“Exactly.” They walked on silently before Ellie continued. “You were quiet tonight. Was everything okay?”
“Sometimes I get that way when I’m thinking.”
“What were you thinking about?”
Jack stopped at a bend in the path and took Ellie by the hands. “I came to a realization tonight while I was watching you and Mama make supper.”
“And what was that?” she said, gazing into his eyes.
“That you’re the kind of girl I want to spend the rest of my life with.”
Ellie was so shocked that it took several seconds before she could speak. “Jack, I-I’m flattered, but—”
“Relax, I’m not proposing, but I want you to know how I feel. All my life I’ve heard people talk about the feeling they get when they meet the person they’re supposed to spend the rest of their life with. I never really understood what they were talking about until tonight. Watching you and Mama laughing and working together made me realize that I could search the rest of my life and never find anyone like you. You’re one in a million, Ellie. One in a billion. And someday, when the time is right, I’m going to ask you to marry me.”
Ellie’s lip quivered, and she looked as if she might cry. “Jack, I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. Just promise me something.”
“Anything.”
“No matter what happens or where life takes us, you and I will always come back to each other, like those mockingbirds I was telling you about.”
“Just like mockingbirds,” she promised, then kissed him with tears in her eyes.
CHAPTERTEN
Fireworks
Jack stood in front of the mirror, debating whether the new outfit he’d bought the day before was adequate for his date with Ellie.
“Mama, what do you think?”
From the doorway, Helen took inventory of him. “Mighty handsome if I do say so myself. You look more like your daddy every day.”
After dabbing on some of his daddy’s old cologne, Jack stepped onto the porch just as Clara’s green Chevrolet turned up the drive.
“They’re here,” he yelled back into the house. “Be back later.”
Ellie opened the door from the inside, and Jack climbed in.
“Well, look at you.” She gave him the once-over. “New threads?”
“Yep. Got them yesterday,” he said as the car pulled away. “Do you think I look all right?”
“Better than all right.” She gave him another look.
“That outfit must have cost you a pretty penny,” Clara commented from the front seat.
“Eight dollars, after tax,” said Jack. “Shoes and all. Muriel cut me a deal.”
When they arrived at the fairgrounds, Jack grabbed the picnic basket and led them to a spot on the hill where they’d have a decent view of the fireworks.
“You two go and have some fun before the fireworks begin,” Clara advised as she made herself comfortable.
“Do you want us to bring you anything?” asked Jack.
“I’ll take a pop and a bag of kettle corn if you can find it.” Clara reached inside her purse and handed Jack a ten-dollar bill. “Go crazy.” She winked at him.
