on the couches or the patterns on the rugs. What he did care about was the way he felt when he walked through the house. He hadn’t ever felt as comfortable and at ease as he did these days, surrounded by all the thoughtfully chosen pieces Erin had purchased and arranged for their home. He could feel her love for him and her excitement for their future and their life together in every little thing she had done.
Outside Ruby’s door, he sighed. This was either going to end with a truce or a shouting match. Hoping for the truce, he knocked loudly on the door and stepped back, making sure to give her plenty of room. The door swung open to reveal Ruby with wet hair and different clothes, things he recognized from one of Erin’s shopping trips. Scowling, she asked, “What the hell do you want?”
He had to bite back the urge to tell her off. Instead, he held out the breakfast he had gotten for her. “It’s from Erin’s favorite taco truck. I figured you were hungry for something that doesn’t have powdered eggs and fake bacon in it.”
She eyed the food with distrust. “How do I know it’s not soaked in polonium?”
“Seriously? Do you think I’m going to poison you? If I wanted to get rid of you, Ruby, I would have done it while you were in jail, and I had plenty of cover.” He thrust the food at her. “Take it. Eat it. Throw it in the trash. I don’t care.”
She snatched the food from him. “Fine. Whatever.”
He put his hand on the door to keep her from slamming it in his face. “No, not yet.” He kept the door open. “Your sister has done more than you can ever imagine to make things better for you. She went to that pigsty apartment you left behind and sorted through all of that rotting food and trash and the piles of filthy, moldy clothes to find things to salvage for you. She paid for the broken lease, the back rent, and the damage with her own money. She’s been using her salary draw from the gym to cover your attorney fees, the repairs on the house you trashed, and your restitution because she didn’t want you to be saddled with the full amount when you got out.”
She seemed startled by that information, but he wasn’t ready to stop yet.
“She’s been going to counseling to learn how to help you adjust and be successful. She has a stack of books next to the bed that she’s been reading and studying because she wants to do everything right.” He pushed the door open enough to point at the green binder on the small coffee table by the reading chair Erin had chosen. “She spent days on that, putting together all the information you’ll need to make this second part of your life work. So, maybe, you could show a little fucking appreciation for what she’s done.” He breathed out heavily. “She loves you. You’re her sister. You’re her family. She believes in you the same way she believes in me. If you let her support you, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish, but if you fight her every step of the way, you’ll end up right back where you started.”
Ruby swallowed hard and finally nodded. “Yeah,” she said softly. “Okay.”
Glad that was done, he gestured to the nightstand. “I left you some things you’ll need in that top drawer. The cash is yours to cover your expenses until you find a job. The noise-canceling headphones should be self-explanatory.”
When understanding hit, she made a face. “Gross!”
“At least, I warned you.” He backed away from the door and started back toward the staircase. Ruby shut the door behind him. The fact that she didn’t slam it surprised him.
Downstairs, he found Erin scrolling her phone and nibbling on one of her tacos piled high with pico de gallo. He didn’t know how she could stand eating something so spicy and never get heartburn. Taking the seat next to her, he grabbed one of his breakfast tacos and peeled away the aluminum.
“Everything okay?” she asked guardedly as he took his first bite. He nodded as he chewed, and she visibly relaxed. “Good.”
His phone vibrated in his back pocket, and he shifted on his chair to retrieve it. He glanced at the screen and frowned. “It’s Paco.”
“You better answer it. He wouldn’t call on your day off unless all hell was breaking loose at