Songbird Under a German Moon
Page 26
“Songbird, Songbird.” A chant rose up, filling the large room with men’s voices.
Betty turned to Frank. “What are they saying?”
“They’re saying your name, darling. You better head out there. I don’t think they’re going to stop until they get another song.”
“What should I sing?”
Frank smiled at her. “Do you think it matters?”
“No.” Laughter spilled from her lips.
Betty moved onto the stage with quick steps, feeling her skirt swishing around her knees as she walked. Cheers rose up when the men saw her, and when she placed a finger over her lips they quieted down.
“Tonight I’m gonna sing a special song, for a special guy…”
“Me!” a GI in the back shouted.
“Me!” another said.
“Me too!” Shouts erupted around the room.
Betty rested a hand on her hip and looked toward the orchestra. “‘It Had to Be You’ please, Wally? For…”
She swept her arm, waving it in front of the whole audience. “For all these guys and especially for—” She turned and pointed to where Frank stood on the side stage—or rather where he had been standing. “You.” Her brow furrowed, seeing he was no longer there.
The music started, and she no longer had a chance to worry where Frank went. She had an audience to entertain.
“It had to be you—” she sang.
Cheers erupted, and Betty tried to continue singing, but her words were interrupted by the noise. She paused and placed her hands on her hips, noticing that many of the guys were pointing behind her. Betty turned and gasped as she saw Frank there—a smiling Frank, dressed in a white suit and kneeling on one knee.
He held up his hand and in it a simple gold ring glimmered under the spotlights. The music continued playing, the crowd continued cheering. Betty could see Frank’s lips moving and while she hoped he was saying what she thought he was saying, she couldn’t hear his words.
She leaned down, moving her mouth close to his ear. “What did you say?”
He stood, grabbed her, and pulled her close. “Betty…”
She didn’t think it was possible, but the cheers behind her grew even louder.
Frank leaned closer, nearly shouting into her ear. “Betty, will you marry me?”
Betty stepped back slightly and nodded. “Yes!” She wasn’t sure if he heard her, but she was sure he understood, because he placed the ring on her finger. Then a smile filled Frank’s face, and he swept her up, twirling her around in a circle.
Finally, she felt her feet touch the ground. Frank stepped back and then he turned her back to the crowd.
She knew she had a song to finish.
Betty took a deep breath and waited as Wally picked up where she’d left off.
“It had to be you…”
Heart-stopping suspense...
entwined with soul-searching romance...
set against a historical backdrop readers will love!
Summerside Press™ is pleased to announce the launch of our fresh line of romantic-suspense fiction—set amid the action-packed eras of the twentieth century. Watch for a total of six new Summerside Press™ historical romantic-suspense titles to release in 2010.
NOW AVAILABLE IN STORES
Sons of Thunder
BY SUSAN MAY WARREN
ISBN 978-1-935416-67-8
Two brothers love her—but only one can have her heart. Sofia Frangos is torn between the love of hotheaded, passionate Markos, and his younger brother, quiet, intelligent Dino. Markos longs to honor his family, Dino wants to forget the tragedy that drove them from their Greek home to the shores of America. One brother offers the past she loves…the other, a future. Which “Son of Thunder” will she choose? From Chicago’s sultry jazz-era clubs…to Europe’s World War II battlefields…to a final showdown on a Greek island, the Sons of Thunder discover betrayal, sacrifice—and finally…redemption.
COMING SOON
Exciting New Romantic-Suspense Stories by These Great Authors— Cara Putman…Susan Page Davis…Melanie Dobson…and MORE!