Chapter 6

Locke Pointe, Easton Island: 28 years earlier.

"Dad wants me to tell you I'm no longer allowed to see you." Ruby bit her lower lip, fighting back tears.

Gabe clenched his fists, tensing up. "Why?"

"He thinks you're too old for me."

"You're almost eighteen, Ruby," he argued. "In another few months, you'll be old enough to decide for yourself who you want to be with."

"But until then, he's forbidding me to see you. He's even threatening to have Mr. and Mrs. Locke fire you and file a police report."

"For what?"

"Solicitation of a minor." Ruby choked back a sob. "I don't want you to lose your job or go to jail. I think we should take a step back, let things cool off, and wait for a few months. Then, like you said, I'll be eighteen and considered an adult."

Gabe made a move toward the door. "I'm going to go talk to your father."

Ruby lunged forward and began pleading with him. "Please don't. He's in a terrible mood. Remember, the Coates are close to the Locke family. We don't know how Mr. or Mrs. Locke will react if my dad asks them to fire you."

"They're my family. Besides, I can find another job," Gabe said.

"Where?" Ruby's eyes filled with tears. "Here on the island? You know how hard it is to find work. You would have to go to the mainland and then where would you be?" She answered her own question. "Even farther away from me."

Gabe's shoulders sagged. He reached into his pocket and touched the ring box…the engagement ring he planned to give to Ruby that very same night. He'd saved every extra penny he had to buy it.

Perhaps a few weeks, maybe even a couple of months, wouldn't be a big deal. At least they would still be able to see each other, even if it was only from a distance.

Still, it wasn't fair. He had done nothing inappropriate, nothing to upset Bruce Newlin, at least as far as he knew.

Gabe loved Ruby. Loved her with all of his heart.

"Please, Gabe," Ruby whispered. "I don't want Mr. and Mrs. Locke to fire you. It will only be for a little while. By the time my eighteenth birthday comes, we can talk to father, convince him we're in love."

"What does he want for you?" Gabe asked.

Ruby looked away. She knew exactly what her father wanted. He'd spelled it out in no uncertain terms. He expected his daughter to marry someone with loftier aspirations. Someone who could provide her with a home of her own. Even though Gabe was a Locke, he was farther down the chain—a lowly family member who wasn't an estate owner, but an estate employee.

"He wants you to marry someone with money?" Gabe asked bluntly.

"He thinks I'm too young to be in a serious relationship." Ruby hurried on. "If we give him a little time, I'm sure he'll see he's wrong."

Gabe locked eyes with Ruby. The love of his life. He'd known from the moment he laid eyes on her that she was the one for him. He could never tell her "no." Gabe loved her too much.

He reluctantly relented. "Okay, but only until your eighteenth birthday. We'll pretend to be friends until then."

"And as soon as I do, we'll go to him together." Ruby threw her arms around Gabe's neck. "Thank you, Gabe. I was so worried Dad would follow through on his threat to have you fired or thrown in jail."

"I'm not going anywhere." Gabe ran a light hand across her cheek and gently kissed her lips. It would all work out. He was in it for the long haul. He would prove to Bruce Newlin he loved his daughter and would take care of her until the day he died.

All he needed was a little time.

*****

Grace finished the story. "Gabe woke up the next morning only to find Ruby was gone. He was brokenhearted. I heard about the ring, how he planned to propose to Ruby, but before he could, Uncle Bruce packed up the family and left the island in the middle of the night."

Morgan pressed her hand to her chest. "Before they even had a chance to say goodbye?"

Grace nodded. "Gabe quit his job and left Easton Island not long after. I guess I never gave two thoughts about what happened to the ring."

"He built a special compartment for it above the half-moon windows. The ring and the wooden heart have been hidden away for all these years."

"Gabe was a master craftsman. He helped build many of the custom woodwork pieces at Locke Pointe. In fact, he probably could've gotten a job on the mainland with no problem."

"But he didn't want to leave Ruby." Morgan hesitated. "Is Gabe…"

"Still alive? I believe so. From what I remember, he joined the Army not long after Ruby moved away." Grace pressed her hand to her forehead. "Gosh, I think I heard a while ago that he moved back. He built a small cabin in the middle of the forest and spends most of his time there, although I can't be certain."

"What about Ruby?"

Grace shrugged. "I have no idea. Dad might know more about how to track down Uncle Bruce and Ruby."

"Maybe I could start with Gabe, unless you think it would open old wounds." Morgan stared at the ring…a ring holding so many hopes and dreams. What had happened to Ruby? Maybe if she found Ruby first, she could solve part of the puzzle about what had happened.

But then again, maybe it would only make matters worse. Still, if Gabe was living like a hermit in the woods, he clearly had never gotten over his true love.

"I'll think about it a little."

"Like I said, you could start with Dad," Grace suggested. "He might be able to fill in the blanks. I was pretty young at the time."

"Thanks, Grace." Morgan hugged her friend. "I don't know what I'll do, but it seems maybe it's worth the effort to do a little more digging around."

She tucked the jewelry box inside her pocket and headed back to Locke Pointe. It was a tragic story, for sure. How would Ruby…or Gabe react if Morgan showed up on their doorstep, telling them she'd found the ring?

It didn't belong to her. At the very least, she should return it to the rightful owner.

Morgan rounded the corner of the house and reached the front porch. She noticed Ronni standing near the railing talking to a man who looked vaguely familiar.

As she drew closer, Morgan realized she recognized him. Not only recognized him but was more than a little surprised to see exactly who was standing on her doorstep.