by D. F. Jones
Brent kissed her neck and asked, “You wanna ski back to the cove?”
What an outstanding idea! Skiing would keep her mind off Reed’s flagrant seduction of Sarah. “Shoot, yeah!” Ruby replied.
Ruby and Brent swapped places at the helm and he brought the boat to a stop. Ruby pulled on her lifejacket and jumped into the water. Brent adjusted the ski boot and then shot it to her, making a sound like a gunshot echoing across the lake. She placed the boot on and pressed her heel down in the water to keep her balance. Then he shot her the second boot. Once she had the boots on, he threw her the ski rope and waited for her signal.
Ruby had the skis in place and the rope between her legs and yelled, “Boat driver!”
Brent slammed the boat’s throttle down and took off. Ruby fought for a moment to keep her balance, and then she popped out of the water without falling once. With a jubilant cry, she yelled, “Woo hoo!” She brushed her hair out of her face with one hand and held onto the rope with the other. Ruby gave Brent the thumbs up, and then she remembered, the thumbs up sign meant to go faster.
Ruby readied herself for the jolt of speed and bent her knees slightly, leaning to the right, cresting over the waves. The water was a little choppy, but nothing she couldn’t handle. She felt like she was flying. The pontoon soared across the channel to the cove.
In the cove, the water was like glass as Brent drove to the end and she gave him the thumbs down, letting go of the rope and slowly sinking down into the water. Ruby removed both skis as Brent circled back around to pick her up. She handed him the skis, and then he reeled in the rope.
Sarah ran and leaned over the back of the boat, grinning at Ruby. “Ruby, that was awesome! I’ve never been able to waterski. So cool, the way you jumped over the waves.” Reed walked behind Sarah, pulling her back next to him.
Reed caught Ruby staring at him. A slow grin played across his lips as Ruby climbed back up the ladder. Her eyes were drawn to Reed’s mouth, and she subconsciously wet her lips. Reed’s eyes widened and Ruby noticed he clenched his teeth. Thankfully, Brent missed their exchange.
Brent pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. “You skied like a boss, woman!” He wrapped a beach towel around her and dried her off. Reed and Sarah returned to the front of the boat.
The pontoon had a deck on the back of the boat which allowed two people to lie out. Brent threw a couple of towels down and sat, motioning Ruby to join him. She lay on her stomach while Brent poured oil on his hands. He started working the oil into her shoulders, giving her a massage. A moan escaped her lips and she heard Reed ask Sarah to get in the water with him. A second later, Ruby heard splashes, but didn’t move. Let Reed have his fun. She was having hers.
* * *
After securing the boat in the slip at the dock, they drove back to the cabin. Ruby took a shower and finished dressing for the night and then walked into the den to wait on everyone else to get ready. Forty minutes later they headed out to listen to music and watch the fireworks at the dock. The little restaurant-turned-club was packed with people. The sheer size of Brent and Reed parted the sea of people and they found a table in the corner that offered a splendid view of the sunset. The band played a slow and sad tune from the Eagles. Several couples were dancing on the floor.
They ordered hamburgers and beers while Ruby ordered sweet tea. She would be the designated driver for the evening. As the evening wore on, the guys became drunk, which made Ruby and Sarah laugh so much they cried. The fireworks were fantastic. Brent held her in his arms and Reed held Sarah in his. Afterwards, Sarah grabbed her hand and they made their way to the restroom.
Inside, Ruby brushed her hair. Sarah was washing her hands when Ruby blurted out, “Do you like Reed?” Ruby didn’t know if she really wanted the answer, but she needed to know.
Sarah glanced at her with a smirk. “Not the way you think. Reed’s not really my type.” Sarah dried her hands with the paper towels.
Ruby applied her coral-colored lipstick and then turned toward Sarah, not quite believing her ears. “How in the world is Reed Jackson not your type?” Ruby moved against the wall, so the two other girls who had just walked in could use the mirror. Sarah grabbed Ruby’s hand and they walked outside onto the sidewalk.
“Sit down for a second. Let’s make them sweat for a little while.” Ruby sat down beside her on the pier’s sidewalk. “Reed’s not my type, because you are.” Ruby’s eyes got as big as silver dollars when the realization struck her.
“Holy shit! Does Reed know?” Sarah laughed so hard she snorted, which made Ruby laugh with her. A Tanya Tucker song wafted through the air as people walked by them. They rocked their legs back and forth over the water.
“Yes, Reed knows, sweet thang. He brought me up here today to make you jealous. I’ll kill you, if you tell him I told you that.” Sarah pulled a cigarette out of her purse and lit it, taking a slow drag.
Ruby smiled. She couldn’t help it. Reed wanted to make her jealous. “Well, it worked! I’ve been jealous all day.” They both laughed again, holding onto their sides.
Sarah’s expression turned serious. “I have no idea what’s going on between the three of y’all, but it’s freaking me out. It’s like there’s all this sexual heat and energy building up here and it’s directed toward you. Reed is really a nice guy and I generally love him.”
Ruby explained the Tap It game to Sarah. Sarah listened, occasionally shaking her head. Thirty minutes must have passed before Ruby finished unloading all of her feelings and emotions to this virtual stranger. “So, I’m in a ‘damned if I do, damned if I don’t’ situation.”
“Wow. I mean, wow. For what it’s worth, Reed may not know it, but he’s in love with you. I know Brent is in love. He’s ate up with it. Somebody’s going to get really hurt. I just hope it isn’t you.” Before Sarah got up, she kissed Ruby. Ruby’s mouth dropped open after Sarah pulled away and formed an O.
On the way back into the restaurant, they met Brent and Reed. Ruby must have looked pale because Brent said, “Honey, did you get sick? You’re pale as a ghost.” Ruby nodded yes. She was sick of the damn game. She was stunned by Sarah’s kiss. Ruby suddenly wanted to be at Everglade Farms, safe and sound from the whole lot of them.
* * *
After the Fourth of July, Brent’s possessiveness and jealousy were starting to really annoy Ruby. She had enjoyed his company, for the most part, but she hated it when his temper flared. Ruby could totally forget about talking to anyone of the opposite sex. She could have grown to love him, but Ruby hated he was so jealous.
Brent had stopped by the store one night to take her to dinner.
Rusty, an old high school friend, had stopped in to pick up a few groceries. He had leaned on the counter on his forearms. “You should’ve seen it RJ. Sandy and I were riding down by the river when her horse took off and bucked her off, right in the water. She was so mad she kicked the horse in the behind. I laughed so hard I cried. That Sandy, man, she is all woman.”
Ruby was laughing so hard tears were streaming down her face. “Oh, Rusty, I wish I had been there. I haven’t been riding all summer.”
Rusty grabbed his bags and said, “I’ll take you next time.” That’s when she looked up to find Brent standing there with steam practically coming out of his ears.
“Check ya later, RJ.” Rusty turned and gave Brent a look that said “Come on, big boy, if you think you’re big enough to handle me.”
Ruby wiped down the counter. “What’s wrong? Why are you mad, now?”
Brent looked back out the store door and walked over to Ruby. No one was in the store except the two of them. “Who the hell was that?”
“Are you for real? Geez Louise, I went to high school with him, and he’s going out with Sandy. You can’t expect me to work at the store and not talk to people. What happened to you to make you so jealous? Ah, I get it now. You don’t trust yourself, so you’re not going to trust me.” Ruby hit her mark. Brent wasn’t the faithful type, but
she had known that about him before she started dating him.
He walked back to the freezer section and grabbed a strawberry shortcake ice cream bar. At the counter, he began to tease her. “I’m a customer now. Wanna flirt with me?”
Ruby rolled her eyes at him. “You and I will never work if you keep up this attitude of yours. Your jealousy is suffocating me to death.”
“I can’t help it. I’m jealous because I desire you. I want you. That guy, he was flirting with you, and you looked like you were enjoying it.” Brent took a bite out of his ice cream.
It was useless for Ruby to talk to him when he got mad. He was too darn stubborn. “Good grief, you’re hopeless. I’m sorry, but I can’t go to dinner tonight. Mama’s canning tomatoes and I told her I would help her when I got off work.” Her mother had been canning, but she was likely through by now. Ruby just didn’t want to be with Brent.
His expression softened. “I can help y’all can tomatoes.”
Ruby really wanted him to go back to town. “You don’t have to. Call me tomorrow, and we’ll figure out something for the weekend. I have to close the register and lock up.”
“I believe you’re trying to get rid of me.” He took another bite of his ice cream and closed his eyes. “This ice cream is good stuff.”
She shook her head and chuckled. He looked like a little boy. “You’re really too much. Meet me on the store porch.”
He offered her a bite and she took it. Brent stepped outside on the porch and sat in one of the big rockers while he waited for Ruby to close.
Ruby closed the store and locked the door. Brent rocked in the chair and said, “It’s really nice out here. You still want me to go home?”
He followed her to her car, and she opened the door. “To be honest, I just need some ‘me’ time, okay?” She kissed him lightly.
“You are the only girl I’ve ever dated who brushes me off. I think I’m becoming a glutton for punishment. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
He tried to start kissing her, but she pushed him away. “Brent, I’m tired. I’ll talk to you, later.” Ruby jumped in her car and left before he could put up a fight. She could swear, the harder she pushed him away, the harder he tried to stay with her.
Chapter 6
If I Were Your Woman
Ruby and Brent would occasionally double-date with Reed and Tammy, now she and Reed had called a sort of truce. Sarah had told Reed about kissing Ruby. He had later apologized to Ruby for trying to make her jealous. She still loved Reed’s sense of humor and laughter. She was still crazy about him. Reed seemed to act different around Tammy. He was polite to her, but Ruby didn’t see any sparks of passion. Not like the night he had kissed her. That night seemed so long ago; it had been at the first of summer, and now July was coming to an end.
Brent and Ruby had planned an outing with Reed and Tammy to Opryland USA on the last Friday in July. Opryland had opened only five years earlier and Ruby loved to go every summer. Her favorite rides were the roller coasters, like the Timber Topper. More recently, they had added the Wabash Cannonball. The day had started out great. They watched several of the music shows and rode the thrill rides.
They came off the Flume Zoom log ride, soaking wet. It felt great to cool off on a sweltering ninety-degree day in Tennessee. Brent pulled Ruby up in his arms and then pinched his nose and teasingly said, “Whew, you smell like a fish.”
Ruby promptly puffed out her cheeks, pursed her lips, and placed her hands behind her ears, imitating a blowfish. She walked around them with the distorted face and when she saw a couple of older people, she made the face at them, too. Everyone laughed at Ruby’s silly antics.
Brent ran over to a lemonade stand and ordered a couple of drinks to go. He handed one glass to Ruby and the other lemonade to Tammy. He picked up Ruby and twirled her around saying, “I love you, Ruby Jane Glenn.”
Ruby peered over her shoulder to see Reed’s reaction, but he and Tammy had walked away to give them privacy. Reed didn’t give a crap about her. She had been delusional earlier in the summer when he had kissed her.
Ruby let out a sigh. Brent cared for her. She just didn’t think he really loved her. “Brent, do you really love me? Or is this just the final part of Tap It. I tell you ‘I love you,’ and you win. Or I don’t tell you, and I win. Is that it?”
Brent reached up and touched the side of her face. “I do love you more than anyone I’ve ever known. I want you to be with me, always. You win Tap It, Ruby Jane. I profess my undying love to you.”
Ruby couldn’t breathe and began to panic. This was why she hated dating. Someone in a relationship always hurts the other one. She wasn’t in love with Brent. The game was over. She had won. “Brent, I don’t know what you want me to say. I love being with you. I really do. But, I’m not in love with you.”
The pain reflected in Brent’s eyes was there because of her. She hated herself for it. Brent pleaded with her, “Please don’t say that. You don’t mean it.”
Brent wrapped his arms tightly around her. The embrace should have been comforting, but it wasn’t, because there was one more important caveat in the equation: Reed. It wasn’t fair to Brent, and she knew she had to put an end to their relationship. This whole Tap It scene had finally played out and she was finished.
“Brent, I don’t think we need to keep seeing each other. It’s not fair to you, and it’s not fair to me. You need someone who can give you what you want. I can’t.”
Brent began to fume. He took the drink out of her hand and just threw it. God help anyone in its path.
Ruby constantly walked on eggshells around him. Brent got mad when she worked in the store, when she went out with Anna and Sandy. Hell, she was afraid to sit on the pot without asking him first.
Brent grabbed her shoulders. His face darkened and he looked downright dangerous. His voice was cold as ice. “That’s a damn guy’s line, Ruby. You can’t or you won’t? Damn it, why do you always have to push me away? Do you have any idea how many women wish they could be in your shoes right now?”
Brent’s arrogance over his handsome looks, and his need to remind her of it, made Ruby see red. “Oh, good grief! Why don’t you go after one of them, then, and leave me alone?” She started to storm off.
Brent reached out, placing his hand on her forearm. “Stop it. Ruby! I don’t want to fight with you. Let’s just cool it and enjoy what we have left of the day. We can talk about this later. Come on. Reed and Tammy keep looking at us.”
Brent touched her shoulder and she brushed it away. By the time she reached Reed and Tammy, she was madder than a wet hen. Ruby pushed her thoughts away from Brent and listened to the music as it filled the air. The Tin Lizzie ride had a line of kids as she passed by it. Ruby had finally calmed down by the time they reached the entrance to the Wabash Cannonball.
Tammy pouted and crossed her arms defiantly as she tilted her head to view the massive roller coaster. “There is no way I’m getting on that ride! It turns upside down. I’ll be sick.”
Reed rubbed Tammy’s arm. “You don’t have to. But I’ve been dying to ride this thing all year. Will you be okay if I go with Brent and Ruby?”
Brent and Ruby continued to glare at each other. He shot a look to Reed and said, “I’ll stay with Tammy. You and Ruby go ahead.”
The line to the Wabash was very long and screams echoed from the riders as the ride swooshed along the rails. Ruby could feel the vibrations of the roller coaster under her feet. Once they were out of earshot from Brent and Tammy, Reed said, “Ruby, what’s wrong? Did y’all have a fight?”
Ruby gazed into Reed’s eyes. She had a major crush on the man standing so close to her now. A fiery jolt of energy surged between them. She looked into the unfathomable depths of his eyes and was forever lost.
The crowd in line pushed them forward and Ruby nearly fell, when Reed caught her. “You okay, princess?” He quickly let her go; his simple touch made her pulse race.
“Yes, I’m fine,” Ruby blurted
out. “Reed, do you love Tammy?” Well, she’d done it now.
Reed smoothed the hair from her eyes. “I care about Tammy. But if you’re asking me if I’m in love with Tammy, I’m not. I’ve been waiting on you, Ruby. I’ve been waiting on you to be through with Brent and that damn game.”
Ruby’s eyes filled with tears, while her voice shook with fury. “Why have you waited nearly all summer to tell me that? Reed, you’ve been making out with Ms. Priss! And I’ve been with Brent all summer. You should have said something instead of acting like my best friend.”
Reed took a step away from her. With a lazy smile, he said, “You were the one who wanted to play Tap It. Let’s not forget that, please.”
Ruby punched him in the arm, and he said, “Ow. Look it’s our turn.” He held out his hand and she grabbed it as they boarded the ride. Their bodies were pressed tightly together in the ride’s seat as the gate sealed shut.
Ruby didn’t know whether to be pissed at him or ecstatically happy. Reed had just confessed he didn’t love Tammy. She kept her feelings in check. She didn’t know if what he said was really true, but Ruby did know she was crazy gaga over him.
As the ride began to rock out of the station, they began a seventy-foot climb and then dipped into an utterly scary U-turn toward the first major plunge. It felt like they were suspended in time. They looked at each other, laughing, and then they both began to scream. The roller coaster approached the double corkscrew flip and their eyes were wide with excitement, and then they screamed and laughed some more.
When the ride came to an end, Reed helped her out. Her legs were wobbly as he put his arms around her. She closed her eyes only for a second to savor the feeling and then looked up into his eyes.
Reed bent over to kiss her, but she pulled away. “No, don’t. Not yet. You have a date with Tammy and I’m with Brent. We’ll have to pick this up later.”
