“He’s going to be walking on water tomorrow, gentleman.”
Everett pulls me away from the comments, ones I’m enjoying entirely too much.“What a friendly group of gentlemen,” I say, tugging Everett’s arm.
“Yeah, they’re—ah-real sweet talkers.”
“Um, hello,miss-I-don’t-talk-to-men. Are you going to introduce us to your famous Hollywood picture-person friend?” It shouldn’t come as a shock when Beverly comes out of nowhere, stepping right in front of us so we can’t move. She is the one person I don’t want to see right now.
“Everett Anderson,” he says, introducing himself to Beverly. Everett reaches his hand out to shake hers.
In true Beverly style, she takes Everett’s hand and curtsies as if he’s royalty. Then her hands move to her hair as her teeth pinch down against her bottom lip. “I can’t tell a lie; I was sure Lizzie was giving us a story when telling us about you. We all kind of figured she’s just a prude virgin, scared of—”
Everett clears his throat and wraps me into his arm a little tighter. “You know, I’ve heard so much about you, Beverly, none of which I assumed to be a story, of course, but Lizzie has gone on and on about you.” Everett places a kiss on my cheek and clasps my hand between his.
Beverly fans her hand to the side of her face. “Has she now?” she asks. “Well, hopefully all good things.” She bears a smile showing all her teeth, looking like a horse reaching for a carrot.
“Good things?” Everett repeats with a curt smirk. He gives me a quick glance, then looks back at Beverly. “Absolutely none. Now, if you’ll excuse us.” Everett pulls me toward the back of the room, and I feel like I’m walking on air as my hand melts into his.
“Have I told you how wonderful you are yet?” I ask him.
“Not as wonderful as the look we just left on that twit’s face,”Everett follows.
“Maggie and Isabel are right over there, waiting to be swept off their feet by a couple of soldiers. The two of them have no luck in the romance department, but they aren’t giving up hope.”
Everett follows me over to the girls and they both seem to choke on their drinks as they spot me.
“Holy moly,” Maggie says. “You’re here in real life.” She reaches over and pokes Everett’s arm.
Isabel steps forward and gives Everett a friendly hug. “Thank goodness you’re here. Our girl has been worried sick about you. If anyone deserves a spark of happiness right now, it’s Lizzie—the fiercest little spitfire we have in our unit.”
Everett glances down at me with a cute grin. “I am not surprised to hear this, not in the slightest.”
“Well, if you two don’t mind, I think we’re going to split. I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Take your time, sweetie. Enjoy every moment with this gorgeous man. Gosh, I’m jealous,” Isabel says.
Everett’s hand tightens around mine, signaling his discomfort.
“Oh, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Maggie shouts out.
I look over my shoulder, finding Isabel clapping her hand over her mouth.
When the cool air from outside touches my face, the only words that come to mind are, “What do you say we run as far away as we can right now?”
“I’m not sure that would be far enough, but yes,” he says.
41
March 1944
To finda night when the sky isn’t falling with tears seems to be a miracle during the springtime here, but maybe the heavens above are offering Everett and me a break, like the eye of a storm, for a peaceful moment to reconnect. Our fingers are woven together, and our palms are inseparable as we stroll down the cobblestone streets. We’re both quiet at first, as if we’re strangers again, but I know this isn’t the reason for our silence.
“I want to know everything, and I haven’t had the time to read all of your letters since last spring. This feels like a dream, Everett.”
Everett lifts my hand and places a warm kiss on my knuckles. “It may take me a lifetime to tell you everything, Lizzie, but what I can say is that the heaviness in my chest—the questions weighing me down with wonder if you were all right and safe—is more of a relief than I could ever ask for.”
“I can certainly agree with that,” I tell him. “It feels as though a thousand pounds have been lifted off my heart. I haven’t had a worry-free moment since I left you in Oahu.”
We find a bench along the side of some shops and Everett lifts my hand, allowing me to take a seat first.
