Page 92 of Hearts on the Mend

“Who?” I scuff my boot over the sandy road, stalling for time.

“The peepers, silly.”

She’s not wrong. It was the first warm day in months—false spring. Didn’t fool the frogs.

“I had a lot of fun with you, Ruby.”

She twirls in front of me, swinging Noodles in a wide arc. There’s not much left of her favorite stuffy, almost threadbare and patched. Noodles looks like how I feel on the best of days.

“Fun, when?”

“This winter. Thanks for helping me with the house. You’re a great helper.”

“You’re a good friend for me and Mom. You should stay. And Ember too.”

I nod. How the fuck do I explain this to a six-year-old?

“Well, the doctors told me I’m better this morning. I have to leave in the morning to head back to Montana.”

“To fight fires?”

“Yes.”

She stops in the street, her eyes narrowed on me. “Like, for the weekend? For a few weeks?”

On a good day, Ruby can’t tell tomorrow from yesterday. I’ve told Cassie countless times she’ll get the hang of it eventually. Figures it would be tonight.

“Longer.”

“How much longer?” She takes a few steps forward, her hand on her hip, just like her mother.

“I need to go back to work. I’ll be living there now that I’m better.”

“But you found us. You stayed with us. Why are you leaving?”

I scrub my jaw, and for a second, I taste smoke. “I helped fix the house, but it’s not my real job. It was only during the winter that I fixed houses.”

“You could be a firefighter with Daddy.”

That’s the last fucking thing Matt would want. “No, I promised my boss I would be back soon. I’m part of a team, and they need me.”

She doesn’t move, doesn’t answer. Ruby just stands there, Noodles dangling from her left hand, waiting, like the words I just said might change their meaning. Or maybe I’ll change my mind. The peepers chirp around us as the sunset fades to a dusky blue.

“We should head back. It’s almost bedtime.”

Ruby shoots past me, racing down the street.

Shit.

I take off, trying to catch up to her, but the kid is fast. Finally, I do. “Stop, Ruby. Please.”

She whirls around, then jumps into my arms, sobbing. Tears slide down her round cheeks as she buries her face against my chest, soaking my shirt. “Don’t leave me. Nollie⁠—”

I sweep my palm over her back in a slow circle as I gently swing us from side to side, my heart broken.

It was difficult enough thinking of leaving Cassie. How did I ever think I could leave Ruby?

“It’s going to be hard,” I say softly, bringing us to the front door.