Page 11 of The Flyboy's Girl
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 anabsolute 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 Milliehasprobably 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?”
