Free Waiting for Sunrise by Eva Marie Everson

we’ll see you back on the dance floor in a few.”
    “Good timing,” Gilbert said, cupping her elbow with his hand. “Let’s step outside and get some air.”
    Patsy stopped short. “Oh, I couldn’t. I mean, Miss Grace would have a hissy fit.”
    He spoke directly in her ear. “Believe me, Miss Grace has plenty of chaperones out there standing guard. The Air Force would do well to take notes from her.” He paused long enough to look into her eyes. “Besides, haven’t you heard? I’m a local hero; I can do no wrong.”
    Patsy glanced toward the door. Some of her fellow students were leaving, while others were making a beeline for the refreshment tables. “Well, since you say there are chaperones . . .”
    “There are.” He placed a hand over his heart. “My word as a gentleman.”
    They stepped outside to the grassy area just beyond the wide gymnasium doors. The cool air of night wrapped itself around her, traveled down her slender arms, and she shivered. “Here,” Gilbert said. He slipped out of his suit coat and placed it gently over her shoulders. “Better?”
    Patsy nodded. She looked behind where they stood and saw the watchful stares of three chaperones. She smiled; one of them nodded back. She laced her fingers together and allowed her hands to rest in the folds of her skirt.
    “Are you going to tell me?” Gilbert asked from next to her.
    She turned her face toward his. “Tell you what?”
    “What you started to say in there?”
    She shook her head before returning her attention to the dark grasses in front of them. “It’s silly. I have no right to tell you . . . to say . . .”
    Gilbert nudged her shoulder with his. “Just say it.”
    “I was just thinking you might want to dance with . . . I don’t know . . . someone like Miss Brinson.”
    This time, he turned to face her. “Miss Brinson?”
    She nodded. “Our home ec teacher.”
    “Yeah, I know who Miss Brinson is. I actually went to school with her. Played ball with her brother, Whitey. But why in the world would you think I’d want to dance with Loretta Brinson?”
    She looked up at him. “Well, she’s pretty.”
    “She’s all right.”
    “And she’s single.”
    “So is Miss Grace and you don’t see me asking her to dance.”
    Patsy swatted at Gilbert’s arm. “Shhh . . . Gilbert, that’s not nice.” But she laughed anyway.
    He laughed along with her. “Okay. So aside from being a teacher and pretty and single . . . why, pray tell, should I want to dance with her?”
    Patsy felt heat rise to her cheeks. “Well, she is more your age. Like you said, you grew up with her. This is her first year teaching, you know.”
    The playfulness in Gilbert’s face fell away, and Patsy immediately regretted her words.
    “I said something wrong . . .”
    “Nah.”
    “Yes. Yes, I did. I’m sorry . . . I just thought . . .”
    Then he smiled again. “Look, little sister, I think I’m old enough and I’ve been around enough to know who I want to dance with.” He touched the tip of her nose with his fingertip. “And right now, I want to dance with you. I looked across that wide gymnasium, and not one girl in there can hold a candle to what I saw when I saw you.”
    Patsy’s head tilted a little to the right. “Really?”
    “So, do a war hero a favor, will you?”
    Patsy nodded, too floored to say another word.
    Gilbert reached for the dance card dangling from her wrist. He took a moment to study it before slipping it over her hand and then handing it to her. “For the rest of the evening, make mine the only name on this card.”
    ———
    Patsy felt she could have slept the day away, but it being a Sunday, she was “up and at ’em” by seven a.m. The breakfast table conversation included wanting moment-by-moment details of the previous night’s events, but Patsy remained vague, saying only that it was “dreamy.”
    Mam and Papa smiled at each other, Lloyd shrugged, and Patsy sighed into her