THE WAR BRIDE CLUB by Soraya Lane Page B

of his aftershave filled her nostrils, the breadth of his shoulders felt endless beneath her palms. And the feel of his hands as they skimmed her waist made her forget that there was anyone else in the room.  
          “I am going to see you again, Betty, aren’t I?”
          He held her away from him for a heartbeat and she gazed into his eyes. Her voice felt as if it had been stolen away from her, so she just nodded in response.
          Charlie let her nestle back against him.  
          “You know what I said to my friends when you walked in tonight?”
          She shook her head against his chest, her forehead tucking under his collarbone.  
          “I said, that’s the girl I’m gonna marry , and you know what they said?”
          She fought a laugh and swallowed her worries. He might be exaggerating, but she didn’t mind.  
          “They said you haven’t got a chance in heck of getting that girl to fall in love with you, Charlie. She’s way out of your league.”
          Betty was pleased the music was still playing and she had an excuse to stay tucked into his arms.  
          She had a feeling that falling in love with Charlie Olliver wouldn’t be so very hard at all.  
          
    * * *
     
          “I think we should just leave her be.”
          Betty awoke to the whisper of voices in the room. She sat up in the near-darkness and blinked, trying to clear her sleepy eyes. Where was she?  
          A pain in her lower regions made her shut her eyes tight again. William. Her baby.  
           Charlie.  
          The dream echoed in her memory still and she fought to hold on to it. Being in Charlie’s arms, feeling him, tasting him.  
          “Honey, are you okay?”
          “I think she needs something to drink. And some food.”
          A light flicked on and Betty was forced to open her eyes. She recognized the faces of her friends surrounding her, crowded around her. The dull cream color of the room, the other hammocks.
           But not William . “Where is he?” She could hear the panic in her own voice.  
          Madeline pushed her back down with a firm hand and soothed stray hairs from her face.  
          “He’s fine. June swaddled him and took him for a little walk.”
          Alice handed her a glass of water and she took it gratefully.  
          “And you’ll be needing something to eat, too,” said Madeline, moving away from the bed. “The little blighter will have a big appetite, so you’ll need your strength.”
          Betty nodded and reached beneath the bed clothes to rearrange herself. She was aching, but it was bearable. Especially given the gift she’d just been blessed with.  
          “He is all right, isn’t he?” She still couldn’t believe that he’d come so early.  
          “He’s just fine,” whispered Alice, settling herself down beside the hammock with a bowl of soup. “Now eat this and you’ll be ready to feed him again.”
          Betty took the spoon and sat up, happy to comply. She was hungry and she needed to regain some strength.  
          She still ached for her husband. For Charlie. She would do anything to have him here right now. To have his arms wrapped protectively around her, holding their baby. To know that he was safe and that they could finally be together.  
          Ever since her parents had died, she’d had no one. It was why she’d taken a risk by getting on the ship pregnant.  
          Charlie and William were her life now. All that she had. There was no going back and she didn’t want to.  
          Unlike the other girls, she had no fear. Charlie would be waiting for her, waving his cap at her as the ship pulled in to dock. Running toward her to fold her in his arms. Not to mention their baby.  
          “Come on Betty, you’re away with the