Ruby's Choice (Ditch Lane Diaries Book 1) Read online

  Ruby straightened her spine, lifted her chin, looked Dreamy straight in his eyes, and flashed him a Colgate Ultra Brite smile. “Will that be all for you today?”

  Mr. Dreamy said, “Yes, ma’am. This is it. Y’all been busy today?” His voice had a sweet Southern drawl.

  Ruby began ringing up their items on the cash register. “Yes, Fridays and Saturdays are the worst.” She tossed a glance over her shoulder to make sure Mr. Burns hadn’t heard her.

  Green Eyes turned to see who she was looking at and then turned back to her and winked. “You’re safe; he’s not looking.” He paused slightly and then said, “Hey, we’re looking for Ditch Lane. George Glenn invited us to a party there tonight. Would you mind giving me directions?”

  Ruby placed their items in a brown paper bag. Her head shot up when she heard the bells chime from the store door opening again, and more people came in. Crap, it’s time to close. Don’t people ever read the hours on the front door? She looked back to the guys at the counter. “That’ll be sixty-five cents.” She paused and then said, “George Glenn? He’s my brother.”

  Dreamy placed sixty-five cents on the counter and leaned in a little too close. “I didn’t realize George had such a pretty sister. I’m Reed Jackson, and this is my friend, Brent Brown.”

  Ruby picked up the money and opened the register drawer, dropping the coins in their specified slots, and said casually, “Nice to meet you. I’m Ruby.”

  Reed pulled his drink out of the bag and popped the top. “Well, hello, Ruby. I like your name. It’s a good ole Southern name.”

  Good ole Southern name…is he joking? She smiled inwardly—surely he had a better pickup line. Ruby’s name had been in the Glenn family tree for generations.

  Brent reached for the bag and pulled out his drink and Snickers bar. He handed the empty bag back to Ruby. “We’re playing on your brother’s baseball team this summer. Do you ever come out and watch him play?”

  Ruby noticed the other customers in the store were nearly finished shopping, and then she returned her attention to Brent. “I haven’t seen him play this year, but I’ll make it to one of his baseball games before the season ends.”

  George had formed an adult men’s baseball team to compete in the Williamson County League in Franklin. He looked for talent around the Middle Tennessee area to play on his team. She wondered where George had found these two. Ruby planned on getting the scoop on Reed and Brent tomorrow when she went swimming with George’s wife, Lizzie.

  Ruby watched Reed as he turned his head around to check out the other shoppers in the store. There was a little boy who was running up and down the aisle with a toy wind fan, and his mother was shouting to the boy to put it back. The little boy was screeching, refusing to let go of the toy.

  Reed shook his head and turned his attention back to her. Reed’s gaze flickered to her lips and then rose back up to her eyes, which made her nervously shift her feet. Her palms began to sweat.

  Reed lifted a brow and then asked, “So, are you going to the party tonight?”

  Ruby sat back on the little stool behind the counter and crossed her arms. Her knee was unconsciously bouncing up and down. She tried to exude a laid-back attitude, but her blood thundered through her veins. “Yeah, I’m meeting some friends there later.”

  Reed placed his arm on the glass bin, leaned closer and asked, with a sly and very sexy sideways grin, “Are they ‘girl’ friends or ‘guy’ friends?”

  Ruby arched her brow and leaned closer to him. “Both.”

  Brent and Reed both laughed loudly at Ruby’s comeback. Brent slapped Reed on the back and said, “She’s got your number, brother.” Reed shrugged his right shoulder and took a step back.

  Little Tommy, the kid who had been running in the aisle, was throwing a huge temper tantrum now as his mother physically removed the toy from his fingers. Mr. Burns walked out of his office to go talk with the boy’s mother. He rustled the hair on the boy’s head and Ruby overheard Mr. Burns tell Tommy’s mom the boy could have the toy.

  Ruby’s eyes were drawn back to Brent. He straightened his shoulders and flexed his chest muscles, as he rubbed his hand down his bicep. Dang, that boy is off the charts!

  Brent placed his arm on the register. “So, what time are you going?”

  “I have to close tonight, so probably in an hour or so. Why?”

  Brent stepped around the counter and whispered in her ear, “So, I can kiss you.”

  Reed shook his head, laughing under his breath. Brent stepped back and shoved his hands in his pockets. He looked so cool—like he expected her to fall at his feet or something.

  Ruby’s face flushed, but she remained in control and brushed off his advance. The lady and her son were walking toward the front of the store now. She jumped off the stool. “Oh, you need directions. Ditch Lane isn’t far from here. Take a right when you pull out of the store’s parking lot onto Highway 99, and then take your first right onto Concord Road. Follow the road for about three miles.”

  Reed raised a hand to interrupt her. “Hold on a minute. Do you have a pencil so I can write this down on my paper bag?” Ruby reached into the drawer under the counter and handed him a pencil. Reed began to write down what she had just told them and then said, “Okay, I’ve got it. What’s after the three miles?” He poised the pencil in his hand to continue writing.

  Ruby slowed down her directions so Reed could keep up. “You’ll come to a huge curve that bears to the right—take the street on the left. That’s Taylor Road. You’ll drive about three more miles, and then you’ll see an old white plantation house on the left. Ditch Lane is on the left before the house’s driveway. You’ll see the cars.”

  Reed finished writing the directions down and then read them back to Ruby to verify he had them correct. His smile broadened. “Cool. Thanks for the directions, and if we don’t see you tonight, I’ll be looking for you at one of the games.”

  Ruby’s hand rested on top of the cash register. Brent gently picked up her hand and rubbed his thumb across the top. “I’ll be looking for you, sweet girl.”

  She stared at Brent but didn’t reply as she nervously bit her bottom lip. She had been unconsciously holding her breath. When they walked out the door, she let out a sigh. Ruby turned her attention to ringing up the last customers of the day.

  Did that just really happen? Those two guys are smoking hot!

  Ruby walked over to Mr. Burns. “Is it okay to place the closed sign on the door and close out the register?”

  He looked up and scratched his head. Mr. Burns walked over to the cash register. “Sure Ruby. I’ll get the register and close out. You’re off tomorrow, but I have you scheduled to work next week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, two o’clock to eight.”

  “Yes, sir. I have marked it on my calendar. Then it’s okay for me to leave?”

  Mr. Burns rubbed his lower back and then tapped her shoulder. “Yes, honey, go have fun, but be safe.”

  * * *

  Ruby drove down the back roads of Everglade. She had her radio blasting while she howled at the full moon. Thirty minutes later she arrived at Ditch Lane. She parked her car and headed out to find her friends and the two hunks from the store.

  Ditch Lane was a dead-end road where a small bridge had been washed out from years of flooding from the creek. During this time of the year, the creek at the end of the lane was not deep enough to swim in, but on a hot summer night it was nice to sit on the bank and let your feet dangle in the water while you partied with your friends. Laughter echoed throughout the hollow, and tunes from the Steve Miller Band’s “Fly like an Eagle” had been cranked up on someone’s car radio. Ruby walked through what seemed to be fifty people, stopping to chat for a second or two with old high school friends, before seeing Anna and Sandy sitting on a log next to the bonfire.

  “Hey, girlie, where have you been?” Sandy asked. She had been talking to Rusty Sanders, an old high school flame.

  “This girl has to work fo
r a living. Guess what?” Ruby said, and continued on without a pause, “Mr. Burns has decided to allow me to negotiate with two of the major food reps for the store. I’m so excited!”

  Anna gave her a hug. “Ruby, that’s rocks!”

  Ruby gave them both high fives. “Yeah, I know I’m pretty psyched about the whole thing.” She took a step closer to Sandy and Anna and then whispered in a low voice so no one else could hear her, “By any chance have y’all seen two gorgeous guys out here looking for my brother?”

  Sandy grabbed a brew from the cooler next to Rusty’s truck and walked with Ruby and Anna to the creek. “Hot dang! They were here with George. I haven’t seen Grade A choice meat like that in a long time.” Sandy fanned herself like she had the vapors and then tipped the can to her lips and took a long drink of her beer.

  The girls sat down by the creek, took off their sandals and placed their feet in the water. The full moon shone through the trees as a gentle warm breeze caressed them. The smell of honeysuckle and a symphony of crickets filled the summer air.

  Anna’s eyes widened and then she looked around to make sure no one had followed them. “Reed and Brent were here. They left because George had to take Lizzie home. She wasn’t feeling very well.” Ruby lay down on the ground and looked up at the stars. Anna turned around to face her and sat cross-legged while Sandy continued to splash her feet in the water.

  Anna looked as though she was getting ready to reveal a big secret. “I met Reed and Brent last semester at a frat party. Girl, that Brent is too hot to handle, and I’ve never seen him date the same girl more than a few times. And Reed is such a hunk! He’s from East Tennessee but lives in Murfreesboro. He’s a senior at MTSU. I think he may have a girlfriend.”

  Ruby rose up with a frown. “Reed has a girlfriend, eh? Dang it, that’s just my luck.”

  Anna caught a firefly and then let it go. She turned to Ruby and asked, “Did y’all talk?”

  Ruby replied, “They needed directions here. They both play on Georgie’s baseball team this summer, and Brent wanted to know if I ever came out to watch the games. Those two made me weak in the knees. Y’all, we have to go to the next game.”

  Sandy stood up and looked back to the bonfire—and at Rusty Sanders. Rusty was motioning for her to come back to him. “Nah, I hate baseball fields. They’re too dusty, even if the dudes are hot.”

  Ruby walked over to the cooler and pulled out a drink as Anna and Sandy headed back to the bonfire. As Ruby daydreamed about Reed and Brent, Jerry McDaniel came up behind her and squeezed her bum.

  “Ruby Jane, you look sweet enough to eat.” Jerry circled his arm around her waist and twirled her around to face him. His eyes were bright and happy while he gently pulled a twig from her hair.

  Ruby threw her arms around his neck and went to give him a kiss on the cheek, but he quickly turned, catching the kiss on his lips instead. She giggled. “Hey, Jerry, I thought your family was at Centerhill Lake this weekend.” They held hands and walked over to the bonfire.

  He grinned mischievously at her, giving her a nudge with his shoulder. “They are at the lake this weekend.” Jerry inched closer to Ruby, burrowing his face in her hair. “Hey, you wanna come over and watch TV? We could make it by the time The Tonight Show starts. So let’s get out of here, okay?”

  Ruby looked around the bonfire and noticed a few new faces, but most of the people here tonight were her friends from high school. She looked up at him and replied, “Okie dokie, Jerry. But I have to tell the girls. I’m supposed to hang out with them tonight.”

  Jerry had been one of Ruby’s best friends ever since he allowed her to cut in line on pizza day when she was eight and he had just turned nine. He lived a short distance from Everglade Farms and would come over after school to play. Back then, he had been a tall, skinny boy with a buzz cut, and now he was a strapping, six-foot-three hunk. He had shoulder-length blond hair, sea blue eyes, and the cutest dimples on either side of his hopelessly beautiful grin. Half the time they’d been at each other’s throats, and the other half, he was trying to stick his tongue down her throat. She loved Jerry; she just wasn’t in love with him.

  Ruby walked over to where Sandy and Anna were standing near the fire. The music and the people were getting louder as the night wore on. “Hey, I just wanted to let you guys know I’m leaving with Jerry, ’kay?”

  “Honey, if you don’t, I will,” Anna said, with a sly smile.

  Ruby linked her arm around Jerry’s waist as he slung his arm over her shoulder. She looked up at him and said, “Come on, Jerry, let’s ride.” Jerry pressed his face into her hair and she laughed. “Jerry, stop. That tickles.” He lifted his head and threw Anna a peace sign.

  As they walked to their cars, Ruby heard Sandy yelling at her in the background. “Don’t sleep late. We’re going swimming tomorrow!”

  * * *

  Ruby drove down one of the curviest roads of Everglade toward Jerry’s house. She turned off her radio and rolled down her windows. It was getting late, and most of the people in the homes she passed had already gone to sleep. The steam from the heat of the day rose off the asphalt and caught in her headlights. She heard the crickets and the occasional bullfrog singing in the night air. The full moon was rising higher in the sky as Ruby climbed Campbell Ridge.

  As Ruby pulled into Jerry’s driveway, she noticed he had flipped on the back floodlights which illuminated the brick ranch-style house, casting long shadows across the yard. Ruby walked along the stone sidewalk and stepped onto the concrete patio that led to the sliding glass doors of the house. She walked over to admire the huge red geraniums and ferns in the clay pots scattered around the perimeter of the patio. There was a black iron patio table and chairs to the far right. The table had a basket of wildflowers as a centerpiece. Ruby inhaled the flowers catching a whiff of lavender and heather. Then she walked through the sliding glass doors without knocking.

  Jerry gave her a big hug. “Did you have a hard day at work, honey?”

  “Uh huh, I sure did. I’m dying of thirst. Do you have any Cokes or sweet tea?” Ruby plopped down on a barstool, swinging her legs back and forth as she thumbed through the pages of the most recent People magazine. Jerry walked over to the fridge and grabbed a couple of Cokes and a big bag of Peanut M&M’s. Jerry handed her a Coke and then poured the candy into a big glass bowl and placed it on the coffee table.

  Jerry turned on one of the crystal table lamps that flanked the oversized, orange floral couch. Jerry’s mom, who spent her First Savings and Loan lunch breaks stealing ideas from the discount furniture store next door, had arranged their den with Sunday afternoon football games in mind.

  Jerry grabbed the remote off the coffee table and clicked the television on. He stretched his legs out in front of the couch and motioned for Ruby to sit by him. “Come here, honey bun. Tell me about your day.”

  Ruby sat down beside Jerry and crossed her legs. She grabbed a handful of M& M’s and popped them in her mouth one at a time. “Oh, you know, same ole, same ole. It was busy today. I worked on the display window. I set up the front sale aisle with all the new items for the summer store traffic. And then a couple of shipments came in I had to price and shelf. What did you do?”

  “I cut hay in the hundred-acre field. I hope to get the bales up before the rain sets in. I had a few minor tractor issues, but at least the hay is cut.”

  Jerry flipped to channel four. Johnny Carson had just wrapped up his monologue. Johnny was introducing Angie Dickenson when Jerry draped his arm around Ruby and, scooting her closer to him, began nibbling on her ear. “Mmmm, Ruby, you smell just like pickles.”

  Ruby laughed so hard her shoulders shook. “I dropped a jar of pickles unloading one of the cartons this afternoon. I thought I cleaned all the juice off. Guess I missed a few spots.”

  Jerry and Ruby had never been boyfriend and girlfriend in a traditional sense. He had first kissed her at the age of ten. They had been exploring Campbell Ridge and Ruby had reached down
to pick up what she assumed was a civil war bullet. She had been turning it over in her hand when, out of the blue, Jerry had kissed her.

  Ruby looked up at him, perplexed. “What did you do that for?” She placed her hand on her hips and frowned at him.

  Jerry shrugged. “I don’t know. You just look sort of cute standing there. Are you mad?”

  Ruby shoved the bullet in her bag of goodies and then took a step closer to him and punched him in the arm. “I don’t care if you kiss me, but next time, tell me first. Wanna kiss me again?”

  Jerry grabbed her bag and placed it on the ground. He looked at her with his lips pressed tightly together. Then shook his head no and turned his back to her. Ruby walked slowly around to face him. He grabbed her quickly and gave her a smooch on the lips. Ruby pushed him back and he fell on the ground. She ran over and jumped on top of him and he started tickling her.

  Ruby tried wiggling out of his arms. “Stop, stop, Jerry. You’re going to make me pee my pants.”

  Jerry quickly let her go and rolled away from her and then stood up. He brushed the grass off his pants. “Ruby Jane, don’t you know anything? Guys would never kiss girls if you had to ask them first.”

  From that moment on, Ruby had looked at Jerry differently. Later on in middle school, they had agreed to be kissing buddies, even though neither of them had much experience with kissing. They just made a pact to stay friends no matter what, but would use each other for kissing practice. That had been ten years ago, and they were still practicing.

  Tonight, instead of concentrating on kissing practice with Jerry, Ruby’s mind kept wandering back to Reed and Brent. Just thinking about those two made her hot as she imagined Reed making love to her on a white sand beach, with the crystal blue water of the ocean crashing on the shore. Then she pictured Brent, with his dangerously sexy eyes, undressing her in a secluded tropical garden with a waterfall cascading over a cliff. The way they had looked at her in the store had set her skin aflame and she had burned all the way to her toes. Ruby had never felt pretty; at best, she was cute on a good day. But Reed and Brent had made her feel pretty—even sexy. Every word out of their mouths dripped with charisma and charm. It didn’t hurt that they were both so dad-blame handsome.