Red and the Wolf by Cindy C Bennett Read Free Book Online Page B

“I’m not going anywhere, Rafe! And stop calling me Red!”
     
    His eyes flicked to her hair once again. “Shall I call you ‘Black’?” he growled. “That’s the color of your soul, you stubborn, lying, pig headed—”
     
    Ruby turned and walked quickly away from him, stopping his speech and causing him to jog to catch up to her.
     
    “Changing the color didn’t change your red-headed temper, did it?”
     
    “Look, Rafe, I’d’ve said anything to get him into rehab. You more than anyone should understand that.”
     
    “I do, Re—Ruby. I completely understand that. But I also understand that you need to get away from here until it’s safe. What do you think your dad is going to do when he realizes you didn’t keep your end of the bargain?”
     
    Ruby had considered that. “He’ll be sober. It won’t matter.” At least, she prayed it wouldn’t matter.
     
    “You are so stubborn! How am I supposed to protect you when you refuse to listen to reason?”
     
    “It’s not your job to protect me.” She couldn’t keep the bitterness from her voice. “Leaving for three years isn’t exactly protecting me, is it?”
     
    “I told you, I had reasons—”
     
    “And do those reasons explain why you didn’t write or call, Rafe?” She stopped again. “You were supposed to be my friend, my best friend. Whatever else happened between us, that’s something I thought I could always count on.” Ruby bit her lip. She hadn’t meant to sound so pathetic.
     
    “I’m so sorry,” he said, and he actually sounded as though he meant it. “I never meant to hurt you, Re—Ruby. Part of the reason I left was to avoid hurting you.”
     
    That made no sense, but she had a feeling asking him what it meant would give her as much clarification as he’d given her so far. Instead, she looked at him.
     
    “Well done you, then.”
     
    He opened his mouth to say something else, then snapped it shut, his eyes reflecting the sorrow he felt. She began walking again, and saw Lowell standing at the next corner. As they came even with him, he said, “Everything okay, Ruby?”
     
    “Fine, Lowell. Can you call your brother off, though?”
     
    Without waiting for a response, she turned the corner and jogged the rest of the way to her house.
     
* * * * *
     
    The phone ringing in the middle of the night woke Ruby from a restless sleep. She didn’t own a cell phone. Not only was the reception in Piera poor enough to make it a waste of money to have one, she couldn’t afford one. They only had a house phone without even anything as fancy as voicemail.
     
    She rolled over sleepily and grabbed the receiver from the cradle. “Hello?” she mumbled.
     
    “Ruby?”
     
    “Grandma?” She forced herself awake. She sat up, turning on her bedside lamp. “What’s the matter?”
     
    “I miss you, Ruby. Why haven’t you been here to see me? I want you to come see me.”
     
    “Okay. I can do that. Why, Grandma? What’s going on?” She rubbed her eyes blearily.
     
    “I can’t . . . I can’t tell you over the phone, Ruby. I just want you to come see me. I miss you.”
     
    “Grandma, it’s the middle of the night. I’ll leave when the sun comes up, and I’ll be there by tomorrow afternoon, okay? I’ll bring you some cupcakes and muffins.”
     
    “Okay, Ruby. I’ll see you then.”
     
    Ruby yawned and hung up, staring at the phone. That was the strangest phone call she’d ever gotten, from her grandma or anyone else. She worried that maybe her grandma was getting Alzheimer’s or something. Why else would she call in the middle of the night? Then she wondered if her grandma had heard about her father going to rehab. Of course she would’ve heard. They probably contacted her for payment. No wonder she was upset.
     
    Ruby tried to go back to sleep, but wasn’t able to. She got up and prepared for her trek. She figured she’d be safe enough during the daylight. All the wolf’s attacks were at night.