Read Ruby Falls for Free Online

flying up the drive, stopping in a cloud of dust. A teenage girl climbed out and reached in the backseat, pulling out a backpack. She had long, dark hair that fell to her waist, which Summer thought looked like silk. She was about five foot eight, most of which was leg. Summer followed Steve over to the car.
    “Summer, this is my daughter, Jessie,” he introduced her.
    Jessie turned from getting her backpack. “Oh, hi, how are you?” she greeted Summer and then turned to her father. “Daddy, the car’s making that ticking noise again.”
    “Well, have you checked the oil?” he asked, his hands automatically going to his hips in a fatherly stance.
    “You’re the mechanic in this family, Dad. I just drive it,” Jessie teased, leaning up and kissing him on the cheek.
    “Yeah, yeah. Jessie, Summer will be staying with us for a while. I’ve offered her a job doing the cooking and cleaning.”
    “Really? No kidding? I can’t believe you finally broke down and hired someone, Daddy.”
    “Yeah, well, it was about time, huh?”
    “Duh, yeah! Did you finally put an ad in the paper?”
    “Um, no, Jessie. Summer is the woman I told you about that was in the accident.”
    “You mean the lady you took to the hospital last night?” she asked, turning to Summer. “Wow. Daddy said you couldn’t remember anything, even your name.”
    “That’s true, I’m afraid,” Summer admitted, smiling at her.
    “But now you remember your name again, huh?”
    “What? Oh, no. Your dad just started calling me Summer, because, well I guess he had to call me something,” she said, turning to look at Steve.
    “And I wasn’t about to call her Jane Doe.” He smiled at Summer and then turned to his daughter. “Jessie, I was wondering if maybe you could see if you had any clothes that might fit Summer. Stuff she could borrow until she can go shopping.”
    “Yeah, sure,” she replied and then turned to Summer. “Come on, you can look through my closet.”
    Summer smiled at Steve and followed Jessie. They went in the house and up the stairs. When Jessie walked in her room, she automatically tossed her backpack on her bed and kicked off her shoes.
    “Here, look through these,” Jessie offered, opening her closet doors. “I’ll see if I have some jeans in my dresser that might fit you.”
    “I really appreciate this. I don’t want to take your good things. If you have some old clothes that you don’t want anymore, that would be fine.”
    Together they came up with several pairs of jeans and about a half dozen tee shirts. About an hour later, Summer was back in her own room, hanging up her borrowed things. It didn’t take long, and then she hurried back downstairs to start something for dinner.
    When she walked into the kitchen, she found Pop standing at the stove, stirring a pot. He turned when she walked in. “I’m making chili. It’s the only thing I make that they like. So, you’re off the hook tonight, missy.”
    “Well, is there anything I can do to help?” Summer offered.
    “There’s a pan of cornbread in the oven. You can get that out, cut it in squares, and put it on a plate.”
    “Sure,” she said, going to the cabinet and getting down a plate. She opened several drawers until she found a knife and spatula.
    “So, you get all settled?” Pop asked as he handed her a potholder.
    “Yes, Jessie lent me some of her clothes, too,” she replied, taking the pan out of the oven.
    “Good, good.”
    The screen door banged as someone came into the mudroom. A moment later, the water in the utility sink came on.
    “Steve?” Pop hollered.
    “Yeah?” came the response from the other room.
    “Don’t track in with those muddy boots. I just washed this floor today,” Pop yelled back.
    “Okay, okay,” came the reply, along with the thud of boots hitting the floor.
    A moment later, Steve entered the kitchen. “What’s cookin’?”
    “I’m making my chili tonight. Thought we’d give Summer a night to settle in,