Hattie Ever After Read Online Free PDF Page A

Charlie had tossed me a lifeline and I grabbed it. “Yes. Yes. That’s it.”
    “I wanted to tell you in person.” He reached out and grabbed my hands. “My sergeant’s from Seattle, which is where the Boeing company is. I think I wrote you about them before. Still small but Sarge thinks they’re up-and-comers.”
    “So you’re going out to interview?”
    Charlie cocked his head and looked at me. With those eyes. “That’s the good news part.” He jabbed both thumbs at his chest. “You are looking at an oh-ficial employee of the Boeing Airplane Company!”
    “A job? In Seattle?”
    He chuckled. “You should have heard Mother! Here she thought she’d got me home to stay.” His face grew serious. “But I couldn’t, Hattie. I would’ve dried up like wheat in a drought.”
    I hesitated. “I understand your mother’s feelings, though. Seattle’s a long ways away.”
    He turned his eyes, his secret weapons, on me again. “Yes, but that’s where your friends Karl and Perilee are, and their family. And I thought that’s where you wanted to be.”
    I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe.
    “Isn’t that right?”
    “Charlie—”
    “I know I haven’t given you much time to think. Springing it on you this way. You’ll have packing up to do here, that sort of thing.”
    “Stop.” I put my hands over my ears. “Please stop.”
    His face was a question mark. “I thought you’d be happy.”
    I drew in a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. “If the Boeing company has the job you want, I am happy. For you. And you’re right. I would love nothing more than to be close to Perilee again.”
    “And what about being close to me?”
    I put my finger to my lips to signal that he should stop talking. “Aunt Ivy always drove me batty, quoting Scripture when she wanted me to do something I didn’t want to do. But I keep thinking of those verses from Ecclesiastes—‘To everything there is a season.…’ ” Now tears stung at my eyes. I could scarcely believe I was going to say these words and yet I knew I must. “I think this is my season for something else.” I couldn’t go on.
    His eyes darkened with pain. “Have you met someone?”
    “No. No! I should have told you right off. I have a new job, too.” I couldn’t face his gaze. “Charlie, you are so dear to me. But like the war changed you, the homestead changed me. I know there is something I must do before, before I—” I couldn’t say the word “marry.” “Before I settle down.”
    “And so?” He stiffened, stepped away from me.
    “I’m going to San Francisco. With the Varietals.” I touchedmy mother’s watch, pinned to my bodice. As if it might give me strength to somehow survive the next few moments. “Tomorrow.”
    It felt as if a boulder had been rolled between us, one we could neither see around nor over. Certainly not through.
    When he spoke, it was to say, “I should probably get you back.”
    We walked in silence as we returned to Brown’s. At the door, though, he took me by the arms, turning me to face him full-on.
    “Hattie, what is it that you’re looking for?” He ducked his head to meet my eyes with his.
    I managed a trembling smile. “That’s the trouble. I don’t know. I only know that I haven’t found it yet.”
    He stared at me for the longest time, then rubbed his hands along my arms. “Well, in that case, you’d best keep looking.” His voice was low and each word was wrapped in sad. “And I’d best be going.” He gently drew me to him and I leaned on his chest. His heart beat so very hard. Another gentle movement and his warm mouth found mine for our very first kiss. He tasted of peppermint, which was not surprising. But there was something more than peppermint in that kiss.
    Something like home.
    He pulled back so that our lips were touching, but barely. His breath was warm and sweet. I closed my eyes, ready for another dreamy meeting of our mouths.
    What was I thinking? The timing was all wrong