Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Ruby – July 1941

Stopping to look in one of the car side mirrors, Millie asks once again, “Are you sure my hair looks okay?”

Last week, Millie spotted an absolute dreamboat, on our way out the door, and it’s all she has talked about this week. She even went so far as to assure me that she would have spoken to him, but we would have broken curfew, and neither of us were willing to do that. Our parents were sticklers for rules, and we knew there was a price to pay for breaking them.

“Yes, for the fifth time, your hair looks perfect,” I say in mock exasperation. Although Millie has probably asked more like ten times so my exasperation was warranted. “Come on,” I say, taking her hand and dragging her toward the door, “or that guy you’ve been fawning over all week is going to find someone else to dance with.”

Gasping Millie’s hand flies to her chest, “Bite your tongue Ruby Thorpe!”

Laughing at her response, I tug on her hand and continue to the entrance. The minute we step through the door, Millie’s eyes begin scanning the room. Grabbing my hand, she whisper squeals, “He’s here!”

Following her line of vision across the room to where the object of Millie’s affection stood speaking to someone. I watched as their eyes met and the smile on his face widened. Millie was right he was dreamy. Tall, with dark hair and a chiseled jaw, it was easy to see why Millie had been swooning over him all week.

Then it happened, the man he had been speaking with turned looking first at Millie and then locking his gaze on me. Unable to tear my gaze from his, I hear Millie mutter, “Well, well it looks like my dream guy brought a friend with him tonight.”

Swallowing to moisten my suddenly dry mouth, I finally manage to respond, “Looks like it.”

Not until Millie tightens her grip on my hand, do I look away and focus back on her. “They’re coming this way!”

Before I can comprehend what’s happening, they’re standing in front of us.

“Hello ladies, I’m Don and this is my buddy Paul,” he says as he introduces both of them.

“Hi,” Millie says while effectively batting her eyelashes at Don. “I’m Millie and this is Ruby.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” Don says not taking his eyes off Millie. “So Millie, can I get you a drink?”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea,” Millie says as she threads her arm through Don’s and they walk toward the table holding a punch bowl.

Turning a dazzling smile my way, Paul says, “Well it looks like I’ve been left alone with the most beautiful girl here.”

Blushing, I shyly look down then back up through my lashes. “Thank you.”

As the music begins to slow, Paul turns to me. “Ruby, would you like to dance?”

I smile at his invitation. “I’d love to.”

Paul takes my hand in his and leads me to the dance floor, twirling me once before pulling me into his arms, causing me to giggle.

“Well that might be the best sound I’ve ever heard,” he says causing me to blush yet again.

“You may need to get out of the city more,” I tease.

Throwing his head back, Paul laughs, a rich deep sound I’m sure I could get used to hearing. “Beautiful and quick-witted, I could be in trouble.”

Smiling back into his sparkling blue eyes I reply, “As long as you mind your manners, you should be fine.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Paul’s voice was filled with laughter, joy even, but there was also the hint of an accent I couldn’t quite place. “What brings you to California Paul?”

“What makes you think I’m not from California?”

Raising a brow at him in question I ask, “Are you?”

Laughing he shakes his head, “No. What about you, are you a California girl?”

Shaking my head, I admit, “No, I’ve only been here a little over a year.”

“Still, it sounds like you are the perfect person to show me around this week while I’m here.”

I can’t stop the wave of disappointment that crashes over me. “So you’re just visiting?”

“No, I’ll be around, but I may not have as much free time after this week.”

“So more work and less dancing is that it?”

“Something like that. Although I would always make time for dancing with you.”

“You sir, are very charming.”

As the music begins to pick up, Paul pulls me close and says, “Come on, let’s get something to drink and you can tell me more about yourself.”

Placing his hand on the small of my back, Paul guides us over to the drink table. “What would you like to drink?”

“Just punch please.”

Taking two cups of punch from the attendant, Paul leads us over to an empty table in the corner. Placing the cups on the table, he pulls out a chair for me before taking his own seat.

“You never told me where you’re from,” I say before taking a sip of my punch.

“Neither did you,” he challenges with a smile that makes his blue eyes sparkle.

“That’s true, I didn’t. My father is in the military so I’ve lived in a few places. All stateside. Before moving to California, we were in Illinois.”

“That must have been quite a change for you moving from the cold of the mid-west to sunshine.”

“It was, but a very nice change. I’ll take the warm sunny days anytime.” I take another sip of my punch before prodding him to tell me about himself. “Now you know where I’m from, tell me about you.”

He chuckles a bit before looking up from his cup. “I was born and raised in Nebraska. Grew up on my parents’ farm, where we raised cows and corn.”

“So what are you doing in California?”

“Getting ready to start a new adventure.”

“That sounds exciting.”

“I hope so. Of course, I have to admit,” Paul says as he reaches across the table and takes my hand in his, causing me to look up into his mesmerizing blue eyes. “It has been so far,” he replies causing me to blush.

Caught up in the moment, my voice barely above a whisper, I ask, “How’s that?”

Paul leans in close as if he’s about to relay a secret, so I do the same. “Because today I met the prettiest girl I’ve ever laid eyes on, and I’m hoping that I get to spend more time with her.”

Searching his blue eyes, I see nothing but sincerity in his words. “I have a feeling she would like to spend time with you too.”

“I’m glad to hear that, because I think it’s time for another dance.” Standing from his seat and extending his hand to me, Paul leads us back out to the dance floor, where I spend to the next three songs held within his arms.

When the last song ends, we make our way back to our table, only to be stopped by Millie and Don.

“Hi you two,” Millie says as they step up beside us. “Having a good time?”

“We are,” I readily reply while leaning into Paul’s side. “What about you?”

“It’s been a perfect night,” Millie dreamily replies while gazing up at Don, who matches her starry gaze with his own.

“We should be going soon Millie, we don’t want to be late.”

With a sigh and a slump of her shoulders, Millie agrees. “You’re right, we should or we won’t be able to come back tomorrow.”

Paul’s arm tightens around my waist, causing me to look up as he asks, “So we’ll get to see you tomorrow night too?”

“Yes, as far as I know,” I answer and watch the smile on Paul’s handsome face grow.

“Hey,” Don says gaining our attention. “Why don’t you girls meet up with us early, and we’ll grab a bite before the dance?”

Millie’s head snaps in my direction, “Oh can we Ruby?”

“I don’t see why not, we can get our chores completed in plenty of time.”

Don chuckles, “Chores? How old are you girls anyway?”

“Ruby turns eighteen in two weeks, and my birthday was last month.” Popping her hand on her hip Millie gives Don a stern look. “Is that a problem for you?”

Don laughs and raises his hands in surrender, “No, not at all. Just making sure we aren’t breaking any laws.”

Now that we are on the subject, and my curiosity has been piqued, I ask, “How old are you guys?”

“Twenty,” Paul says and then looks to me and says, “I hope that’s not a problem.”

I smile and shake my head, “No, it’s not a problem at all.”