Ruthie eavesdrops on the college girls as she serves them breakfast. More texts come in from Natalie, and Ruthie learns the details about the alleged date rape. The guy was older, seriously hot according to the girls. Natalie claims she didn’t drink much, but she can’t remember anything that happened after she left the Blue Saloon. Natalie, terrified her parents will find out, is opting not to go to the emergency room for a sexual assault exam. Since she’s on the pill, she’s not worried about getting pregnant.
After the girls leave, Ruthie locks herself in her office and collapses in her desk chair. She removes a small white pill from her uniform pocket and studies it for identifying markings, but there are none.
Davis seemed like a good guy in the beginning. Full of himself at times, but harmless, nonetheless. As she’s gotten to know him better, she’s begun to have doubts about him. He routinely breaks dates at the last minute, rarely offering a valid excuse. Like last night when he texted to say he couldn’t make dinner because of a work emergency. As the owner of a hardware store, what emergency could he have? Did he run out of tenpenny nails?
Davis claims to be an architect, yet he failed to identify the style of her house despite its Victorian features. He told her he worked for a commercial architect firm in Atlanta, but every time she asks him about his life in Atlanta, he changes the subject.
As for their sex life, she initially delighted in his passionate drive. But the things he’s tried to do to her lately have been borderline kinky, making her wonder if he’s some kind of sexual pervert.
Then there’s his behavior. He’s moodier than a woman on her period. He’ll show up in a rotten mood, and seconds later, he’s cracking jokes. He doesn’t appear to have a drinking problem. But she worries he may have a different type of addiction. Two nights ago, when she got up to go to the bathroom, she tripped on his heap of clothes on the floor. She picked up his pants to fold them, and a mini baggie of pills fell out of the pocket. She took this one and returned the bag to the pocket.
Ruthie opens her top drawer and drops the pill inside. Maybe she’ll ask him about it later.
Her phone vibrates the desk with a text from Davis. I missed you last night.
“I bet you did,” she says to the phone screen.
Another text pops up. Care to spend the afternoon in bed?
Ruthie types out her response. We need to talk. Meet me at my house in ten minutes.
She grabs her purse and leaves the office. On her way out, she tells Tanya she has a headache and is going home to rest. The short walk helps clear her head and make the tough decision she knows is best for her. Her affair was fun while it lasted. Time to move on.
Davis is waiting for her on her back porch steps when she arrives home. Sitting down beside him, she blurts, “I’m sorry, Davis, but I don’t want to see you anymore.”
Davis appears genuinely wounded. “What? You can’t mean that.”
“I never say anything I don’t mean.” Ruthie massages her temples, feeling a legitimate headache coming on. “Let’s be honest. We both knew our fling wouldn’t last. Our age difference is too big an issue.”
Davis’s face hardens, his boyish good looks replaced by deep creases and a hard-set mouth. “What did that mousy little bitch Hazel tell you about me?”
A chill travels Ruthie’s spine. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, Ruthie. Hazel told you about the night we hooked up, didn’t she? I bet she didn’t tell you she’s been stalking me, begging me to go out with her.”
Ruthie jumps to her feet. “Hazel is a friend of mine. And she’s accusing you of stalking her. Given the choice of who I believe, I choose her.”
He stands to face her. “Come on, Ruthie. Don’t be like this. Our casual relationship works for both of us. We have fun together.”
“We were having fun together. Until you got weird on me.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Ruthie shakes her head in disbelief. “Give me a break. You know what I’m talking about. I shouldn’t have to spell it out for you.” She leans against the stair railing. “The truth is, Davis, I’m looking for something more lasting. I’m not getting any younger, and I want someone to enjoy retirement with.”
Davis cups her cheeks. “Look, Ruthie, I don’t blame you for being upset about the thing with Hazel. She lied to you, but you’re friends, so obviously you’ll believe her over me. And I’m sorry I broke our date last night. I had a work emergency.” He kisses her lips. “Take a few days to cool off, and then we’ll talk again.”
Ruthie snickers to herself as she watches him get in his car and drive off. She won’t hear from him in a few days. He’s the type of man whose ego can’t handle being dumped. The pea brain needs to believe he’s the one who broke up with her.
Why was Davis ever interested in her in the first place? Is it because she provided a cover for his extracurricular activities? Ruthie knows everyone in town, and prides herself on her stellar reputation. If the town thinks she and Davis are in a relationship, no one will suspect him of drugging young women and taking advantage of them. Ruthie reminds herself he’s innocent until proven guilty. But when it comes to Davis Warren, something doesn’t add up.
Ruthie changes into lounging attire and stretches out on the porch hammock with a cold cloth across her forehead. Closing her eyes, her thoughts drift to Daniel. She hasn’t heard from him in weeks. It’s unlike him not to stop by the diner for coffee or sunny-side eggs. Has Millie taken Ruthie’s place at the breakfast table? Do the lovebirds eat whatever Marabella serves them on the patio at The Nest? If Millie Mathis is the right woman for Daniel, then so be it. For her own sanity, Ruthie will take a break from men for a while. No more dates with guys she’s not interested in. And no more casual hookups for the sake of satisfying her sexual desire.
Thank goodness she still has the diner to fall back on. The McKinneys have upped their offer several times, but no amount of money would entice Ruthie to sell to the couple from Philadelphia, who seem hell-bent on destroying her brand. She’s worked hard to establish her diner, and will sell only if the right buyer comes along.