More than anything, he wanted to kiss her good-bye at the docks. But not their first kiss. Not in front of everyone. Because he’d tried to be suave instead of bold, he’d have to wait until after they returned. He’d still acted the fool, only a different kind of fool.
“There’s Mary,” Arch said.
“Mm-hmm.” Jim hadn’t told Arch about his changing feelings for Mary. Why should his best friend know before the lady?
Mary caught his eye over the crowd and waved. How good to see her smile again. The previous Sunday, she’d been dismayed by the arrest at the shipyard.
If only he could have comforted her alone. If only he’d hadanytime alone with her this month, but Arch had accompanied them to church and on Sunday afternoon excursions.
“You’re here.” Mary’s face lit up. “I thought I’d lost the two of you to Bertha and Edith.”
“Never.” Jim tried to make his voice sound deep and meaningful, but it didn’t sound the way he intended. He could never be an actor.
“Done with your responsibilities for the day?” Arch asked her.
“I am.” Mary clasped her hands under her chin. “Oh! Have you seen the Fletchers we laid down this morning?”
“Not yet,” Jim said. “Waiting for you.”
“Listen.” Arch set his hand on Jim’s shoulder. “I’ve had enough festivities for one day. You two go have fun. I’ll make sure everything’s squared away on board.”
“All right.” Jim put on a stiff smile. Finally he had time alone with Mary, but in a crowd. Fat lot of good that did.
“Good-bye, Mary.” Arch shook her hand, then tapped his wristwatch. “Get him back by seventeen hundred or he turns into a pumpkin.”
“Seventeen hundred?”
Jim leaned down to speak into her ear. “We’re shipping out.”
“Oh.”
Her clean scent scrambled his brain, but he straightened up to see her reaction.
Sadness turned down the corners of her eyes, but she smiled. “They need you out there. So many ships being sunk. It’s tragic.”
She cared, but she’d never hold him back.
Jim could have kissed her right there, crowd or no crowd. But a public kiss? For a woman who hated attention more than anything else in the world? Might as well slap her.
He swallowed the impulse. “They do need us.”
“You’ll do great, I know it.” She tilted her head. “But may you and your guns be completely bored.”
Time for a joke. “Our guns are always bored.”
“Oh, brother.” Arch bowed to Mary. “I apologize for my friend’s bad pun. The bore of a gun...”
“I understand.” Mary’s twinkling eyes said she didn’t mind puns. “So, Mr. Avery. You have four more hours on land. How would you like to spend them?”
With her. Every minute. “I want a hot dog, I want to see those Fletchers, and I’d like you to see me off.”
“I’d be honored.”
“Au revoir.”Arch lifted one hand in farewell. “Seventeen hundred.”
Jim offered Mary his arm and threaded his way through the crowd. Sailors and shipyard workers mingled on the wharves for the festivities.
Jim followed his nose to a food stand and bought two hot dogs and two Cokes. He took a big bite and savored the perfect blend of sausage and mustard. The Navy fed them well, but nothing beat a hot dog eaten outdoors.
