“Wheezy gave me the strength to do it. Norbert pushed me around for fifty years, and I took it. But when he turned on that dog…” She shook her head, her fingers pressing so hard into Ruby’s hand that the pain was starting to overtake the itching. She didn’t pull away, though. There was something profoundly comforting in that strength. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you remind me of Wheezy.”

Ruby knew it to be the truth—and not just because of those golden curls and brown eyes. Wheezy was a well-trained animal who refused to become a star on someone else’s terms. He refused to do anything on someone else’s terms…unless, of course, that someone was Spencer Wilson.

Which was exactly the problem. Trying to get the better of Spencer had brought her back to life, yes, but he couldn’t be her reason for staying that way. It was just another form of pageantry, something else to hitch her wagon to.

She liked Spencer. She probably even loved him. But for the first time in her life, she loved herself more.

“I can’t take Wheezy to the West Coast Canine Classic,” Ruby said. She finally managed to wrest her hand free of Mrs. Orson’s. “Don’t you see? I’d be playing into Spencer’s game, trying to mold myself to fit someone else’s rules.”

Mrs. Orson laughed—that deep, body-shaking, beautiful laugh. Ruby couldn’t help but feel sorry for Norbert, wherever he was. He’d missed out on something wonderful when he tried to quash this woman’s spirit.

“Then don’t follow his rules, dear,” she said. “Follow your own.”

Ruby stared at Mrs. Orson, that soft, beautiful face going in and out of focus. This thing she was saying—this idea she was proposing—was both the easiest and the most difficult thing in the world. For Ruby’s entire life, she’d been told to change herself to fit predetermined criteria. To win a pageant, to get a man, to hold down a job.

What Mrs. Orson was suggesting was the exact opposite.

“You brilliant, beautiful woman!” Ruby sprang to her feet. The antihistamine had started to make her woozy, but she didn’t care. She welcomed that feeling of being off-balance, of not knowing herself to be on solid ground. Leaning down, she pressed a loud and smacking kiss on Mrs. Orson’s cheek. “You really think I can do it?”

“You can do anything you put your mind to. Take it from a woman who spent far too many years doing what she was told. Life is so much better when you live it on your own terms.”

Chapter 20

“Caesar, buddy, you have to stop this.”