And You Will Find Love

"Chet, if you trifle with her, I'll brain you!"

"Me? Trifle?"

Gail left the phone hanging on its cord and went to get Barbara. "It's for you. The Adonis."

Barbara's heart began to race. She knew it should not, but could not help it. She went out into the hall and picked up the phone, noticing that the door to every girl's room was open. She could imagine the sorority sisters' ears aching to hear her every word. Gail, however, discreetly closed her door after she went back inside her room.

"How about taking a ride with me tomorrow?" Chet asked.

"In your car?"

"No, horseback. I thought you liked riding."

"I do, but I'm a working girl." She hoped that jab made him smart. "Tomorrow's Sunday. I work here in the morning and have another job before noon. Then it's back here to help with lunch."

"Industrious," he said lightly. "Myself, I'm not so very. But I admire that in most people, even a girl. How about after lunch?"

She could not think of any other excuse. He read her hesitation as an acceptance.

"Fine. I'll pick you up at the sorority house at one o'clock and we'll drive to the stables."

It was not yet one o'clock in the afternoon the next day when Chet Armstrong called for Barbara. She thought he had liquor on his breath when she sat beside him in his car, a gorgeous white Packard convertible; the longest car she had ever seen. He was beautiful again, this time in light gray jodhpurs, black boots, a soft gray silk shirt, and a silk paisley ascot. He looked like the son of a British Lord. She felt like a peasant in the same tan cardigan sweater and bluejeans she had worn the day before.

"I thought you'd be out on your yacht on such a beautiful day," Barbara teased.

"It's getting a new coat of paint," he said, turning to smile at her as he drove. "You look beautiful yourself."

Too fast, she thought, about him and his driving.

He continued the verbal challenge she had thrown out to him. "So you wait on tables. I hope you won't make me wait too long."

"For what?" she asked coyly.

He threw his head back and laughed, not saying anything more for a while as he drove.

Barbara loved the wind in her hair. She leaned her head back to enjoy the ride, even though she thought they were not finished sparring with each other.