“A carnival, Disneyland… What does it matter? You were too young to know the difference.”

“I was old enough to know better than to ride that death trap of a roller coaster.”

Her mother’s signature laugh rang out. “You always were a smart little thing.”

The introduction of ye olde pageant days was as good a signal as any that it was time for Ruby to head out. With her mother, short doses were always best.

“I’m just saying that you might want to book yourself a spa vacation where you can take this Spencer character in case you and the dog don’t win,” her mother said as she accepted Ruby’s parting kiss. “You’ll need the distraction. You never did take losing well.”

Ruby wasn’t sure whether it was the insinuation that she could afford a spa vacation after paying her mother’s electric bill or the idea of whisking Spencer Wilson away for a romantic weekend that upset her most, but there was no denying her sudden swell of annoyance.

“I have no problem with losing,” she said. She whistled for Wheezy, knowing full well that the animal wouldn’t come but determined to try anyway. “I lose things all the time. Control, my keys, promotions…”

Her mom only smiled. It was such a typical mom expression—that worldly, matronly knowing—that Ruby almost forgave her for it. Almost.

“Of course you don’t, honey. That’s why you work at a nursing home.”

Ruby whirled on her. “What’s that supposed to mean? I work there because I like it. It has nothing to do with winning or losing.”

“Forget I mentioned it.”

“Even if I didn’t, it’s not as if I had a strong scholastic foundation to build on. I missed more school as a kid than all the rest of the students combined. What other choice do I have?”

“Very true. I’ve always been a terrible mother.”

“Mom!” Ruby released a sound somewhere between a laugh and a cry. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it. I’m happy with my life—I really am. It’s not the glory you wanted for me, but I get by.”

Her mom might have had more to say, but the landline inside the house started ringing just then. Wheezy took immediate exception to the sound and started barking with all his might. And his might—with his ninety-five pounds of heft to back it up—was considerable.

“That’s probably another bill collector. You’d better get it while I try to wrangle this dog of yours into the car. Unless you’d rather switch…?”

The idea of tackling Wheezy was much more daunting than the possibility of hundreds of dollars in unpaid bills. With only a slight sigh, Ruby left to answer the phone.