"Don't worry," Ruby said. "We'll fill it up in no time."
Finn came racing into the house, the girls in hot pursuit, giggling wildly. When Hart had first shown the cottage to her family, Finn's eyes had widened as he surveyed the grounds, asking, "This is all ours?" They had so much room here, land spreading out around them, rolling green hills dotted with trees and patches of wildflowers. Penny liked to pick them, gathering huge armfuls to bring into the house, spreading the scent of wildflowers behind her, a far cry from the pungent stink of the heap that used to follow them everywhere.
Ruby taught her how to weave the flowers into princess crowns, deftly knotting them together to perch atop Penny's fair hair.
Minutes later it had been discarded as Penny took a running leap to tackle Finn. Roe had picked it up, brushing it off delicately and looking at Ruby with shy eyes. Ruby made her a brand new one.
It seemed Ruby had something to offer every member of Hart's family. She sparred with Finn, burning off some of his excess energy. She dug in the garden with Penny, planting vegetables that would soon fill their bellies. And she played gently with Roe, letting the little girl style her wild locks or play dress up in her clothing.
Vivien had taken to her as well, evidenced by the way she now swept into the room, dropping a kiss onto Ruby's cheek as she passed. "Thank you again for bringing all of this by, Mr. Ryan," she smiled at Leo. "Since Hart chased us out before we could pack."
"We were on the
run
, mother."
Ruby giggled as Vivien waved a nonchalant hand. She had relaxed since coming to the country, seemingly trusting Hart that out here they wouldn't starve, or fight or end up in jail.
"It wasn't really 'on the run'," Leo agreed, shrugging at the look Hart gave him.
"You said Jackal came by the gym," Ruby pointed out.
"Yeah, and I told him you weren't interested in making a career out of fighting." Leo grinned. "He growled a little bit, but let's face it: I'm bigger than he is."
Ruby snorted and rolled her eyes. Finn, on the other hand, was looking at Leo like he could walk on water. Ruby's father had come out once before, bringing Ruby with him, and Finn had instantly taken a liking to him. The whole time Leo visited, Finn was like his shadow, watching him with awe and peppering him with questions whenever there was a lull in the conversation.
Hart worried that Finn was getting swept up in the glamour of the fights, but Vivien and Ruby seemed to think he was fine. "He just misses his father," her mother had whispered, and so Hart let it drop.
Now, Finn was practically glowing with excitement over the fact that Leo was back.
Leo sent money to Ruby whenever he could—"I'm just paying her room and board, Hart," he had insisted. "Take it. Please." —splitting his income from the arena with his daughter, even though she was no longer there to train his fighters.
"I'm making some changes around the gym, too," he said now.
Ruby frowned. "Not because of Jackal?"
"No," Leo smiled. "Because of you two."
Hart's eyes widened. "You're not letting girls fight?" She knew money was still pouring in for Jackal—runaway champion or not—but she didn't think Leo was the type to chase those kinds of gains.
"No, although I still believe you women can hold your own in the ring. And out of it," Leo said as Ruby smirked and punched his shoulder. He made a great show of clasping the spot she hit and wincing, making the little girls squeal with delight. "I'm cleaning things up at the arena. You know, rules and regulations."
"Your arena was already the cleanest I've ever seen," Hart told him.
Leo smiled ruefully. "I tried. But I realized that I could try harder. It's what I told you all those months ago: I don't want to have to hang around the fence waiting for someone too desperate to do anything else. I want fighters who are there just because they want to be. I want them healthy and trained; well-fed and well-taken care of."
"And how are you going to do that?" Hart's mother asked.
"Well, first of all: train more fighters like I did with Hart. Make them into skilled boxers, not just ruffians mauling each other. Then, sell the fights as watching real athleticism. Not blood, but
technique
."
Hart frowned. "Do you think there's a market for that?"
"I hope so. There must be some people who are interested in more than how vicious things can get. Classier people who'll pay for skill and performance."
Hart remembered how the arena had whooped and hollered as she and Ruby performed complicated, impressive moves. Sure, they had been choreographed, but the audience didn't know that. Apparently they liked seeing more than slapping and hair pulling.
"And any time either of you want to come back and help me train fighters, I've got a job for you at the gym."
Hart knew there was no going back for her. She loved it out in the country, loved the open spaces and the clean air almost as much as she loved the fact that they were nearly self-sufficient on this little slice of land. They grew what they ate, tended the chickens, and planned on buying a milking cow later that year.
But Ruby—they had never talked about how long she was staying for. She needed to get out of the city 'for a bit', and Hart had a place outside the city. They didn't talk about it anymore than that.
Hart knew Ruby would be good at training competent, clean fighters; she would be good at keeping people in line and following the rules.
Hart would miss her if she left.
"But," Leo continued, turning to his daughter. "It seems to me you could stand to be out here a little longer. That is, if they'll have you?"
Vivien laughed as Roe and Penny latched on to Ruby. "I'd like to see you try and take her from us!"
"Really?" Ruby asked, the question directly equally at her father, Vivien, and Hart.
Hart's mother shot her a look, letting her answer.
"You know you can stay as long as you like," she said quietly. Then she grinned. "Besides, you already promised to be the one who milks the cow!"
Later, as Leo pitched in to get everything unpacked, Hart and Ruby slipped out of the cottage, into the sunshine.
"You really want to stay?" Hart asked quietly.
Ruby grinned. "You really want me to stay?" she shot back.
Hart reached out, tangling her fingers with Ruby's, giving her hand a little squeeze, hoping Ruby understood.
Ruby squeezed back, reeling Hart in to press close. "Me too," she said, her smile pressing teasingly against Hart's own lips. They kissed, in the bright sunshine and the fresh air, a bird singing in the tree overhead.
Hart couldn't believe she ever thought she wanted anything else.
Fin
About the Author
Born and raised in the Northeast of America, Jamie Sullivan now lives in the U.K., trying to adjust to looking the other way when she crosses the street. She teaches English Literature, and just wants to inspire people to love to read, whether in the classroom or on the internet.
A perfect day for Jamie involves nothing more than a free afternoon, a cup of coffee and a good book. When she isn’t reading, she’s writing the kinds of stories she wishes she could read. She believes firmly in the power of a happy ending.
Jamie writes what she considers ‘fantastical realism’, and thinks every story can benefit from a bit of magic.