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Speaking of that asshole, my phone hasn’t stopped vibrating with texts, and I know they’re all from Iris. But I also know they’re not full of information about Ruby’s dad. They are various forms ofif you don’t call me back, I’ll make you sorry.
A thought occurs to me as I round the car and get in. “So Mandy bakes cinnamon rolls at home once a week, and then Will shows up at Dick’s later that same morning, and there are cinnamon rolls. How has he not figured out that they’re the same cinnamon rolls?”
I back out of the spot and head for the bar.
Ruby grins at me. “Oh, he has figured it out.”
I look over at her. “He has? Mandy said I absolutely could not tell him.”
“I know. I don’t understand it, but it’s this game where they all pretend they don’t know what’s going on. But the men know who’s doing the baking. And I actually think that the women know the men know.” She laughs. “They’re happy, and I find them amusing, and that’s enough for me.”
“Well, I hope the guys aren’t upset when these guys show up.”
Ruby takes my hand. “I think it’s sweet you want to get this group of friends back together.”
“I do. I don’t think it’s right that our guys are relegated to a bar outside of town. And hell, it seems like maybe the church guys need a break.”
She nods. “It really does.”
“But honestly, I want these church guys to meet April and the kids, too.”
“Really?”
“Definitely. Your father has convinced these people that single mothers deserve to be cut off and ostracized and don’t deserve support and resources. Because of his own prejudices, he’s making an entire group of people turn their backs on a vulnerable part of their community. Their neighbors and people they pass on the streets every day. People who haven’t done anything wrong but who might just need a little help once in a while. It’s the antithesis of community and certainly of the things he’s supposed to be teaching from the book those guys had lying on that coffee shop table.
I want these men to actually meet someone their pastor is telling them to reject. It is so much harder to say no to something when there is a face to it in your mind, when there’s a person that is representing the issue. Very few humans can look directly at another human and say I’m going to do something to hurt you.”
“I don’t know. My father certainly did that to Scarlett,” Ruby says.
“And my father did it to me. But our fathers are the exception to the rule. I really want to show you that.”
“You’re doing this for me?”
I look over at her. “In part. Of course. You’re always on my mind, Ruby. Since I met you, with everything I do, I think about what would Ruby think of this or how would this make her feel?”
I can see the emotion in her eyes. “Wow. That’s…something.”
I squeeze her hand. “I’m also doing it for April. And Elliot. And all of the other women and kids like them. Those men might still decide to follow your father and reject helping the single parents, but I’m going to make them do it with full knowledge of what their decision means. I’m not going to make it easy on them.”
“Yeah,” she says softly. “I didn’t stand a chance.”
I glance from the road to her again. “A chance of what?”
“Keeping my panties on around you.”
I grin at her wickedly. “You wear panties way too often as it is.”
“Interesting that you would mention that,” she says, sitting back in her seat.
“Oh? Why’s that?”
“Because I decided to see what it would be like to go without today.”
That sinks in, and I growl. Then, make a sharp right at the next corner. We need to make a not-so-quick stop at home before going out to Dick’s, it turns out.
Chapter 21
Henry