“I’m shipping out on Monday, baby.” His mouth scraped against her cheek, making her skin crawl. “Then what? What if all I have left is tonight?”
Bile rose in her throat, robbing her of her voice. She planted her palms against his chest, and shoved him as hard as she could to no avail. “Let me go, Lieutenant.”
“You heard the lady, Lieutenant. Let her go.”
Wesley? The shock of his statement loosen Charles’s grip on her, and she retreated back into her chair. Wesley had come to the rescue, just in the nick of time. She’d never been so relieved to see the man in her life.
The sound of chair legs whining against the floor made her turn. Charles stood, his body rigid with tension. “With all due respect, Captain, this is a private conversation between me and the lady.”
“Then we’ll asked the lady,” Wesley answered, crouching down beside her, his worry creasing his brow causing something deep inside her to melt. His warm hands rested on top of hers. “Are you okay?”
She lifted her head, her eyes traveling over the wide expansion of his uniformed chest, his clean-cut chin, and a glimmer of blond hair, darkened and slicked back by a recent shower. Pressing her backbone into her chair, she took a deep breath. Charles Webber might have unnerved her, but Wesley’s effect on her had alarm sirens sounding in her heart.
“I’m fine, Captain,” she answered, more breathless than she would have liked.
Wesley stepped around her, his eyes never leaving hers. “May I join you?”
Maggie motioned to the vacant chair beside her. “The more, the merrier.”
“Thank you.” Wesley grabbed the seat and pushed it in between her and the lieutenant. He looked around the empty table. “Where’s Donna and Edie at?”
Maggie nodded toward the dance floor, vaguely amused by the stark look of confusion on Webber’s face. “I’m not much of a dancer.”
“Maybe you just need the right partner.” He threw her a brief smile before glanced over at Charles. “What were you two talking about before I interrupted?”
The thought of exactly what was on the Lieutenant’s mind when Wesley had suddenly showed up send a shudder through her. She leaned closer to Wesley. “Charles was explaining to me why he doesn’t think much of the Fort, sir.”
“Really,” Wesley said, eyeing the man, before shifting his gaze back to her. “A strange topic to be discussing with such a beautiful girl.”
Heat rose in her cheeks and she didn’t dare to meet his eyes. Compliments, especially from man, usually made her uncomfortable but this one felt oddly flattering. “Thank you.”
He nodded, then turned back to Charles. “What’s your problem with the B-29?
The lieutenant glared at the two of them. “Anyone with any sense knows that the flying coffin is just an accident waiting to happen. Just look at the crash out in Kansas today.”
There’d been another fortress go down? Surely, Wesley would have told her. She spun around to face him, finding the truth in lines softly creasing his brow. His eyes met hers and she ached for the anguish and defeat she found there.
But his voice sounded strong and sure when he spoke. “The Super Fortress is still our best hope to win the war in the Pacific, lieutenant.”
“Spoken like a man who won’t be at her helm.” Charles snapped.
How dare the man! Talking to Wesley, a war hero for Pete’s sake, like he didn’t understand the dangers of combat. Her palm itched to leave it’s print on the lieutenant’s smug face.
“Then why don’t we get the opinion of someone who will be piloting the Fort?” Laying his arm against the back of her chair, Wesley leaned toward her. “What do you think, Ace?”
The faint scent of lime aftershave and soap filled her senses. Her thoughts scattered like leaves on the wind. Her voice caught, and she wasn’t sure if it was that Wesley had asked her opinion or the delicious feel of his arm brushing against her shoulder. Maggie swallowed. No man, not even her dad had asked her what she thought about an important issue, certainly not in public.
She’d expected to see a glint of humor in his expression, but instead found he honestly wanted her thoughts on the matter. For the first time in her life, Maggie felt her work had value to someone else other than herself.
Charles chuckled from beside her. “Begging your pardon, sir, but what would a doll like Margaret know about planes?”
Heat gnarled in the pit of her stomach. She glared at the lieutenant. Had the lights had taken on a fiery haze or she was seeing red? “Did you just call me a doll?”
Maggie was galled when Charles reached across the table for her free hand. “It’s just a sweet nothing, honey.”
“Let’s get something straight” She snatched her hand away. “I am not your honey or your baby and I’m certainly not a doll. And if you’d taken the time to read the updated information on the Fort, you would have figured out that the glitches with engine burnout have been fixed as well as the refueling problem.”
“Sounds like she knows quite a bit.” Wesley added, his fingers tenderly clasped around her shoulders as if to remind her he was there. As if she would forget.
Webber sat slacked jawed, his focus bouncing between them before finally settling on her. “Who are you? Tokyo Rose or something?”
She lifted her chin a notch. “I’m one of those oddball girl pilots you have such a problem with, Lieutenant.”
“She’s kidding, right?” Webber directed the question at Wesley.
“No,” Wesley looked at her then, a smile playing around the corners of his mouth. “She’s in my Air Transport squad at the Bell, and she’s one of the best.”
Her temper fled at Wesley’s statement. Did he really believe she was as good as he had made her out to the lieutenant or was he simply protecting the reputation of the Flying 83rd?
“She’s your best, huh?” Charles sat back, his arms crossed over his chest, his arrogant smile taunting her. “That’s easy to say when there’s no way of ever proving it.”
Good gracious, the man didn’t have enough sense to get out of a paper sack. There was a way, a little practice maneuver the girls at Sweetwater had done from time to time to get in flight time. “But I can prove it.”
Wesley leaned toward her, his eyebrows knitted together in surprise. “How are you going to do that?”
She chose to ignore him for the moment, although his fingers tightening on her arm made that task difficult. For now, her sights were on the lieutenant. “This afternoon before I left, the mechanics returned a pair of Mustangs badly in need of a test flight. What better way to see if those planes are battle ready that a little dog fight?”
“You and me in a mock fight?”
“Yes,” she answered, finally meeting Wesley’s gaze. “That is if the Captain here approves.”
Wesley’s hand dropped from her shoulder to curl around the back of her chair, leaving her with a faint sense of loss. Well, the man had backed her in a corner. What else could she do?
“Major Evans does enjoy a little friendly competition between the posts, and it’s been his position in the past to give his okay.” Wesley stopped and took a deep breath. “But he’s never had a WASP under his command before either.”
He was going to deny her request. Humiliation threatened to crash over her. Facing down the lieutenant would be nothing compared to dealing with Wesley every day, knowing he honestly didn’t believe in her skills.
“The major’s been biting at the bit to see you in action, so why not?” Wesley hunched over, resting his arm on the table. “As long as we have some ground rules.”
His consent should have thrilled her, only it didn’t. Wesley might put on a good act for the lieutenant, but she knew better. The tightness around his mouth, the icy blue stare he gave her were warning shots. She had pushed him too far. Wesley wouldn’t call her out here, but she would hear about this, probably sooner than later.
“Are the both of you crazy? I’m not going up against a woman!”
&
nbsp; “Why? You chicken?” Maggie looked over to see Donna folding her skirts into the chair Bill held out for her.
“No,” Charles exclaimed, nervously picking at his fingernails. “I just don’t see any point in a mock dog fight with a woman.”
“Well, you ought to.” Wesley said, a soft thread of warning in his voice. “One of the Nazis’ most celebrated combat pilots is a woman. And I know for a fact most of those RAF girls could fly circles around you, buddy.”
“I’ve heard about the Russians putting women in the cockpit, but the English?” Bill shook his head. “That’s a new one to me.”
“You never mentioned working with the girls in the RAF.” The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Wesley didn’t respond. The ice had melted in his gaze, replaced by a mournful shade of blue. She recognized the look, had seen it rear its ugly head when she talked about Jackson or her family. A deep pain started in her breast. Wesley had obviously lost someone very precious, but who? Had she been a pilot too? Had he been in love? Maggie’s stomach plummeted at the thought.
“This is crazy.” Charles pushed his chair back and stood. “I’m not flying against some girl.”
“Why not?” Donna asked, one blonde eyebrow lifted in annoyance. “Didn’t a girl teach you how to fly in the first place, lieutenant?”
“Fine!” Metal clanged as he slammed the chair against the table. “What time do you want me there?
“Nine hundred hours,” Wesley answered calmly. “I’ll have one of my men meet you at the front gate.”
The lieutenant came to attention and gave Wesley a quick salute. Maggie had begun to breathe again when he leaned over, his mouth close to her ear. “I just wanted to help Bill out. You know, give him some time with his girl, maybe even meet a nice girl for myself.” The face she’d thought was passably handsome earlier this evening now snared with disgust. “Didn’t expect to run into a nut case, that‘s for sure.”
She felt all the blood drain from her face. The music faded in the background, replaced by a loud buzzing noise. Is that what everyone thought, that she was just an oddball? Her life nothing more than nonsense? She closed her eyes against the pain.
What is wisdom to men is foolishness in My eyes.
Maggie drew in a deep breath, the air sweet and warm. Then she’d have to be a fool if it meant pleasing God.
The area around her was suddenly alive. The military police she’d noticed at the door pushed through the crowd toward their table. Beside her, Wesley stood nose to nose with the lieutenant, each refusing to back down.
“Is there a problem here?” A tall man asked, wearing the same shade of green as half the men present except for the wide white band on his right arm.
Well, she wouldn’t let Wesley take the fall for this, not when she had started this mess. Maggie stood. “No sir. Just a simple misunderstanding.”
“Is that right?”
“You see, Lieutenant Webber thought we had a date tonight but we don’t.” Maggie shifted her glare to Charles. “It’s tomorrow morning at nine.”
“That’s early in the day for a date,” the officer replied, looking at her warily.
She flashed him what she hoped was a flirtatious smile. “Just doing what I can for the war effort, sir.”
“And this guy?” He pointed a thumb at Wesley.
“I’m Miss Daniels’s escort for the evening.”
The officer looked at her for confirmation. Wesley, her date for the evening? The idea settled quite nicely over her, a little too nicely if she decided to dwell on it. But it was only one night. “Yes, I’m here with Captain Hicks.”
The officer turned to Charles and with his baton, pointed him toward the door. “She’ll see you tomorrow morning, lover boy.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” The lieutenant adjusted his tie. He nodded toward the wall where a line of anxious women waited for a dance partner before giving her a dismissive glance. “Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s a real woman waiting for me.”
Maggie watched the lieutenant disappear into the crowd. Why did the man’s final dig bother her so much? Getting powdered up and wearing heels had never be her favorite pastime, and she’d rather trading stories with a crew of crusty old pilots than sit and gossip with a bunch of silly girls at the hairdresser. But underneath it all, there still burned a yearning for what every other girl wanted; a home and family.
A man who would love her, dreams and all.
“Come on, Maggie.” Wesley held out his hand to her. “Let’s dance.”
She lowered her gaze, her fingers knotted together in a fist under the table. “I’m not a very good dancer.”
He didn’t miss a beat. “Then I’ll teach you.”
She should say no, but found she couldn’t. A quick look toward the door told her the military police were still watching. Maybe one dance, just to throw the officer off their scent. Sliding her fingers free, she slipped her hand into his, tiny pulses of awareness blazing a trail up her arm. Donna threw her a blatant wink before she followed Wesley.
She walked alongside him in silence to the floor, not feeling the need to exchange the usual pleasantries she supposed men expected when they asked a girl to dance. Wesley’s hand had barely settled at her waist when the lights went down, the first notes of an Ella Fitzgerald song drifting through the gymnasium.
‘Dream a little dream of me.’
Wesley drew her close until her cheek rested on the green wool covering his muscular chest. “You do know how to sway back and forth, don’t you?”
She smiled. “I may step on your toes.”
His deep chuckle vibrated beneath her ear. “I’ll take my chances.”
Taking a deep breath, Maggie relaxed further into his arms. Couples around them swaying in time. While most kept a polite distance, one couple clung to each other, her head pillowed against his cheek, his white clothed arm firmly wrapped around her waist. The shiny gold band on her left hand caught the light.
Probably on their honeymoon. Well, falling in love wasn’t an option for her, not when her dreams were within reach. She closed her eyes. Instead of her usual visions of soaring through the skies, a haunting movie show played against her closed eyelids. An empty house greeting her after a long day at work with no one there to share a cup of coffee or the adventures of the day. No drawings for the icebox by active little hands. The thought left her with a strange sense of sadness.
“Thanks for bailing me out back there.”
Maggie tilted her head back to look at him. Stars and stripes, the man was tall! “It was the least I could do after causing the mess in the first place.”
“What were you thinking, challenging a guy like that?”
The time of reckoning was here. She lowered her chin. “Someone needs to put that man in his place before he gets himself killed.”
“And you figure you’re the one to do it?” His voice sounded razor sharp. “What if I had said no?”
“But you didn’t, did you?”
“You don’t have to prove yourself to anybody.”
Her chin grazed his shoulder when she nodded. “Oh yes, I do and you know it.”
“That’s how people get themselves killed.”
“Then worry about that flyboy, not me.” Maggie shifted her attention to Charles. He was standing with a group of men, passing a small flask between them, each taking a sip. It was the last man who handed the bottle back to Charles that startled her.
Jimbo.
Her breath caught in her throat. “At the rate Charles is going, he won’t be able to walk, much less fly.”
“Which makes the situation more dangerous.” His fingers sliding beneath her chin, Wesley tilted her head back until his face was her entire focus. “Come on, Ace. Don’t risk your life trying to prove yourself to that goon.”
“If you feel that way, then why did you give your permission?”
He sighed. “Because I know that we’re going to have another front comi
ng through in the morning. No one will be flying out of the Bell until at least tomorrow afternoon.”
Good gracious! Her eyes snapped up to glare at him. “Then why did you give your permission?”
“You’re still a part of my squadron and nobody badmouths the Flying 83rd.”
A cold shiver ran between her shoulder blades and she pushed away for him. He’d only backed her up to save face. All that talk about her being the best was just that. Talk. The idea didn’t sit well with her.
“I can take him, you know,” she mumbled into his shoulder.
“Probably, but I can’t take that chance.” His voice held no doubts about her abilities. “Look, I know you would have had no problems with the guy. But what about the lieutenant? He’s the unknown in all this.” He leaned his cheek against her head. “I’m not about to put you at risk with some rookie who doesn’t know what he’s doing.”
His statement slightly appeased her. “What if doesn’t rain?”
“We’ll cross that bridge when it comes.” Wesley swayed them in time to the music. “Though I’ve got to question the man’s judgment. What guy would talk shop when he could have been dancing with you?”
A tiny thrill shot through her and she found herself smiling into his shoulder. “I must not have been his type.”
“Then he’s the nut case,” Wesley replied.
Her cheeks flushed with heat. “For what it’s worth, thank you for backing me up in front of the lieutenant. I really owe you one for that.”
“No problem,” Wesley whispered, his warm breath against her ear making her miss a step. “You do know that Webber’s wrong, don’t you?”
Maggie recovered, stepping back a half a step to put some distance between them. “Sure, I do. And if it doesn’t rain, I’m going to prove it tomorrow.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I don’t understand.”
Wesley’s chuckle reminded her of the low steady roar of the fort’s engines throttling up. “Most men like intelligent, beautiful women, Ace.”
Hearts in Flight Page 11