Page 118 of The VIP Doubles Down

Shaking himself, he walked around and got in beside his stepsister.

“You finally opened the box,” she said, putting the truck in gear.

“I finally dug to the bottom of the box. You buried the past under the books.”

She banged her fist on the steering wheel. “Darn it! I told Tobias he put the mailing label on the wrong side. The bag of cards was on top when I packed it.”

Allie had guessed something like that. She was one smart lady.

“Did you read them?” Gavin asked.

“Only enough to know what they meant and that you should have them.”

“Does Odelia know you sent them to me?”

Ruth huffed out a sigh. “Yeah. Mom and I had a little disagreement about that.”

“Then she won’t be surprised by my visit.” And his stepmother would have had time to come up with her own story about why she’d never given him the cards.

“Look, I don’t condone what she did,” Ruth said, throwing him a sharp glance. “But she had her reasons, and they weren’t all wrong. Mom’s old, Gavvy, and she might even regret some of it, so go easy on her, will you?”

“Is that why you came to meet me? To plead her case?”

“I came because I care about you, you big jerk. I just didn’t like your tone of voice when you spoke about Mom. It was scary.”

Gavin leaned his head back against the seat. “You were my lifeline, Ruthie. For your sake, I’ll moderate my tone with Odelia.”

And Allie would want him to.

“Much appreciated. Will you stay for lunch with Tobias and the kids? We’d all love to spend some time with you.”

Genuine regret pricked at him. “Not today, but I promise I’ll come back soon when I can stay longer.”

Ruth gave a grunt of disbelief.

Gavin reached over to squeeze her shoulder with affection. “I mean it this time. I’d like to see Tobias and your children.”

“They wanted to see your helicopter in the worst way, but I told them they had to go to school.”

“I’ll give them a ride the next time. With your permission.”

“As long as I don’t have to go up in that thing.”

Ruth turned onto the street that led to Miller’s Feed and Dry Goods and the house he’d grown up in. Again, time seemed to reverse itself, sucking him back with it. This was why he didn’t come home.

He forced himself to focus on the changes. A new sign and paint color on the real estate office. A bakery and café in what used to be Ratzenberger’s, a restaurant with grouchy waitresses and terrible food.

“I hope the new café is better than Ratz’s,” Gavin said.

“About ten times better. Mattie Wilson opened it. That girl can bake!”

Gavin nodded, but he was bracing himself for Miller’s Feed and Dry Goods on the next block. As they approached it, he forced himself to look at the scene of so many years of misery in his young life. And did a double take. “Good God, the place looks downright inviting.”

Ruth grinned. “We saved up and did a big renovation late last fall, so you missed it. The inside is even better. Skylights and everything.” She sighed. “Dad helped with the plans, but he never got to see the result. That makes me sad.”

It looked so altered on the outside that he thought he might be able to set foot in it again without enduring the anguish of his younger self.

“Thank you,” he said.