Ruby
Caleb dropped me home, promising to bring my car to me by the morning. My head was giddy from the champagne, so I couldn’t have driven home myself. I blew him a kiss and waved goodbye at the front door.
Apart from the slither of light that spilled through the kitchen doorway, the rest of the house was in darkness. It seemed peaceful. My slippers served as a welcome replacement for my high-heeled shoes. I kicked them off, sighing with relief by the shoe rack.
My lips curved into a slight smile, replaying the evening’s events in my mind as I shucked off my leather jacket, hanging it up on the coat stand. I hummed a tune, plodding through to the kitchen. My initial thought was to make a hot drink, maybe invade the fridge and seize the can of ready-whip. But the first thing I noticed was the dirty dinner dishes in the sink.
Ruby “Dad—” My voice came out broken. “I know what happened next, you don’t have to tell me. I hate seeing you hurt.” I wiped my eyes with the scrunched up kitchen roll and then used it to wipe my nose. Dad shook his head. “Well, Ruby, I have to.” Sadness pinched his expression, and I understood what he was trying to convey. He needed to talk about it, so he could fully move on. “It happened. And it’s all happening again. It’s the same threat. They want the same thing as last time. Only, they’re targeting all of us. My family, Vanessa’s family, even Caleb’s family, and more of our friends.” “Dad, who’re they?” I frowned, panic froze me, hearing him bring up Caleb’s name. Dad’s expression darkened. He dodged my question as he continued. “They took our baby from Vanessa’s womb and left them
CalebThe following day ...We were about to hold a legal meeting. My father, Aaron and I, were all gathered around my father’s desk, waiting for Charles, our lawyer, to finish flicking through the heavy file. Neither one of us spoke during the painful silence as we watched and waited, and waited.“This is ridiculous,” Aaron huffed and folded his arms.My thoughts mirrored Aaron’s. I had been dreading this encounter for days. Everything was riding on this meeting and I crossed my fingers as I prayed for good news.“So, where do we stand?” I asked, in my assertive, all business, tone. My eyes were fixed firmly on Charles, who was fidgeting uncomfortably under my heated glare.
CalebI spent the morning trying to explain a conference call to my old-fashioned father. It gave me the world’s biggest headache. I lost count of how many coffees it took for me just to get through the day. I just hope my mother doesn’t make Ruby feel uncomfortable during dinner. She promised me she wouldn’t. Too much was riding on this working out well.Giving up for the day, I threw the used roller into the trash bag and turned to face my paint-splattered friend. “Aaron, let’s finish up. I’ve got to go home and shower if I want to be on time to pick Ruby up at six-thirty.”We had been fixing up the office all afternoon. Aaron and I had just as much apple green paint on us as we’d applied to the walls. We could’ve hired someone else to do it, but Aaron wanted to take his mi
CalebRight on cue, at six-thirty, I pulled up outside Ruby’s house. I was just about to get out of the car and go knock on her door like a gentleman, when out she came. She looked stunning, she’d pinned her hair elegantly, and she was wearing a cream-colored lace dress that stopped before the knee. The golden heeled sandals clacked as she walked with elegant steps along the stone pavement.As soon as she opened the car door, her scent struck me hard. The intoxicating, soft, floral notes with vanilla undertones made saliva pool in my mouth. My canines threatened to extend as they ached in my gums. The mate bond was growing more and more impatient. I knew I had only a little time left before I lost control and my wolf would decide to claim her as ours.My arousal stirred deep within me and a low rumbling growl reverberated thr
Ruby“Thank you, Mrs. Grant,” I replied, shying away.“Call me, Claire.” She placed her hand between my shoulder blades, sweeping me through the door and whisking me away from a disgruntled Caleb, who looked as if she had just taken away his favorite toy.“Shall we?” Claire led the way through the maze of stylish corridors, in all their elaborate grandeur. I could hear Caleb muttering under his breath as he trundled a few steps behind us.“James is just dying to meet you. You’ve no idea how much we’ve had to pester Caleb to bring you here. He thinks I’ll embarrass him.” She rolled her eyes and twisted her lips into a wry smile.“My son tells me you’re a vegetari
RubyWe chatted a little while eating. Caleb’s parents were interested to hear about my hopes and aspirations for the future. James spoke about the success of my gymnastics team and said how great it had been for Lakewood to show off their athletic abilities.He passed a cheeky remark about me being flexible, which caused Caleb to choke on his food. He drained his glass of water in three large gulps.Claire got a little over-excited when we told them about my parents moving to Montana and me staying here to study. She suggested that I just stay with Caleb in his apartment like a regular couple and that my dad would never find out.Caleb cleared his throat, sending an eye signal to her as if to say ‘shut up’. But I think I took him by surprise when I said I had the same idea
Caleb I had every intention of including my bedroom on the tour. I wanted to show her my favorite thinking place, which was the widow’s walk on the rooftop. The only access point was on my balcony, outside my room. I was just thrown off guard by how she delivered her question, that was all. I wasn’t expecting her to sound so suggestive. My heart almost died in my chest. It would be a downright lie if I said the thought hadn’t even entered my mind about taking things further. The idea flashed inside my head, just now, much to the approval of my male genitalia. This only contributed to my awkward embarrassment. Ruby giggled. The tips of her sandals made a sound on the carpet runner as I led her by the hand up the sweeping staircase. It felt like we were doing something risky, sneaking around. The dark polished wood of the banis
Ruby “No, I want to,” I replied, not feeling very brave but wanting to let Caleb share his special place with me. I peered over the edge of the balcony and cringed. “Just don’t let me fall, okay. It’s a long way down to the bottom and that stone paving looks very unforgiving.” My attempt at a light-hearted joke to cover my fear didn’t go unnoticed by Caleb. He flashed me a killer grin. “Here, give me your hand.” He grasped hold of my hand, threading his warm fingers between mine as he led me up the narrow, uneven steps. Chunks were missing in the stone. I had to tread carefully. I could imagine these steps becoming deadly when it rained. My sandals felt like they were slipping on the smooth surface, and that was while they were dry. I clutched hold of Caleb’s forearm to steady my
Ruby The cold, wet sensation from the ultrasound gel made me tense for a moment, watching the small screen with eagle eyes. As the black and white image appeared before us, it was clear to see that there was not one, but two babies nestled together, side by side. Caleb scrubbed a hand over his shocked face, edging closer to the screen. "Well, I'll be damned," the doctor breathed out with surprise. "There is no doubt about it, you're having twins. Do you want to know the sex?" she asked, invoking mixed feelings within me. Part of me wanted to keep it a surprise but the terrified part of me needed to know for sure. Caleb gave me a look which suggested that he was fine either way. God love him, his eyes were glossing over with proud tears of joy
Ruby "I still remember the first night that we laid like this while watching over Alex. It was the same when Raine was born," Caleb reminisced. Something somewhere caused the room around me to distort, like ripples spreading wide across a calm lake. "Ruby," Caleb's youthful voice called out to me from somewhere beyond a dream. "Babe, you better wake up or else we're going to be late for the obstetrician appointment," I heard him say. Temporary confusion fogged my brain until I realized that I had been dreaming again. Part of me felt the loss of what I hoped our future could be as it slipped away, and the other part of me was relieved that I woke up at that point before the beautiful vision altered into something that could only be de
Ruby As the years rolled by, Caleb and I looked back on our lives with no regrets. When that time eventually comes when we have to leave this world behind, we would be taking a lifetime full of beautiful memories with us. My heart was full, my life was fulfilled. There was nothing that I would change or do differently. Everything was as it should be. With each lumbered step, my slippers brushed over the soft-pile carpet of the stair landing until I stopped to pause outside the old nursery that once belonged to my children. I thought that we had been bestowed a gift from the heavens the day I found out that we were having twins, but little did I know how much more my heart could contain the moment I discovered that I was to become a grandmother. The Goddess had blessed our family many times, and now my son, Alex, was the proud
Caleb Ruby turned on the steps of the town hall, facing away from the jubilant crowd. Snowflakes clung to the tips of her lashes, melting as they kissed her rosy cheeks. She tossed the bouquet of white and blue flowers behind her, and as she did so, the women rushed forward, shrieking deliriously, all snatching at the spinning object as it burst apart like a fragrant petal bomb. It was Grandma Lizzie who unwittingly made the save. She walked straight past the jostling females and caught the flowers against her chest. Her face blanched as she realized what had happened and tossed the bouquet away as if it was a hot potato. “Once was more than enough for me,” she joked. “Although, I wouldn’t mind a good old roll in the hay with one of those wolf boys. They've got abs that I could scrub my laundry on and then some.” She winked a
Ruby The emotion blazed in Caleb's eyes as I walked down the aisle; his mouth hung agape and his brows started to bunch in the middle, giving me the reaction that any bride longed to see. Caleb swallowed hard, causing his Adam’s apple to bob nervously in his throat. There was no sign of humor on Aaron’s face as he observed his friend's special moment. Instead, his expression was one of relieved happiness. Now that his best friend since childhood had found his soulmate, he adopted an air of accomplishment as if all was now right in the world. As the strong notes of the traditional wedding march came to an end, I released Dad’s arm and came to stand beside the love of my life. Caleb mouthed the word “Wow” as he lifted my chin with his fingers, and breathed, “You look breath-taking, love.”
Ruby “Are you okay, kiddo?” Dad asked, his expression softening as he clasped hold of my trembling hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. I swallowed away the dryness before answering, “I just want everything to be perfect, that’s all.” “And it will be,” Dad was quick to reassure me. “I know how much this means to you; Caleb knows it too. He’s probably memorized his wedding vows off by heart. I bet he was up all night Googling templates from the internet,” Dad remarked in an attempt to make me laugh. His best efforts worked like a charm. I gazed through the tinted windows and out onto the wintry streets. Ice glittered the scraped roads and sidewalks, and some of the maintenance guys were shoveling grit salt on the main walkways throughout town.
Ruby I turned from side to side, admiring how the full-length wedding gown swayed with my movements. The white sweetheart bodice helped to boost my humble assets, glittering as the Swarovski crystals captured the light. The long, silky skirt gracefully swished around my legs, sending a wisp of cool air around my thighs. Dad made my day when he produced a pair of custom-made Sketchers in Bride White. He paid a seamstress from Montana to sew lace into the leather and add sparkles around the soles. It meant I would be comfortable all day long, especially as my ankle still ached from standing for long periods. “Are you ready, sweetheart?” Dad asked, through the closed door. He had resisted the urge to look at me in my wedding dress, pacing the hall outside mine and Caleb’s room like a caged animal.
Caleb "Yeah, plenty of thing’s spring to mind, but there is one that is owed a confession," Dylan said as he grinned at Aiden, then edged his chair away to maintain a safer distance. "I was sixteen, and Aiden was eighteen," Dylan began to confess, much to Aiden's interest. Upon hearing his name, he folded his bare muscular arms across his chest. "He borrowed my bike without my permission and ended up buckling the front wheel. He never said anything to me, and put it back in the garage in the hope that I wouldn’t find out what he’d done. I found it the following day and smelled his scent all over it, so I knew that he had used it. I was passive-aggressive, and in an act of vengeance, I sabotaged a burrito that he’d been saving in the fridge by filling it with laxatives. I watched as he devoured it for lunch, and asked if I could hang out with him and Vanessa that day. He was rather reluctant because he wanted to fool around with her while her dorm was
Caleb Aaron tipped the empty Tequila bottle upside down to prove a point. “No way! We’ve gone through the second bottle already?” He turned to my father with an accusatory tone. “It was opened twenty minutes ago.” Aaron’s face was partially hidden beneath his Batman mask, but the whites of his bulging eyes were visible among the black face paint. He had been doing rather well, talking in a gruff tone to imitate the caped crusader's voice, but the sheer shock at how fast my father could sink his liquor caused his pitch to raise a few octaves. Dad gave a casual shrug of his green padded shoulders as he raised the shot glass to his lips and downed the contents in one large gulp. Even I had to admit that was pretty good going, considering he was wearing a pair of oversized hulk hands