Rebel (Renegades #2)(72)
Author: Skye Jordan

“Oh.” Melissa eased back, a frown turning her lush mouth down. “I…didn’t realize… Wyatt and Whitney said—”

“Wyatt and Whitney don’t know everything.”

“Is she…special?” Melissa asked, a little pouty.

“Very,” Wes said. He had to bite his tongue to keep from apologizing to Melissa. He was not sorry he was in love with Rubi.

She took a step back and released his hand. “All right, then.” She smoothed her hands down the front of her scrub top. “I guess we’ll call this…an old-times’ sake kiss and call it good.”

Wes nodded. Forced a smile. “Sounds good. See you tomorrow.”

“Yep. Good night.”

Wes waited while she climbed into her car, a sensible blue Subaru four-wheel-drive, and backed out of her spot. Then he pulled out his phone and checked for messages from Rubi. Nothing. God, he needed to hear her voice.

He called her number and listened to it ring as he wandered toward his brother’s truck—Wes’s ride for the time he was in town. Her voice mail picked up.

“Rubi Russo.” Her smooth voice came over the line. “Give it to me.”

Beep.

“Hey, baby,” Wes said. “Would really love to hear your voice—even if you’re still pissed. This has been the longest three days of my life.” He unlocked the truck and pulled the door open. “Wyatt’s making amazing progress. He’s working with the rig three times a day and gaining strength faster than he did during the recovery of his first surgery. Doctors are impressed. His surgeon wants to talk with you about your programming. They have a big spine center here, do a lot of surgery.”

He laid a hand on the steering wheel and looked out into the growing darkness with a hole opening inside him. “Anyway…” He paused, not sure how much to say or not say. “I miss you. Keep finding myself looking around to share something…” He stopped himself from getting too sappy. “Okay.” He had to bite his tongue from signing off with I love you. “Talk later.”

He disconnected and climbed into the truck. After he’d turned onto the highway toward home, he dialed the house.

“Hello.”

“Hey, Grams, it’s Wes.”

“Hello, Wesley. How’s the weather in California, sweetie?”

A tired smile lifted his mouth. “I’m not in California, Grams. I’m on my way to Mom’s house. I’ll see you in about an hour. Do you or Claudia need anything from town while I’m out?”

“Oh, I don’t think so. Did Missy bring you the Special K bars? I added melted chocolate on top, just the way you love them.”

Wes rubbed his eyes. When Whitney told him that Grams was deteriorating, she wasn’t kidding. Within an hour of talking to his grandmother, Wes had learned the quickest and most painful way to avoid a long-drawn-out, frustrating conversation—which she always won—was to agree with her. “Yep. Sure did. Thanks, Grams. Can I talk to Claudia for a minute?”

What a long freaking day, he thought, waiting for Claudia.

“Hey, Wes.”

“Hey. I’m on my way back, just wanted to know if you need anything in town? Grams says no, but…”

Claudia chuckled. “This time she’s right.”

“All right, then. See you soon.”

“Wes?” Claudia said as he pulled the phone from his ear.

“Yeah, still here.”

“Did Rubi find you?”

A split second of utter confusion hit him. Claudia should not know Rubi’s name. No one but Whitney should know Rubi’s name. Then his heart took a hard punch and dropped to his stomach. He braked and pulled over to the side of the road. He was suddenly breathing hard. “What do you mean find me? Did she call?”

“No, she came by. It took me a minute to figure out how she knew you, but then I recognized her California accent, that flashy car, all dressed up. She’s a beauty. Seems real nice.”

“Claudia…” Fuck he really couldn’t breathe now. “Just to be clear, you’re saying that Rubi came to Mom’s house looking for me. Like…in person.”

“Well, how else could she come? But it doesn’t sound like she found you. I sent her to the VA Medical Center. If you’re just leaving town now, I can’t imagine she missed you.”

Wes shoved the truck into Park, leaned forward, and pressed his forehead on the steering wheel. With his eyes squeezed tight and a ball of fire in his stomach, he asked, “What…kind of car was she driving?”

Before he heard the answer, he knew.

“Fancy white sports car. A BMW.” She pronounced the W as “double-ya.”

“Did she say where else she might go?” Wes asked, his forehead suddenly damp.

“Nope. Thought for sure she would have found you.”

“I think…I think she did. Thanks, Claudia. I might be later than I thought.”

“That’s fine, boy. No rush.”

Wes said good-bye and disconnected. He raked his hand through his hair, forcing his mind to engage. She’d flown all the way out here, driven herself from the airport, only to find him kissing Melissa.

“God can’t be that cruel.” He sat back and whipped the truck around, driving the direction her car had gone. “He can’t.”

He called Rubi’s cell three times in a row, disconnecting when her message came on. At a stoplight. he texted her.

WES: WHERE are you?

When he didn’t get an answer, he dialed Lexi.

“Hi, Wes,” she answered.

“You sound guilty already,” he said. “Where is she?”

“Um…I don’t want to get in the middle—”

“Lexi, she flew all the way out here just to turn around and go home? Come on. You’re her best friend. You know we’re good together. That woman needs to get out of her own goddamned way. Now tell me where she is.”

A pause. Then a heavy exhale. “The airport.”

Wes stomped on the gas. Hope flared. “Which airline?”

“United. Her plane leaves in forty-five minutes. Wes?”

“Yeah?”

“She’s…upset. She’s trying to pretend she’s not, but…she’s fragile right now. And as much as I love you, if you break her heart, I’ll break yours.”

That made Wes smile. “Understood.”

As soon as he disconnected, his phone buzzed with a message.