“Right,” Wilder says. “Let me get you a pillow and some blankets. You can take the couch tonight.”
Liv plucks the empty glass from my hand and sets it down on the coffee table. Wilder comes back and they work together to tuck me in on the couch.
A half-hearted giggle escapes. “You’re such a dad.” I glance up at my brother from my prone position. “Gonna read me a bedtime story and kiss my forehead before you go?”
He shakes his head, and Olivia crouches and does just that. “Get some sleep,” she says.
“Thanks, Mom,” I murmur in what I hope is a mocking tone.
“Say goodnight, Ruby,” Wilder says.
“Goodnight, Ruby,” I echo the words back in a sleepy voice.
Olivia laughs. When she stands, Wilder instantly pulls her into his arms, kissing her thoroughly. “Where do you think you’re going, Pretty Girl?”
They’re so in love, it’s disgusting. What’s that like? I’ll probably never find out. Even if I could find someone to date, my heart already has another name scrawled across it in permanent ink. Signed, sealed, delivered.
Chapter 3
Randy the Rooster
? What’s your country song - Thomas Rhett
Liam
“Time to go, Aiden. Miss Ivy’s waiting to take you to school.”
“One second. I have to feed Jerry.”
Fucking Jerry.
The lop-eared bunny is a new addition to the Murphy household, and I’ve regretted it every day since. Aiden is hyper-focused on the little white fluff ball, and the fucker has already played dead twice. I thought I was going to have to host a goddamn bunny funeral last week.
“If you’re not in the car in five, Ivy won’t have time to stop for donuts.”
That seems to light a fire under his ass. Aiden darts past me with his jacket hanging off one arm and his backpack dragging behind.
As I check the back seat to make sure he’s buckled in, Rylin waves at me from the middle seat. “Hi, Uncle Liam!”
“Hey, Ry Ry.” I return the gesture and lean through the front passenger window. “Thanks for this, Ivy. I know it’s not exactly on your way.”
“It’s no problem. I remember what it was like to be a single parent. I’ll be by the bar on Friday night, and you can pay me back with a margarita. I have a feeling I’m going to need it.”
“You got it.” I reach through the back and ruffle Aiden’s hair. “I’ll see you after school. Love you, buddy.”
“Love you, Dad.”
Aiden’s in third grade now, and he’s thriving. It took us a while to adjust to our new normal, but therapy has been a huge help. After about a year, he stopped asking when his mom was coming back, but her absence still affects him. Last week, they sent home the flyer for Muffins with Mom day at school. I’ll never forget the look on his face when he crumpled it up and threw it in the trash. Despite how far he’s come in the last five years, some wounds might never fully heal.
I grab my keys off the hook by the door and head out to the bar. While my shift doesn’t start until noon, I told Cade I’d be here for the delivery while he’s on vacation with his family.
Cade Brooks is one of my best friends and the owner of The Ridge, the bar I work at part-time. I also volunteer at the fire station, but I’m waiting for the results of my evals for a potential career position. Between working two jobs and being a single dad, I barely have a spare moment to myself.
I’m lucky to have a great group of friends who won't hesitate to help out when needed, but Aiden is my responsibility, and I hate having to ask them for anything. A full-time position at the fire station would give me more freedom and flexibility.
When I arrive at the bar, the delivery truck is already backed up in the lot, ready to unload. I unlock the doors andthe guys get to work while I busy myself with inventory. Once that’s taken care of and the bar is ready for opening, there’s nothing left for me to do but scroll mindlessly on my phone.
I swipe past another cat video as my news alert goes off—the one I set up for a specific purpose. I swipe over to the news article, and heart-stopping blue eyes stare back at me. The headline reads: “Ruby Lynn Hayes Parts Ways with Label.”
