I help you with something?” Sophie asked finally.

Ruth squeezed her eyes shut. “How did you know? To send him away, I mean.”

“It’s like you said. Bad men in Bluebell,” Sophie said.

“Right. Yes.” Ruth furrowed her brow.

“The thing I don’t understand,” Sophie explained, “is why you won’t tell me what’s going on.”

“We all have our secrets, don’t we?” Ruth asked.

Sophie laughed gently. “Nobody wants that Caldweck guy lingering around the Eco-Lodge,” she said. “But I need to know if he’s dangerous. I need to know if we should hide you.”

Ruth squeezed her eyes shut and reminded herself she was too old to burst into tears. She had to keep it together—if not for Sloane’s sake, then for herself.

“It’s difficult to explain,” she whispered.

“I know all about difficult things,” Sophie said. “Try me.”

15

September 2003: Yale University Hospital

When Ruth went into labor, she was at the library. This wasn’t a surprise to her best friends Dina, Kelly, and Reese, who’d spent all year teasing Ruth about how obsessively studious she was. It was, however, a surprise to the freshman guy who’d been studying next to Ruth, who screamed in terror when Ruth’s water broke. “Well,” Ruth said to him, shrugging as she waddled out of the library. “That’s science for you.”

She saw him glance at his biology textbook, his face marred with fear.

Because she knew a thing or two about what was happening to her, Ruth decided to head home first to pack up for the hospital. She knew she had a bit of time. Dina was there, and she flew into a tizzy when she realized what was going on. As it happened, she’d already packed a bag for herself for the day of Ruth’s labor, which made Dina better prepared than Ruth. Before long, they were in Dina’s car, headed for the hospital.

“It’s happening! I can’t believe it’s happening!” Dina sang, drumming her fingers against the steering wheel. Her cheeks were tinted green.