Chapter 15

Ruby couldn’t believe she had done that. A torrent of complex emotions catapulted through her as she followed Parker to his car. Guilt was definitely at the forefront. But that prison she had told Parker about was very real, and for the split second it took her to kiss him she had felt free from it. She had felt peace, and happiness, and excitement. But she was experiencing the repercussions of it now.

Ruby avoided Parker’s gaze as she slid into the front seat. It took a moment to realize he was just sitting in the driver’s seat, watching her, not starting the car.

“You okay?” he asked. “If I did something wrong—”

“No,” Ruby interrupted. “You have nothing to apologize for.” Anxious to change the subject, she asked, “Where are Andy and Rafael?”

“They have the truck with all our supplies,” he said, finally turning the key in the ignition. “They’ll follow us there.”

Ruby stared at the window, trying to get a glimpse of the mountains, but it was still too dark to see anything. It was when they passed the summit that a thin strip of light appeared and Ruby got her first glimpse of a valley. “Is this it?” she asked.

“Yup.”

The valley was larger than she had expected in a place as mountainous as this. “Are we the first ones here?” Ruby asked as they snaked around to wherever the entrance was. “I don’t see anyone else.”

Parker glanced sideways at her. “I don’t know if we’ll quite get that honor, but we’ll be close.” He pulled off onto a side road that wound into the valley, then pulled off the road and right onto the grass.

“Are we allowed to drive here?” Ruby asked.

Parker chuckled. “You’ve always loved following the rules, haven’t you?”

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Ruby said. “It keeps me out of trouble.”

“I don’t think you could find trouble, even if you were looking for it,” Parker said with a teasing smile.

Ruby gave in and laughed. “You’re right, of course. But I can’t help it. It’s in my nature.”

“I know it is,” Parker said. “I like that about you.” He stopped the car as they approached the middle of the valley. “But to ease your conscience, we aren’t breaking the rules. We have to drive out here if we’re going to get in the air.”

“Can’t you just drag the balloon out here?” she asked. “I just worry what all these vehicles will do to the grass. It would be a shame to leave such a beautiful place with tire tracks all over it.”

Parker stared at her. “Let’s put it this way—” He stopped and his eyes lit up. “If you can get the envelope—that’s what the balloon part is called—out of the back of the truck, then I’ll ask everyone to go back and park in a designated parking area. Though I’m not sure one of those even exists.”

Ruby shifted in her seat. “Um…okay. Sure. I’ve been working out. Sort of. It’ll be no problem.”

Parker grinned. “All right, then, let’s go set us up a balloon.” They got out of the car and found Andy and Rafael already lowering the tailgate. “Hold up,” Parker said, jogging over to them. “Ruby’s going to take care of the envelope for us.”

Andy and Rafael shared a look of confusion. “She’s what?” Andy said.

“Ruby says she can take care of the envelope for us, no problem,” Parker repeated with a smile.

Andy looked past Parker to where Ruby stood, uncomfortable under his scrutiny. She gave him a tentative thumbs up. “Okay,” he finally said, then he and Rafael jumped from the back of the truck.

“So…all I have to do it get the envelope out of the truck and you’ll go park somewhere else?” Ruby asked.

“But—” Rafael started, but Parker held up a hand, silencing him.

“Yes.”

“Okay.” Ruby climbed into the back of the truck and found a giant bundle. It sat on the edge, but was surrounded by tanks and a giant wicker basket. The bundle was contained in something that looked like a tent case, though bigger, but it didn’t seem like anything she couldn’t handle. They’d never said she had to carry it. Ruby smiled. Parker thought she wasn’t tough enough to handle a hot air balloon, huh? She’d just roll this bundle out of here, and she’d show Parker just how wrong he’d been about her.

Ruby squatted behind the bundle, placed both hands on the rough fabric, and pushed.

Nothing happened.

She needed more leverage but wouldn’t be able to get much because of how tightly packed the truck was. Ruby jumped from the truck bed and grabbed a strap on the side and pulled. If she could just get it to move a couple of inches, she’d be able to get it to fall out of the truck. Except the bundle still didn’t budge. No matter what she did, that thing wasn’t going anywhere. After an excruciatingly embarrassing five minutes, Ruby gave up. She faced the men, a trickle of sweat dripping from her forehead, and threw her hands in the air.

“All right. You win,” Ruby said. “How much does that thing weigh, anyway?”

“About two hundred and fifty pounds,” Parker said, wearing an annoying smirk. “And that doesn’t include the basket.”

“I suppose you can do better,” Ruby said, folding her arms across her chest and attempting a glare.

“Of course.” Parker nodded to Andy and Rafael and the three of them jumped into the truck. With a lot of grunting and flexed muscles, which Ruby tried not to notice, the three men managed to roll the envelope out of the truck and it fell to the ground with a thud.

“But you cheated,” Ruby protested.

“Not at all,” Parker said. “This isn’t a one-person job. I just wanted to help you experience how heavy the envelope is for yourself, and to help you feel better about leaving a few extra tire tracks. Which, by the way, will disappear within a week of us leaving. That’s what it’s all about, you know. Enjoying the beauty the earth has given us, without rushing past so fast that we miss it. And that includes leaving it the way we found it. There won’t be a scrap of trash here by the time the last truck leaves on Sunday.”

Ruby was both impressed by Parker’s commitment to the sport and Mother Earth, and annoyed that he had made such a public spectacle of her. “Okay, well now what?”

“Just watch and wait,” Parker said. The three men lifted the tanks out, followed by the basket. They got to work strapping down the tanks inside the basket, then setting up the torch-looking thing.

“I can’t,” Ruby said, turning around.

Parker paused. “You can’t what?”

“I can’t watch. I’ll be…somewhere else.”

“For right now, we’ll just be filling it with air,” Parker said, pulling a giant fan out of the truck. “We don’t even use the heat at first.”

“Still…” Ruby walked away from them, staring across the valley where they stood. It was difficult to make much out in the dim light, but it appeared to be mostly wild grass, with occasional patches of wildflowers dotting the landscape. She didn’t know why it made her so anxious to watch them set up the balloon. Maybe it was the fact that any form of flying was enough to set her heart racing, both with longing and fear. Ruby missed flying in her plane so much. She still dreamed about it from time to time, and she remembered how amazing it was. But in the dream, just as she was about to wake up, the plane always crashed. After Clark’s death…well, accidents happen. And she wanted to make sure she wasn’t there when the next one did.

Ruby heard her name being called and she turned to see the envelope tied to the basket, which was now lying on its side.

“We could use your help,” Parker said.

“Oh, I don’t think I’d be of any use,” Ruby said, not sure what she had expected when she had come. But for some reason, she hadn’t realized that Parker and his friends would be setting up their own balloon.

Parker walked up to her, since it was obvious she wasn’t getting any closer if she could help it. “All I need you to do is hold the edge of the envelope while the fan sends air inside,” he said gently. “No biggie, right?” He held out his hand to her.

Ruby glanced around and noticed other trucks arriving with their crews, and a couple of them were already setting up on the far side of the valley. Spectators were also trickling in, braving the early morning to see the first balloons set up. She might as well help Parker, since it seemed they’d soon be surrounded by balloons either way. “All right.” She took Parker’s outstretched hand and he led her back to the envelope.

Andy and Rafael noticed their intertwined hands and grinned, which prompted Ruby to immediately drop Parker’s hand.

He glanced at her, his lips pulling into a brief frown, like he was disappointed, but it quickly morphed back into a smile. “Ruby has agreed to help,” he said.

“Yeah, I’ll bet she has,” Rafael teased, which earned him a quick punch in the arm from Parker.

“Anyway,” Parker said. “Ruby, you hold the edge here,” he said, pulling the opening of the envelope wider.

The rest of the envelope was spread behind them on the ground, and it was huge, much bigger than Ruby would have ever expected. “I just hold it?” she asked, tentatively taking it from Parker’s hands. His finger grazed her knuckle, sending shivers down her spine.

“Yes, just keep it open and I’ll help adjust the back of the envelope to allow the air to travel through,” he said.

Rafael took a place opposite Ruby and held the other side of the envelope open. “Ready when you are,” he said.

Parker flipped on the fan and a cool breeze swept past Ruby, making the envelope flutter, but also helping open it up as air filled the interior. After a few minutes, Parker walked up and handed leather gloves to Rafael. He was already wearing his own pair. “It’s up to you if you help with the next part,” he said.

Ruby glanced down at where she held the envelope. It felt good to be doing something useful, like she was a part of the team. “I think I’ve got the hang of it. I’d like to help.”

Parker hesitated, than handed Ruby a pair of gloves. “Then you’ll need these.”

Ruby’s confidence wavered. “Why?”

“Because I’m going to be heating the air now.”

“You mean…flames will be shooting past me instead of air?” she asked, her voice now small. “From your blowtorch thingy?”

Parker nodded. “It won’t hurt you. I’ll be aiming it inside the balloon, but it will get warm.” He stepped close to Ruby. “You don’t have to do it,” he said in a quiet voice.

“But it would be helpful,” Ruby said.

“Yes, it would be.”

Ruby couldn’t believe she was actually thinking of agreeing to this. Anxiety gnawed at her stomach. She had done so many things this weekend that were uncharacteristic of her, and she knew she should feel guilty. She had ridden in a car, which was how her parents had died. She had kissed Parker—Ruby felt heat creep up her neck at the thought. And now she was helping set up a hot air balloon?

Ruby took a step back and was ready to hand her spot at the envelope over to Parker. She paused. Was she trying to make herself feel guilty? She had been fine when she allowed herself to forget the past and just enjoy the moment. And then she forced herself to remember. She was ensuring she never forgot her parents—or Clark.

But they wouldn’t want Ruby to be unhappy, would they? She was creating her own misery by clinging onto her painful memories.

Ruby held out a hand. “I’ll take the gloves.”

Parker’s eyebrows popped up in surprise and then he smiled. “All right, let’s do this thing.”

Ruby held on tight as the hot air rushed past her into the envelope, the flames lighting up the dark and creating a deafening sound. And for the first time in years, she felt alive.