Christmas with the Queen

Chapter 15 Jack

Chapter 15

Jack

London, June 1945

V ictory in Europe Day had changed everything for me in the most unexpected ways. Though I missed the camaraderie with the Seabees after being discharged from my voluntary duties, within a few short weeks in London, I’d already made a new group of friends. I moved in with Ryan and quickly found a position in a kitchen, frying greasy piles of fish and chips. Though far from a dream job, it paid the rent, and until I figured out where I would land for good, I was happy to live a simple life, having fun. When the group of us gathered together, every night felt like a party.

We were an unusual mixture of personalities, but somehow the combination worked. Ryan was the salt of the earth, a good guy in every way, and very soon he was like a brother to me. Peter Hall was the life of the party—when he decided to show his face—and Rosie was great to talk to, if a little “too much fun” at times. Olive was always up for anything, and no one could help but be drawn to her effervescent energy. I often thought about the night we’d met, our dance on VE Day, and the laughter that had followed.

“Are you ever going to ask Olive out?” Ryan teased one evening. “You two have a spark. Anyone can see it.”

“She’s interested in Peter,” I said, glancing at the two of them, cozy in a booth, despite the fact that Andrea and two of our other friends were jammed in beside them. Peter was an on-again off-again part of the group. Truthfully, I found I preferred the off days. Everyone else seemed to like him, but I found his constant need to be the center of attention a little tiring.

“You’re reading too much into it,” Ryan replied. “You know how Peter is. He chases every woman in the room. Give it a chance with Olive, you’ll see.”

But it was Andrea who I ended up talking to every time the group met up at our favorite watering hole, The Thirsty Dog. Andrea was sensitive and on the quiet side, but endearing and sweet, and I found her the easiest to talk to among the crowd.

“Time for another, ladies?” I pointed at Olive’s and Andrea’s empty glasses.

“Yes!” they said in unison.

“Make mine a stout, will you?” Olive added. “This lager tastes like yesterday’s bathwater.”

I headed to the bar, thinking about how much Olive made me laugh.

When I got back to the booth, Peter had already slung an arm around both Andrea and Olive. He read my expression. “You can’t hog all the beautiful women, Jack!”

Peter was all dark good looks and charisma. He could have any woman in the room, and he knew it, and not only that, he had a way of making me feel more awkward with women than I already was.

Olive offered me a smile. “Thanks for the beer, Jack.”

“My pleasure.” I put the other beer in front of Andrea and squeezed in beside her. “For you, madame.”

“Thank you,” she said, bumping my right arm as she reached for her own glass. “Sorry, it’s so crowded in here tonight!”

“Don’t be sorry,” I said, glancing again at Peter and Olive chattering happily, all smiles. “We’re packed in like sardines.”

Andrea wasn’t as confident and vivacious as Olive, but I was drawn to her elegant beauty, her vivid blue eyes, and her calm demeanor.

The next thing I knew, we had talked the hours away, and when we all left the pub to move on to a dance hall Olive knew, Andrea and I stuck together. Eventually we ended up on the dance floor. Around midnight, someone spilled an entire tray of pints as they passed us. We avoided the spray, laughing as we bumped into each other. As I smiled at Andrea, she reached for me, wrapping her arms around my neck and pushing her lips gently against mine.

I was stunned. I hadn’t known her long and yet, here we were, kissing. “Well. That was... something.”

She laughed. “Something? You have quite a way with words.”

I grimaced. “Sorry, lots going on up here,” I gestured to my head. “My brain doesn’t always connect with my mouth!”

“You do just fine with your mouth.”

“Oh yeah?” I leaned in for another kiss, and this time no words were needed at all.

When we returned to the others, Peter made a big show of the fact we’d been gone so long. “You two took your time. Found a good dance partner, did you? Hot and sweaty, is it?”

Andrea blushed and laughed. “Peter! Stop!”

“Nobody else dancing?” I asked. My eyes met Olive’s.

She looked at me, and then at Andrea, and took a sip of her drink.

“Too bloody right.” Peter stood up and pulled Olive to her feet. “Might I have the pleasure, Miss Carter?” He dipped her dramatically, and held her against him.

She laughed. “Of course, Mr. Hall.”

I leaned toward Andrea. “Want to get out of here? Go someplace quieter?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

When she smiled, I knew that whatever was brewing between us was worth following.