Page 14 of One More Time

Her excitement was contagious. ‘Yes, really.’ Here he was, just being himself, and she adored it.

She wriggled on the spot, clapping her hands. ‘I love dancing too.’

Something within her gaze deepened, and transfixed him further. ‘Well, in that case, I’m going to have to take you out dancing while I’m home, Miss Denver.’

‘Oh, yes please, Charlie! I’d love that.’

‘It’s a date.’ He cocked his head. ‘That is, if you want it to be a date?’

‘I would love nothing more than a date with you, Charlie Wilson.’

Her smile was so cute, he wanted to lean in and kiss it from her lips. ‘And do you like movies?’ he added boldly.

‘Yes, I love going to the movie theatre.’ She touched his arm, sending heat racing up to his heart. ‘And the scarier the movie, the better.’

‘I love scary movies too.’ It would mean he could cuddle her protectively while she sat on the edge of her seat – with any luck, on the edge nearest to his. ‘So, that’s another date.’

She offered a cheeky sideways glance. ‘You might have to stay longer than four weeks, Charlie, because we have lots of fun to have.’

Smiling like a won-over man, Charlie had an intense feeling he’d found a purpose in life other than fighting for his country – and it was Grace Denver. He almost told her that he was seriously thinking about staying home indefinitely, but stopped himself before he promised something he might not be able to follow through on. His grandfather had instilled in him that a man of honour always kept his promises.

Instead, he flashed her a dimple-clad smile. ‘You and I are going to have some fun, Grace. That, I can promise you.’ And he meant it, from the bottom of his swooning heart.

CHAPTER

5

October 1975

The newest addition to Grace’s beloved vinyl collection spun beneath the needle of her Kenwood record player, Led Zeppelin’s ‘Whole Lotta Love’ resounding in crackling clarity as she rushed to get ready. It had been so thoughtful of Charlie to buy the album for her.

Grabbing her mood ring from the bedside table, she slipped it on, and then standing in front of her mirror she adjusted the straps on her sequined top. Hands on hips, she looked to her shoe rack and tried to decide between her kitten heels and platform sandals, opting for the latter, given they weren’t going out dancing tonight.

A knock sounded at the bedroom door right before her mum popped her head in. ‘Gracie, darling, Jen’s on the phone,’ she called over the music.

‘Oh, okay, thanks Mum.’ Grace met her at the doorway with a grimace. ‘How’s Dad?’ He hadn’t taken the news that she and Charlie had officially become an item particularly well.

‘Well, he’s not pacing the hallway any longer.’ Her forehead puckering, her mother rubbed Grace’s arm. ‘He’ll come round, love. Just give him time.’

‘I hope so, Mum, because I really like Charlie a lot.’

‘I know, love, and word is the army straightened him out, and he’s not the rascal he was anymore, so we just have to get your father to see that.’ With Grace looking doubtful, she added, ‘He’s only protecting you because he loves you, Gracie. Remember that while you’re broody with him, okay?’

‘Yes, okay,’ Grace huffed. ‘I know he means well, but I’m not a little girl anymore. I’m almost twenty-three.’

‘And don’t we know it,’ her mother chuckled. ‘You better get the phone, or Jen will think we’ve forgotten her.’

‘Oh, oops, yes.’ Grace scooted past her, grabbing the phone on the stand in the hallway. ‘Hey, Jen, are you still there?’

‘About time you came to the phone! I thought you’d forgotten about me.’

‘I could never forget you, Jen, you loon.’ The phone cord curled around the doorway of her bedroom and, stretching it to its limit, Grace held the receiver between her ear and shoulder as she tugged her bell-bottom jeans on while stumbling over the pile of clothes she’d tossed to the floor in her bid to look cute for Charlie. ‘So, how did your lunch date go with Marty?’

‘Aw, it was fabulous, Gracie, he made me feel so special, opening doors and pulling my chair out. He walked me to the front door when he dropped me home.’

‘Yay, Jen! I’m so happy for you two, and about time, given that you’ve liked each other for almost a year now.’

‘Yeah, well, he took his time asking me out, and I was just about to give up all hope of him ever getting the courage to, but I’m so glad he finally did.’