Tonight he would tell her exactly how he felt, open his heart to her. Tonight he would share his hope for the future--their future--and ask her if she would wait until he could gather up the world in his hands and lay it at her feet.
"We won!” Eden's whoop of excitement pulled him from his thoughts. He had to grab her more tightly to keep her from toppling off his shoulder. "Will you look at that, Rick? We won!"
Not yet, he thought, lowering her to the ground. But it wouldn't be much longer.
Chapter Twenty
It took forever to exit the stadium. People milled about, recounting the action and deciding which of the many post-game parties to pop in on. Eden held tightly to Rick's hand as they made their way through the crowd, while she hungrily devoured the sights and sounds of excitement and laughter everywhere.
What a glorious day! The football game was the perfect start to the holiday season. It had been ages since she'd been out among people and the electricity in the air energized her. She squeezed his hand affectionately as they made their way around a cluster of little girls who each clutched a bouquet of red, white, and blue balloons. A man in a white Santa Claus beard called out, "Mele Kalikimaka!" to everyone who passed, wishing one and all a Merry Christmas.
Of course, the most wonderful thing about the day was the chance to be with Rick. The past week had been one of missed opportunities. She knew her father was a hard taskmaster and that fact had never been quite so apparent. Rick had been swamped with work, and he'd put in many extra hours trying to get caught up--hours that they could have spent together in their secluded cove.
The time they'd spent there together seemed like part of a dream now that real life had intruded upon them. When Rick was driving for her, their time had been their own. Now it seemed as if each minute they managed to carve out was precious.
She'd never really given much thought to the plight of an enlisted man. They'd always been on the fringes of her consciousness, bustling about doing whatever it was they did. She still wasn't entirely sure what Rick did for her father, but whatever it was, the hours were positively dreadful.
And then there was Lilly. Her sister-in-law was ensconced in the guest bedroom and there seemed to be no end to her stay in sight. Twice the household had been sent topsy-turvy by Lilly's labor pains, but in each case it proved to be a false alarm. Mali fussed over the expectant mother during the day, fixing all sorts of delicacies to tempt Lilly's appetite, but more often than not it fell to Eden to be there at night--just in case.
Lilly was as agreeable as always, but the strain of her pregnancy--and being separated from Tony--was beginning to tell. Dark shadows circled her eyes while hollows accentuated her cheekbones. All the while her belly grew bigger and bigger until it hurt Eden to look at her.
Eden used the time to catch up on her correspondence, detailing the comical frustrations she'd faced while in the cast, Lilly's pregnancy, everything but the way she felt about Rick. Not introspective by nature, she lacked the words to express the complex emotions that had captured her heart. Somehow he made her yearn for things just beyond her reach. Where before she'd been satisfied with her life the way it was, now she wondered what waited at the outer boundaries, just beyond sight.
She had invited Rick to come for dinner on more than one occasion but each time he refused. "But you must," she'd urged. "I miss you so much.” He'd held fast, however, and each refusal sent her spiraling into a lovesick depression. In the past, men leaped to accept an invitation from Eden Forrester to mow her lawn, much less join her for dinner. Had she misjudged Rick? Could he possibly have been more interested in making an impression on her father than in courting the daughter?
Lilly was the one who'd finally explained it to her. "He's an enlisted man, Eden. Your father is his commanding officer. Surely you understand the difficulties your friendship creates.” Rick risked censure by pursuing their relationship. Each time he saw her, he faced the possibility of incurring her father's wrath, which, as Eden knew well, was no small thing. And for a man like Rick who didn't have the magic word "Annapolis" backing him up, that wrath could stop his progress in its tracks.
That was what made today so splendid. They didn't have to think about things like protocol. They could hold hands and cheer on the team and act like any other young couple in the world.
"Hungry?" he asked as they exited onto the street. "I know a place not too far from here. We'll get the car and be there in ten minutes."
"That sounds--"
"Eden?” A male voice boomed from behind. "I'd know that hair anywhere."
Eden turned to see a lanky young man in uniform laughing down at her. A tall, dark-haired girl clung to his arm, chattering gaily with the couple next to her. The men looked familiar and she cast about quickly for their names. "John?"
"Steve," said the lanky lieutenant. "Long time no see."
She couldn't remember where she knew him from but it hardly mattered. They exchanged names and were off and running.
"There's a swell party going on at Cindy's house," said the officer named Don. "Why don't you folks join us?"
"Oh, do.” Cindy favored them with a big smile. "Daddy's hired a band and we're having a luau. Everyone will be there."
"Oh, Rick!” Eden turned to him, her eyes bright with excitement. "It would be such fun. I haven't been to a party in ages. Let's!"
#
The last thing Rick wanted was to be stuck at some party with a bunch of hot shot Annapolis types. She was all sparkle and fire, filled with excitement over the impromptu invitation. What the hell could he say to her? "Forget the champagne and caviar. I know where we can get a terrific hot dog.” That just wouldn't cut it. Not with this crowd.
The girl named Cindy fired out some directions to them, and then they all broke up to grab taxis or find their cars. He and Eden ended up offering a ride to two sisters from Boston, whose father was a bigwig in the army. Hadn't any of these people ever heard of enlisted personnel? He couldn't help but wonder how friendly they'd be if he were in his lowly seaman's uniform.
"Isn't this wonderful?" Eden beamed at him as they entered the spacious white house just outside of Waikiki. "That music makes me feel like dancing."
She glanced up at him, her expression flirtatious and sexy. Her thick, dark lashes cast provocative shadows on her cheeks and her lush mouth curved with a private smile that he felt all the way down to the soles of his feet. "We've never danced together," she said. "For all I know you have two left feet."
He grinned. "Is that a challenge?"
Her smile widened. "If you want it to be."
Maybe this party wasn't such a bad idea after all. The hotshot officers might have Annapolis to call their own, but he had Eden Forrester. From the looks on the faces of the other men in the room, Rick had the better deal.
They followed the crowd into the rear of the house where an enormous garden room had been cleared and turned into a dance floor. The walls were painted a pale green and white latticework formed a border at ceiling level. Two smiling girls in full hula regalia waited at the doorway and greeted everyone with a kiss on the cheek and a lei of sweet-smelling ginger blossoms. French doors opened out onto the patio, which boasted a breathtaking view of the Koolau Mountains. A three-piece band was tucked into the far corner near the open bar. If he didn't know better, he'd think he'd stumbled onto the movie set for one of those Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers movies Eden was so crazy about.
As if they'd read his mind, the band struck up a romantic ballad and Rick drew Eden into his arms. It was the first thing that had felt right to him since Forrester had called him into the office earlier that day.
"Aren't you glad we came to the party?" she murmured as he whirled her onto the floor.
"It has its advantages.” He liked the way she fit against him, her small but curvy form just close enough to tantalize. "Been a long time."
She nestled closer to him, her cheek against his collarbone. "Too long. I was beginning to wonder if we'd e
ver be alone again."
He chuckled as they managed to hold claim to their parcel of dance floor. "I don't think I'd call this being alone."
"You know what I mean. It reminds me of--"
"The cove?"
"Our cove."
"Yeah," he managed, willing his body to ignore her nearness. "I've been thinking about that."
"I wish I'd met you long ago," she murmured. "I feel as if we've had so little time together...."
Okay, here it was. He couldn't have had a better opening if he'd written the script himself. "Listen," he began, "there's something I want to--"
"Amy!” Eden stopped dancing as a pretty brunette approached them.
"Hello, stranger!” Amy gave Eden a hug. "It's been positively ages...."
Amy whoever-she-was liked to talk and Eden seemed clearly happy to oblige. She introduced Rick and he had to stand there while Amy gave him a quick once-over that made him feel like a piece of meat in a butcher shop. Eden, however, was oblivious to Amy's scrutiny. She bubbled over with enthusiasm, chatting away about her broken leg and the football game and the orchestra, completely forgetting that they were standing in the middle of a dance floor while romantic music washed all over them.
They were joined by a guy who looked way too young to be a colonel.
"This is my fiancé, Dave," said Amy, dimpling prettily. "He's at Schofield."
"Not for long," said Dave, shaking Rick's hand. "I leave for England on Monday. New command."
Rick nodded but said nothing. Somehow "I'm leaving for Norfolk" didn't carry a lot of punch in this company. He was proud of his accomplishment, proud of the fact that he'd worked his way up from nothing, but still he felt awkward and uncomfortable and he wished Eden would quit talking and start dancing again.
No such luck. The minute Amy and her colonel drifted away, another golden couple came along. Sandra and Ben, the major. Ellie and Roger, the commander. An endless stream of brass and their ladies that was doing a good job of tarnishing the luster on his own news. A commission was their birthright, not the culmination of twenty-five years of busting his butt to make something of himself.
He looked at Eden who was engaged in an animated conversation with a general's wife. If he'd ever had any doubts about the differences between them, they were gone now. She was in her element, laughing and chatting with people who were like her and her father. Educated. Privileged. Accustomed to all the good things life had to offer.
A sharp memory of her as she'd looked that first night appeared before him. There hadn't been the slightest hint of vulnerability about her. She'd had nose firmly stuck in the air and she'd taken obvious delight in twisting all those second looeys and ensigns around her little finger. You've finally met your match, he had vowed. No spoiled brat admiral's daughter would get the better of Rick Byrne.
Now he wasn't so sure. Not once had she introduced him to her fancy friends as Rick Byrne, a sailor stationed at Pearl. She'd made certain they veered off toward another subject before anybody had a chance to ask him exactly what it was he did.
Not fair, a voice inside him whispered. You weren't racing to tell them that yourself.
For all his bragging about coming up the hard way, when push came to shove he'd kept his mouth shut. Getting into officer's training school was a big deal. It would give him the chance to compete with these Annapolis grads on their own level--and for their own positions. However, not even the pleasure he derived from that fact was enough to erase the feeling that he was selling himself short.
Coming here had been a lousy idea. The second he saw old Steve he'd remembered just how much he hated this kind of thing. All that superficial window-dressing made him itchy. Hugs and phony kisses on the cheek and gossip about who was doing what to whom. Who cared? Her father had managed to get ahead without all of this garbage. Why in hell was his daughter so damn crazy about it?
Admit it, Byrne. You don't want to share her with any of them. They threatened him, Harry and his pals did, made him feel less sure of himself and where he stood with her. These past few weeks they'd existed in their own little world, a perfect place with room enough for only the two of them.
Damn it, next time he went to a party like this, he wanted to be there because of who he was, not who he was with.
He looked around the room, scanning the faces. Soon, he told himself. Thanks to Forrester and his own hard work, he'd belong here before too long. Some of his high spirits returned. This was his day, his moment. What the hell was he waiting for? He had great news to share with Eden, damn it, and it was time he did.
He swept her into his arms and danced her toward the door.
"Rick," she exclaimed with a breathless laugh. "What on earth--?"
"We're getting out of here."
"But they haven't even served supper yet."
"The hell with supper. We'll grab something in town."
"But, Rick, the luau...the music. We've barely had a chance to--"
"We've been here long enough.” And you've spent half of it talking to strangers. "I need some fresh air."
"At least let me say goodbye to everyone."
He glanced over his shoulder at the laughing throng. "They won't miss you," he said. "Believe me, they've forgotten you were even here."
A petulant look passed across her face. He did his best to ignore it. What did he expect, applause? There he was, dragging her from the party with no more explanation than the weak excuse that he wanted some fresh air. He stopped a few feet from the doorway. "Listen," he said, "I know I'm being mysterious but there's a reason."
She looked up at him, frankly curious. "You're acting quite strangely, Rick. You have been since you came for me this afternoon."
He dragged his hand through his freshly barbered hair. "I know. Just trust me.” He sure as hell wasn't going to tell her his news now. He'd waited this long, he could wait until they were alone.
"I want to, but you're making it difficult. We were having a wonderful time at this party. I can't tell you how long it's been since I've gone dancing."
"Forget the dancing, will you?” He took her arm and started for the front door but it was like dragging one hundred pounds of lead through quicksand.
"Rick!” Her voice sounded sharp. "I don't like being ordered around like this."
Things were going from bad to worse. All he wanted to do was share good news with the girl he loved and it was turning into a fight. She'd gone from looking petulant to being downright angry and for some reason that anger got under his skin like a burr he couldn't shake off. Tell her now, his common sense warned. If he waited any longer they might not even be speaking to each other.
Chapter Twenty-One
What on earth was the matter with him? Eden had no choice but to follow Rick outside into the dusky evening. He drew her toward a bench set beneath a candlenut tree, where she sat straight, shoulders back, like a soldier at inspection. It was obvious he hadn't brought her out here with romance on his mind.
His abrupt change of mood had acted upon Eden like a splash of icy water. She'd been so happy, so proud to be with him, that she wanted to shout her feelings to the world. Amy's eyes had widened appreciatively when Eden had introduced her to Rick, as had the eyes of every other woman at the party. You couldn't meet Rick and not be struck by his good looks and self-confident bearing. Unfortunately, he'd been uncharacteristically quiet, so his sharp wit and keen intelligence hadn't received the attention they deserved.
Actually, now that she thought of it, he hadn't been quiet. He'd been sullen, unpleasantly so, and she was determined to find out why.
"I can't believe you dragged me from the party to sit on this bench," she blurted out. "What on earth has gotten into you? You're pacing like a tiger in a cage."
He stopped pacing and looked at her. "You really like those parties, don't you?"
"Yes, I really like those parties," she said, bristling at the critical tone of his voice. "I thought you would, too."
"You've g
ot to be kidding me.” He rested his foot on the bench next to her. "A bunch of pompous blowhards."
She arched a brow. "Oh, really? I doubt if they'd care to hear you say that."
"I don't think they'd hear me say that if I shouted it in their ears. I was the invisible man in that place."
"Maybe you wouldn't have been invisible if you'd made an effort to be friendly."
"Be friendly to those snobs?” He shook his head. "I'd rather kiss a snake."
"You're the snob," she said, wondering why she hadn't realized it before.
"Grow up, princess," he said with a look of disbelief. "You've got your signals crossed. They're the snobs. I'm the peon. See the difference?"
"You're worse than Mitzi Montgomery and Sarajane Hanks, only you're too blind to see it."
A muscle in his jaw twitched alarmingly. "Look who's talking: Daddy's pampered princess.”
"That's right," she said, as the pieces of the puzzle tumbled into place. "But at least I can admit it.” She'd been spoiled by her father from the cradle. She wasn't ashamed of that fact or that she'd been lucky enough to be born into privilege.
"You'd last five minutes on the street where I grew up," he threw at her. "They'd eat you alive."
"They probably would," she acknowledged, biting back a particularly stinging retort. She gestured toward the house where the party was still in full swing. "But you didn't do much better in there, did you?"
He glared down at her and she glared right back up at him, daring him to prove her wrong.
"I was bored," he said after a moment, "not intimidated."
"Bull."
His jaw dropped almost comically, but she knew better than to laugh. She'd hit a nerve and he didn't like it one bit.
"You're telling me I was intimidated by that pampered group of--"
"Exactly."
"Nobody intimidates me."
"They did."
Where or When: A Pearl Harbor Romance Page 16