Love Finds You at Home for Christmas (2 page)

She returned his smile. “Just put it down. Hazel and her cousin are coming to pick me up. They'll be here any minute.”

Wade scooped her up in a hug. “Don't you forget where you come from, Ruby Jean,” he whispered against her hair. “Not everyone has the same values as you.” He pulled back and looked her in the eye. “Promise me you'll call me if you need me, okay?”

Tears stung her eyes. She might complain about her brothers being overprotective, but they always wanted what was best for her. “Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. This is what I want.”

Wade nodded. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I have something for you.” He grinned and pulled a burlap sack from the front seat. “I guess out of all of us, Mama knows you best. She was so sure you'd go through with your new summer job, she sent you a care package to take with you.”

Ruby eagerly grabbed the sack from his hands. “Pecans and sorghum molasses!” She rifled through the bag, already imagining a batch of her famous chewy molasses cookies, which she'd whip up once she had access to a stove. “And letters from Mama and Lucille!” She knew Mama would be disappointed she wasn't coming home this summer, but this was her way of letting Ruby know it was okay. “Thanks for bringing this.” She hugged Wade one more time then watched him get in the car.

“Bye, R.J. See you soon.” He pulled the car away from the dorm. “And be careful,” he called with a wave out the open window.

Ruby stood on the sidewalk and watched until she could no longer see the taillights. Despite the butterflies in her stomach, she felt proud of herself for sticking to her guns and taking a job in the city. She'd come to college without knowing anyone, and that had turned out okay. And starting her new job at the plant would be even easier, because she already knew Hazel, and they were going to try to get on the same shift.

She glanced down at her stuffed suitcase, thankful she'd had enough room inside to include her prized possession. She'd saved up all last year to buy her own radio. The other girls in her suite used to come to Ruby's room to hang out just so they could hear Frank Sinatra croon one of his hits.

An older model sedan pulled up alongside her.

“Excuse me, miss.” The driver stuck his head out the window, and Ruby found herself staring into the crystal-blue eyes of the most handsome man she'd ever seen in real life.

“Yes?” she asked, smoothing the skirt of her dress. At least she'd put on some lipstick before she left the dorm.

“Can you tell me where the women's dorm is? I've never been to campus before.” He grinned.

Ruby chuckled. “Well, you did a pretty good job for someone who's never been here. You're right in front of it.” She gestured at the large brick building behind her.

The man put the car in park and climbed out. He had an athletic build, and his blond hair had a slight wave to it. Not curly, just wavy. She thought she saw the slightest hint of a dimple in his chin. He caught Ruby's gaze, and his blue eyes twinkled. “Is everything okay?”

She realized she must've been gawking and felt the heat rise up her face. “I'm fine. Just waiting on my friend and her cousin. They're giving me a ride to Jacksonville. I'm starting a new job there.” She didn't know why she felt the need to offer an explanation.

His grin grew wider. “You must be Ruby McFadden. Hazel told me all about you.” He stuck out a hand. “I'm her cousin, Cliff Hamilton.”

Ruby took the hand he offered. “Where's Hazel?” She noticed he had strong hands. They were calloused from working, just like Papa's. Papa had always said you could tell a lot about a man by his hands.

Cliff reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. “Here you go. This should explain.”

“Ruby!” Betty Jo Simmons called from the dorm entrance. “Can you come here for just a second?”

Ruby flashed a smile at Cliff. “Excuse me for a minute. That sounds important.” She hurried toward the dorm, resisting the urge to look over her shoulder to make sure Cliff wasn't some kind of mirage. A very handsome mirage.

Betty Jo grabbed Ruby by the arm and pulled her through the door. “Who
is
that?” she asked, her round face glowing.

Ruby giggled. Of all of her friends, Betty Jo was the most boy crazy. Of course she'd want the details of the handsome man outside.

Ruby quickly unfolded the note he'd handed her and skimmed Hazel's neat script. “Apparently he's Hazel's cousin. Hazel says she couldn't make it, that she has big news and will see me in Jacksonville.” Ruby furrowed her brow and looked back up at Betty Jo. “But I can't ride with him all the way to Jacksonville. He's a stranger.”

Betty Jo gripped Ruby's arm tighter as she looked out the dorm window. “A stranger who is putting your suitcase in his car,” she squealed. “Of course you can go with him. He's Hazel's cousin. It's only a couple of hours. Besides, he's absolutely drooly!”

“I'll ask him to take me to the bus station. I'm sure he has better things to do than play chauffeur to his cousin's friend.”

“I don't think so.” Betty Jo grinned, her brown eyes gleaming with mischief. “Any guy would love to play chauffeur to a pretty girl like you. Has anyone ever told you pink is one of your best colors?”

Ruby glanced down at her red-and-white gingham dress. “I'm not wearing pink.”

“I'm talking about that blush on your cheeks.” Betty Jo giggled. “Admit it, you think he's dreamy.”

Ruby crossed her arms. “I don't know him. And you know good and well that I don't date anymore.” It was a long-standing argument between them. Betty Jo just couldn't understand Ruby's resolve to stay single.

Betty Jo made a face. “But it's so romantic. He's come to pick you up and will probably fall in love with you on the way to the ordnance plant.” She clasped her hands under her chin and batted her eyelashes. “It's just like in the movies.”

“This movie is going to end at the bus station.” Ruby shook her head. “Now I'd better go.” She patted her friend on the arm. “See you in the fall. Try and stay out of trouble this summer.”

Betty Jo frowned. “I'll be stuck here in classes and you'll be off in the city, falling in love with a man who looks just like that picture of John Wayne hanging on my bulletin board.” She'd torn the cover off of an issue of
Look
magazine last year and had been mooning over it ever since. Betty Jo sighed dramatically. “Some girls have all the luck.”

Ruby giggled and looked out the window. He
was
ruggedly handsome; even she could admit that much. But since she wasn't in the market for a beau, it didn't matter.

Not even a little bit.

* * * * *

Cliff Hamilton paced the sidewalk in front of the girls' dorm. It had been a few years since he'd been on a college campus—not since he was the star football player at Arkansas A&M. Just the memory of the time he'd spent there was enough to make him long for the past.

Thinking of football made him think of high school, when he and his little brother, Charlie, had been the big guys on campus. The quarterback and running back for the Ozark High School Hillbillies, they'd been inseparable.

When Charlie had been drafted, Cliff had left college and joined up immediately. No way was his baby brother going off to fight in a war without him.

Cliff stopped pacing and put the memory of Charlie's freckled face out of his mind. This was not the time for a trip down memory lane.

“Cliff?” Ruby asked softly. “You look like you're a million miles away.”

She wasn't far from the truth. He forced a smile. “Ready?” He jerked his head toward the car. “I've already put your suitcase in the car.” He chuckled. “Your
heavy
suitcase. What do you have in there? A boulder?”

Instead of laughing like he'd expected, she frowned. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to pick it up at all. I could've gotten it myself.”

He opened the passenger door and motioned for her to get in. “I was only kidding about the boulder.” He grinned. “Maybe just a rock collection?”

Finally a grin. “It's my radio. I couldn't bear to leave it behind.” She absently raked a hand through coal-black curls. “I know there's a possibility the roommate I'm assigned to will have one, but I don't want to take the chance. I sure don't want to be without music all summer.”

“A girl after my own heart. I'm partial to Glenn Miller myself. How about you?”

She nodded. “He's one of my favorites too.”

Cliff motioned toward the car again. “Are you going to get in? We won't get very far standing out here on the sidewalk.”

Ruby leveled her green eyes on him. “I suppose you're right. But don't worry about taking me all the way to Jacksonville. You can just drop me off at the bus station.” She primly climbed in the car and looked up at him. “If you don't mind, that is.”

Cliff closed the door and walked around to the driver's side. Leave it to Hazel to send him on a wild goose chase after some girl who didn't want his help in the first place. He started the car and looked over at Ruby. “I do mind.”

She turned to face him, her eyes wide. “You do?”

He nodded. “I told Hazel I'd give you a ride to Jacksonville, and that's what I'm gonna do.”

“I'd prefer to take the bus.” She lifted her chin, a defiant expression on her pretty face.

Cliff shook his head and turned the car toward the main road. “Have you taken the bus to Jacksonville by yourself before?”

She cleared her throat. “Well…no. But that doesn't mean I can't.”

“Can't and shouldn't are two different things. Besides, you won't know where to go once you get to Jacksonville.”

“I could figure it out, I'll bet.”

He couldn't help but grin at her independent streak. “I'm sure you could, but there's no need. See, I'm headed that way myself. And I know we just met and you'll have to form your own opinion about this, but I'm a gentleman. And a gentleman doesn't leave a lady with a suitcase as heavy as yours on the side of the road so she can take a bus to a strange place.” He didn't have to look at her to know she was sending a dirty look in his direction. “Besides, what would your daddy say if I dropped you off to fend for yourself like that?”

“He'd probably say that I'm a smart girl. And if I'm able enough to go to college and get a job at the ordnance plant, then I'm able to find my own way.”

Cliff laughed. “How about we agree to disagree? You just settle back and enjoy the ride. I'll take care of the rest.” He flipped on the radio. “And if we're lucky maybe we can hear some Glenn Miller.” He looked over and gave her a wink. “I might just sing along.”

Ruby rolled her eyes but didn't fuss when they passed the bus station.

Cliff fought to keep his eyes on the road ahead and not let them stray to the girl in the passenger seat. Her simple red-and-white checked dress showed off a dynamite figure, and her heart-shaped face reminded him of Vivian Leigh. She was definitely a looker, and boy did she have spunk.

His daddy had always said that the good Lord sent people into your life at the moment you needed them.

And he had to wonder if Ruby wasn't just what he needed.

Chapter Two

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

The nerves hit Ruby once they arrived at the gatehouse outside the ordnance plant. Even though she had looked forward to having an adventure and doing her part for the war effort, she couldn't help but wonder what she'd gotten herself into.

“You okay?” Cliff asked once he'd shown the guard his credentials and they'd been granted clearance to move on.

She frowned. “I'm fine.” She didn't want Cliff, of all people, to know how nervous she felt. For some reason his “in charge” attitude annoyed her. She'd spent her whole life trying to prove to her brothers that she was just as capable as they were. But Cliff didn't seem to think she could find her way out of a paper bag.

He pointed toward a large multi-story building. “That's the administration building. That'll probably need to be your first stop. I think you'll need to fill out some paperwork and get your photo badge and all.” He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a round badge with his photo on it that was emblazoned with his name and F
ORD
, B
ACON
,
AND
D
AVIS
, I
NC
., A
RKANSAS
O
RDNANCE
P
LANT
in bold letters. “You'll have a badge similar to this that will give you access at the gates and buildings.” He peered at her. “Do you know what your job will be? Powder weigher? Detonator girl?” He grinned. “Or maybe some kind of secretary?”

She hadn't given much thought to what her job would be. Hazel had told her the money was good, and it would definitely pay better than pig farming. “I'm not sure,” she murmured. “But whatever it is, I'll do my best.” She raised an eyebrow, hoping it made her look like Scarlett O'Hara from
Gone with the Wind.
“And maybe I'll end up being a line inspector or supervisor. Hazel says sometimes girls with a few years of college get promoted quickly.”

Cliff nodded silently, as if sizing her up. “You know what? I wouldn't put it past you. Just as long as you don't end up supervising me.” He laughed. “I'm an electrician.”

Ruby grinned. “I'm not planning on working in that department, so I don't think you have to worry about it.” She sighed. “Thanks for the ride.”

“Oh, I'm not just dumping you out here. You'll have a hard time with that suitcase. I'll wait right here until you're through so I can help you to your dorm.”

She paused with her hand on the door handle. “You don't have to.”