Love Finds You at Home for Christmas (11 page)

“Sorry I was late,” Cliff said once they were alone. “I hurried as fast as I could. We were tied up most of the day with an electrical problem over on one of the other detonator lines.” He motioned toward the door. “You ready to go?”

She followed him out the dorm and to the car. “Lola told me Harold has something special planned for Friday,” she said once they'd pulled away from the dorm. “Do you know anything about it?”

He looked over at her and grinned. “Can you keep a secret?”

She widened her eyes. “Of course. Do tell.”

“Harold has tickets for them to go see a game in Fayetteville next weekend. He's never said for sure, but I suspect he'll be talking to her daddy while they're there and asking for her hand in marriage.”

Ruby let out a breath. “Oh my. Really? Doesn't that seem awfully fast?”

Cliff laughed. “I thought girls were supposed to be all caught up in romance and weddings. Is that a hint of cynicism I hear?” He pulled the car into the parking lot at the diner.

“I don't think I'm your typical girl when it comes to stuff like that.”

Cliff grinned at her, his blue eyes dancing. “Typical is definitely not a word I'd use to describe you.” He got out of the car and came around to open her door.

She giggled. “Well, thanks. But I'm being serious.” She took the hand he offered and let him help her out of the car.

Once they'd ordered and were seated, Cliff looked at her from across the table. “What do you mean when you say you aren't typical when it comes to stuff like that?”

Ruby took a sip of Coca-Cola. “You know how some girls are. They think their life doesn't start until they get married.” She shrugged. “I'm not that way.”

“No, you aren't. It's easy to see that you've gone out and grabbed the kind of life you want. I think it's really neat. You'll have a college degree soon, and you're getting great work experience here.” Cliff grinned. “Those are things to be proud of.”

She returned his smile. “Most people think I'm crazy, you know. Even Hazel.”

“For wanting to have a little independence and your own job?” Cliff shook his head. “I can't believe Hazel would think that was crazy. Didn't she encourage you to apply at the AOP in the first place?”

Ruby frowned. “I mean, they think it's crazy that I never want to get married or have a family.” She took a sip of her drink and watched the color drain from his face. Was he ill?

“Cliff, are you okay?” She peered at his ashen face, wondering what in the world was wrong.

* * * * *

Cliff didn't quite know what to say. And words usually came pretty easily to him. “Never?” He forced the word out of his mouth.

Ruby nodded. “I told you that before, remember?”

He stared at the beautiful girl across the table and wondered if this was some kind of practical joke. Maybe Harold was behind it. He glanced around, but Harold didn't pop out from behind the next table. “But I thought you just weren't ready for it
now.
I didn't know you
never
wanted to get married. Why ever not? Is it—is it because of Joseph?”

Ruby sighed. “It's true that I don't ever want to feel hurt like that again. But it's more than that. Have I told you before about what it was like for me growing up?”

“Just that you grew up on a farm and have three brothers. And you played basketball when you were in high school.”

“We went through some pretty tough times, depending on the crops and all. Some years were better than others. Life on a farm can be hard. I watched my mama work as hard as any man.” She sighed. “And I'm not afraid of hard work. That's not what I'm saying at all. I don't mind work. I just…I saw how hard it can be to be the wife of a farmer and work hard on the farm while raising kids.”

“So because of that, you don't
ever
want to get married?” How could she write off something like that just because of a limited experience? Ruby was usually open-minded, but he could see she had her mind made up about this.

“Cliff, do you know how close I came to being a widow? That terrifies me now. And that's the reality for so many women these days. I think I've told you about my cousin Lucille. She's three months older than I am. She got married right out of high school and has a baby now. I know I should look at her life and be envious, but I'm not. Not even a little bit.” Ruby ducked her head. “It sounds so shameful and selfish when I say it out loud, doesn't it? I mean, she's married to a wonderful man who adores her and whom she adores. But all I can think is that she's never going to get off of that farm. She'll never live anywhere else. She'll just stay right there like her mama did and like my mama did.” She sighed. “And her husband, Donald, was drafted last year. What if he doesn't make it back? What if she ends up having to run a farm and raise a baby all by herself? Never able to leave the farm, even if she wanted to.”

“And you want something more,” he said softly. “You don't want to end up stuck somewhere following someone else's dream.”

Ruby managed a small smile. “Since the country went to war, there've been new opportunities for women. Just like me becoming the line inspector at the AOP. That never would've happened a few years ago. Even back when I met Joseph, that wasn't really an option. But now…there are doors open that didn't used to be. And I want to make sure I take advantage of the opportunities that come my way. I don't want to settle down right away and miss the chance to have an adventure and see things I've never seen before.”

Cliff had never given much thought to stuff like that. He had to admit that some of what she said made sense—some, but not all. “No one says you have to marry a farmer.” He took a sip of his Coca-Cola. “You might end up marrying someone who thinks like you do and who wants to have adventures too.” He had himself in mind but didn't want to point it out. He was pretty sure he'd made his feelings for her clear. He might not have spelled them out, but surely she knew.

Ruby sighed. “I still say life would be much less complicated if I stayed on my own.”

He flinched. Life might be less complicated alone, but it sure wouldn't be as much fun. He'd just have to show Ruby how nice it could be to have someone around. He'd change her mind. Cliff forced a cheerful expression. “Looks like our order is ready.” He hurried toward the counter, already formulating his plan.

Chapter Twelve

.................................

November 20, 1943

* * * * *

“It's so wonderful to see you!” Ruby exclaimed. She pulled Hazel into a tight hug. “You look beautiful. Pine Bluff must really suit you.” She grinned. “Or maybe it's just marriage.”

Hazel grinned. “Thank you. Seems that something here agrees with you too.” She raised her eyebrows. “I think I might know what that is.” She leaned close to Ruby. “And I can't wait to hear all about it.”

Ruby blushed. Of course Hazel would want details about her and Cliff. And her friend knew her well enough to know if she was leaving something out…so the story of their kiss would probably come out. “There isn't really much to talk about.”

“Come on, Ruby.” Hazel steered her into her old bedroom. A blueand-white quilt was spread over the bed. Hazel sat down on the edge. “Are you and Cliff more than friends yet? Have you made it official?”

Ruby frowned. “It isn't like that. I told you he was my best friend. That's really all I know.”

“Troy is my best friend.” Hazel cocked her head. “In fact, I'd think that would be a quality you were looking for.”

Ruby paced the small room. “That's just it. I'm not looking for anything. You know that.”

“Do you mean to tell me that you don't have feelings for him? Because if you tell me that, I'll leave you alone about it.”

Ruby wrinkled her nose. “I wouldn't exactly say that I don't have
any
feelings for him. But I'm choosing to ignore those, and I'm getting ready to go back and finish school. Then, who knows where I'll end up.” She shrugged. “I may decide to move off to a big city. So there's no point in my getting involved with someone when I don't know what the future holds.”

Hazel put her face in her hands and groaned. “Ruby McFadden, you are impossible. None of us knows what the future holds. We just pray about it and trust that we'll find the right path.”

Ruby flounced down on the bed next to Hazel. “Well, maybe that's what I'm doing. I'm just not sure about things right now. Maybe everything will become clearer over the next month. My last day at the AOP is just a few days before Christmas, and then I'm going home until the spring semester starts.”

Hazel sighed. “I'm only looking out for you, you know.”

“I appreciate it, but I'm fine. I'll be fine.” Even to her own ears, the proclamation didn't sound convincing.

“Will you? Are you sure about that, Ruby?”

Ruby sighed. “Can I tell you something if you promise not to tell me I'm silly?”

“Of course.”

“I do love the idea of being independent and of living my own life. But sometimes I wonder if it's just because I'm scared.” She traced the pattern of the quilt with her finger. “As long as it's just me, I'm in control. But the minute I let my life get tangled with someone else…anything could happen. There are no guarantees.”

“But Ruby, you're
not
in control. And it doesn't matter if you're on your own in a big city or married with ten kids way out in the country. God is in control. Are you forgetting that?”

Ruby's own words to Cliff came back to her, the words she'd used after he told her how Charlie died. She'd told Cliff he had to trust that God had a plan. That God was bigger than all the bad stuff. Bigger than the wars and the sadness. She'd preached it to him, but she sure didn't practice it in her own life. “I guess I need to be reminded of that sometimes,” she said softly. “But I'm still not sure the risk associated with love is worth it.”

“It is,” Hazel said. “Because without that, you're not left with much else.” She smiled. “You just think about it for a few days, okay? I'm not saying Cliff is the fellow for you—although I do think there's something special between y'all. But I'm saying maybe you need to reconsider what's really important.”

“Maybe so.” Ruby could at least concede that much. She smiled to herself, realizing she must not be as stubborn as she used to be. Not too long ago she would've clung to her opinion no matter what.

Hazel stood up. “Daddy has been telling me about how good the molasses cookies are with the pecans added to them. How about you go show me how it's done?”

“I'd be glad to.” Ruby linked arms with her friend and headed toward the kitchen. She caught sight of Cliff in the living room, playing cards with Troy. Just knowing he was near warmed her heart.

And she knew that on this Thanksgiving, he was one of the things she was most thankful for.

* * * * *

“Everything looks so delicious,” Cliff said once they were all gathered around the table. “This is definitely a special Thanksgiving.” Made even more special by the girl next to him.

Aunt Ida beamed. “I have to thank Hazel and Ruby for their contributions. We are in for a feast.”

Cliff cast a glance in Ruby's direction. She looked beautiful in a rose-colored sweater and black skirt. The guys at the AOP had often joked that she looked like a pinup, but there was so much more to her than physical beauty. They had no idea.