Page 39 of A Tempting Seduction

Ruby smiled at that.

“Sounds like good criteria for choosing both dogs and people.”

“My dad's a smart man. He and my mom have been married forty-five years, and they still act like newlyweds half the time.”

“That's sweet. You're lucky to have that kind of example.”

Something in her voice made me look at her more closely. There was a wistfulness there, a longing that suggested her own family experiences hadn't been as positive.

“What about your family? Are your parents still in California?”

Ruby's fork paused halfway to her mouth. She set it down, and I could see her carefully choosing her words.

“My father passed away a couple of years ago. My mom passed from cancer when I was eleven. My stepmother and I... we don't really keep in touch.”

“I'm sorry. That must be difficult.”

Ruby shrugged, but the gesture looked forced.

“Sometimes families don't work out the way you hope they will.”

I wanted to push, to ask more questions, but the shuttered expression on her face told me I'd hit a boundary. Instead, I took another bite of the short ribs and let the moment pass.

“But you are from LA, right?”

Ruby nodded, some of the tension leaving her shoulders.

“Born and raised. Lived there my whole life until I came to Jasper Creek.”

“What made you decide to move here? That's a pretty big change.”

Ruby's smile returned, genuine and warm.

“I wanted something different. Los Angeles is beautiful in its own way, but it never felt like home. Too big, too impersonal. People don't really know their neighbors.”

“And Jasper Creek feels like home?”

“It does.” Ruby's voice carried conviction. “From the first week I was here, people made me feel welcome. Like I belonged. Miss Gladiola and Little Grandma especially. They took me under their wing like I was family.”

I watched Ruby's face as she talked about the two elderly women who'd clearly played important roles in her transition to small-town life. There was genuine affection there, but also something else. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

Ruby's body language shifted subtly, her shoulders tightening again. She reached for her sweet tea and took a long sip, using the action to avoid my eyes.

“They're wonderful women,” I said carefully. “The whole town loves them.”

“They've been incredibly kind to me.”

The conversation felt like it was skating on thin ice. Every time I asked about Ruby's past or the people who'd helped her, she deflected or changed the subject. There were secrets there, layers I wasn't allowed to see yet.

Instead of pushing further, I decided to lighten the mood.

“Speaking of family, I should probably warn you about mine. We're loud, we're numerous, and we have no sense of boundaries whatsoever.”

Ruby's smile was grateful.

“How many of you are there again?”

“Five kids total. Carrie's the oldest, then Jack, me, Walker, and Fiona. Plus all the kids. Family gatherings sound like a small riot.”