My Sweet Ruby

By Virginia Ann

Ruby, A 45 year old widow with four grown sons.  She moves from the small town where she lived with her husband back to Cincinnati where she was raised. It's here she meets and falls in love with Elliot.

Elliot, 49 years old and the CEO of Hambles, the giant manufacturing company in Cincinnati. News is ready to break that will fuck up his family.  Meeting and falling in love with Ruby is the last thing he needs.

Author's Note;

I wrote this book because I love Romance Novels.  It checks off certain boxes for my personal taste.  If the following interests you:

1. Older, mature couple who acts their age

2. A love storY with HOT SEX

3. An exciting story to go along with HOT SEX

4. Drama, but not close to nail biting drama

5. Alpha Male (Yum) Not OTT

6. No cheating between Main Characters

Please read and enjoy!!!

Full length at 48,000 words

• Language: English
• Publisher: Virginia Ann
• Release date: Apr 30, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386181248

Book preview

My Sweet Ruby

Virginia Ann

Published by Virginia Ann, 2017.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

MY SWEET RUBY

First edition. April 30, 2017.

Copyright © 2017 Virginia Ann.

ISBN: 978-1386181248

Written by Virginia Ann.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

My Sweet Ruby

Chapter 1

I wake up to my cell phone ringing, the first thing I notice is it’s still dark outside and my alarm clock reads 5:30 am. Groaning, I reach over and grab my phone off the charger, praying one of my boys aren’t sick or in trouble. I look at the screen to see it’s my sister, Hallie. I answer, What the hell, Hallie? It’s fucking 5:30 in the morning!

She starts singing Happy Birthday. I flop back onto the bed letting her finish because I know by now not to even try to stop her until she finishes all of her made up second and third verses. When she finally stops to take a breathe, I remain silent. All of the sudden she is yelling, Wake up bitch! It’s your 45th birthday!

Really Hallie? You are calling and waking me up this early to wish me Happy Birthday? Couldn’t you have called, uh, I don’t know around, say, like 9? I grumbled.

She’s quiet for a moment. I talked to mom last night and she reminded me you were born at this time in the morning, you know after the dreaded 15 hour of labor you put her through. Anyway Mack and I are headed out to a convention in San Francisco and we have to leave for the airport in a few minutes so I thought, Yay!, I get to talk to my little sis right as she is turning 45.

Closing my eyes I try not to sound bitchy when I say, Thank you big sis. She’s quiet for another moment.

Look, I know birthdays are hard for you since Allen’s death and now that you are an empty nester. I also know you’re going to have a tough time tonight telling the boys about the offer on the house and your decision to move. I love you, Ruby, and I really would have liked it if you would have let me come down to be with you for this. But nooooo, as usual, you have to do everything on your own. How do you think they are going to take it?

I don’t know, I sighed. I’ve run every single scenario over in my head preparing myself for all possible reactions. I know once they get over the initial shock they’ll be happy for me. They are always telling me it’s time to go out and start living. I guess we’ll see how they react when I take their advice.

Doubt starts creeping its way into my mind and I wonder for the hundredth time if I’m doing the right thing. Selling a house which you have made your home for that last 23 years is a big, life-changing decision. A house where all four of your children have laughed, cried, fought, and grew into amazing young men. A house that brought us all comfort when the unimaginable happened, the day I lost my husband and my best friend. The day the boys lost their father and their hero. It was a day my boys had to grow up fast and face the tragedy of losing a parent. It was the day that changed all of our lives. Oh my boys. My beautiful strong wonderful boys.

Are you listening to me? Make sure you call me as soon as that conversation is over. I don’t care what I’m in the middle of, or what time it is, please call me. I’ll worry myself sick until I hear form you, Hallie said with concern in her voice.

I think you are being a little dramatic, Hallie, I mean really, they will be upset of course, but its not like they are going to refuse to talk to me ever again, I explained . For Pete’s sakes.

I know, I know, it’s just this is huge! I don’t want you feeling guilty about any this. It’s been three years since Allen’s death and two years since all the boys have been out of the house. You deserve this fresh start, she expressed. Honestly, who would have ever thought someone would stop by, out of the blue, and want to buy your house. It’s a big beautiful house, it’s just it’s in Podunk, Ohio. What are the chances of that happening? I would have to say 0 out of 100. It a sign, don’t ya think?

Yeah, I think it’s a sign, too and I don’t live in Podunk, Ohio, Miss Chicago. It’s a lovely little town with a quaint downtown, so lay off. You know you like it here, whether you admit it or not. You love the big old beautiful houses here, I reasoned.

Yes, I like it there to visit, just not to live. Mack and I probably would be divorced it we lived there, she chuckled.

No, not divorced, you would have just killed him by now with your cooking. There are only two restaurants here in Podunk, and they both close by 9. He’d starve! We both had a good laugh and talked a little more about tonight. I manage to get off the phone, with a promise to call later.

Chapter 2

I look at the time. Great only 6 am. Well I’m up for good now, ugh. I get out of bed, go to the bathroom and take care of business. While I’m brushing my teeth I take a good look at myself in the mirror. My dark brown hair is still hanging in there, it’s thick and shiny and hangs a little past my shoulders. My green eyes have lost some of their sparkle. I don’t know if that is from my age or the fact that I have been through so much. I stop my thoughts right there. I am ONLY 45! I still have so much life left to live and wonderful things to look forward to, like my boys getting married and having children of their own. I have most of the United States I want to explore. When Allen was alive, our only vacations had been to Allen’s family’s beach house in Georgia. He was a lawyer and travelled so much that when he had vacation time he didn’t want to go site seeing or to run around. He just wanted to relax, so that’s what we did. He promised to show me the whole world once he retired.

I give myself a hard look in the mirror reminding myself I can still do all of that on my own and I will! I look down at my body and send a silent thanks to my parents for good skinny genes. At 5’6 and a size 6 I can eat whatever the hell I want as long as I run a couple miles at least three time a week. I focus on my face again and look at my laugh lines. Maybe I should get some kind of filler or start a daily routine, more than just cleansing and moisturizing. Then again I know I’m not that disciplined and I should be proud of every wrinkle on my face. They show the pains I have felt but also the wonderful life I have led. I decide to embrace each and every one of them with love. I love you wrinkles," I say to myself in the mirror.

Time to get my dog, Nellie, fed and outside before she starts chewing on the couch in my kitchen again. Morning Nellie Bo Belly. I hug and kiss my 100 pound Great Pyrenees and let her outside. Nellie is my baby. I let Leo, my youngest, talk me into getting her when she was only four weeks old from the pound. I knew he would be leaving to go off to college in a few years, but I knew she would be a great companion for me with all the boys out of the house and with Allen traveling all the time. I just didn’t think it would be just the two of us alone, though. Thank God for her. I have literally cried on her and slept with my head on her many nights.

I go about making myself some coffee, head to the garage freezer to grab some steaks to lay out for my birthday dinner with the boys. Dinner tonight, all the boys are coming home for the weekend. The nervous sick feeling returns to my stomach. Ever since I decided that selling the house was in my best interest ,my stomach has been in knots, a lot of excitement and a little anxiety. Hallie was right. The Johnson family stopping by and making me that outrageous offer was a sign, a much needed sign. I probably would have never taken this step to leave my beloved house and town behind.

Allen and I grew up in Cincinnati and I followed him to Ohio State after my graduation. Allen and I got pregnant my sophomore year and his senior year. We had dated all through high school and except for the house I grew up in, a couple years in the dorms, and our first little apartment off campus, this little town and this house has been my center. I have put my heart and soul into every room and every square inch of yard, and I have loved every minute. It’s the place I thought my grandchildren would be playing in and spending the night with Nana and Granddad. Things change. I know that. I just need to turn this knotted nervous stomach back into an excited butterfly stomach. I send up another prayer that I will be feeling them again after I tell the boys what I’ve done. I know they will understand and eventually will be happy for me. I keep repeating that mantra all day long.

Chapter 3

Charlie is the first to arrive home. He is my third born and the artistic one. He is majoring in Philosophy and Art at Oberlin College. Let’s hope that’s not code for pot smoking (deep thoughts) and graffiti. I think we got past that in high school. Happy Birthday, Mom

Hey, thanks, sweet pea, I say as I go to give him a squeeze. School going okay? You feeling okay? I haven’t talked to you since Monday

Yeah, Mom, Monday and it’s only Friday, he laughed. Everything is cool.

I know you’re 21 and a junior in college and you don’t need me bugging you but, guess what......too damn bad. You must ALWAYS make time to talk to your old mom at least once a week and to answer my texts in a timely manner!!!! He embraces me again in a big hug.

Mom, it’s just like you always told us, since the day we were born, you are never getting rid of me or any of us. No matter what, he smiled. When is everyone going to get here?

Jack just called and said he was about a half an hour away and Hank and Leo should be here by six. So, I’ll have dinner ready around 7, does that sound good to you?

Yeah, I’m going to shower and then I can help with dinner. Is it just us tonight, he asked?"

Yep, girls’ night out for me is tomorrow. So you guys will be relieved of mom duty. He smiles and heads off to his room with all of his dirty laundry, which I’m sure I’ll being doing tomorrow. Jack walks in a few minute later with all of his laundry. I hug and kiss him. Jack is my oldest, 25, and works as an engineer for a company in Cleveland. Really, you brought all your dirty clothes, too? You know you are here for my birthday goofball, I teased.

I’m planning on doing it myself, Mom. I normally do it on the weekends so if I want clean clothes next week for work, I didn’t have a choice but to bring it along. Though, if you really want to help out tomorrow when it’s not your birthday, I won’t be upset or even try to talk you out of it. We both crack up because he knows I will, totally, be doing his laundry, along with all of his brothers’.

Hank and Leo walk in a little after six (with laundry baskets). They rode together since they are both at Indiana University. Hank is getting his masters in Physical Therapy and Leo is a sophomore studying Political Science. His plan is to go to law school, following in his father’s footsteps. My boys are all home and I am happy.

A few minutes later, we are having drinks and making dinner. Jack and Hank are out grilling the steaks and asparagus in our courtyard, while Leo is mashing potatoes and Charlie and I are preparing the salad. I excuse myself and go to gather my thoughts in my bedroom. The time is here, it’s time to have the conservation I’ve been worrying about for the last month. I’m giving myself a pep talk when I hear Jack calling out that everything is ready. I walk out into the dining room and see the beautiful cake the boys bought and I burst into tears. I am immediately smashed into Jack’s arms while the rest of them surround us until we are having one big family hug. Hank finally ask Mom, what the hell? Are you okay? You know we always get you a cake, it’s a family rule. You can’t have a birthday without cake and we know how much you love cake.

I wipe my eyes. It’s a beautiful cake, I’m just so happy we are all together. I love you boys so much that sometimes I am filled with so much joy it just leaks out of my eyes.

I’m trying to lighten the mood which works when I hear Leo sarcastically say, ‘Girls!’

Let’s get started on dinner so I can scarf down some of this cake, I say.

Chapter 4

The talk around the table is, as always, funny and light. The boys tease and cut on each other, making fun and sharing stories of drunken nights and girls. Some of which I could live without knowing. It’s hard when your children become adults and feel they can share things with you now that