Hope for the Good Time Girls by Fiona Ford

Author:Fiona Ford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bonnier Publishing Fiction
Published: 2023-05-10T00:00:00+00:00

33

By nine o’clock that night, everyone at the Regal was in full party spirit. It was a sight for sore eyes for Temperance, and she was delighted to see all the guests, some she knew and some she didn’t, having such a good time.

As well as the locals that Roger had rounded up and encouraged to come to the Regal to celebrate not just the opening but also the British victory in El Alamein, many of the Palais clientele had come over from Hammersmith to see the new venue and toast its success.

They included, to Temperance’s surprise, a fair few of the GIs, who were chatting away with each other by the bar. Though many, she noted, were more interested in chatting up the women from the area. Temperance shook her head and smiled. Since the GIs had arrived from America, women flocked to them as readily as they flocked to the end of a queue – all hoping for something a bit extra they didn’t usually find with British men.

‘You look lost in thought.’ A voice came from behind her, and she turned to find Archie. Standing inches away, hands in his pockets and a sheepish look on his face, was her sweetheart. At the sight of him, Temperance’s heart melted.

‘Not really.’ She shrugged. ‘Just looking around, enjoying the moment.’

Archie nodded shyly.

‘I’m sorry, Temp,’ he said, sincerely. ‘I didn’t mean to argue with you earlier.’

Temperance hung her own head. ‘I’m sorry, too. I hate rowing with you, Arch.’

He moved closer to her and reached for her hand.

‘I don’t know why we can’t get on like we used to,’ he said softly.

Temperance sighed. She knew the reasons. They were too different; that she was sure of, but to say so now felt churlish, and besides, to voice those fears would mean she would have to do something about it and she couldn’t face that, not now.

‘I miss you, Temp,’ he said at her touch. ‘I just want to be with you and for us to get along.’

‘That’s all I want, too,’ she said sincerely. ‘I want us to go back to the way things were.’

‘Then let’s try.’ He reached for her other hand and squeezed it. Just then the band launched into a lively quickstep, and he smiled. ‘Care to join me?’

He gestured towards the dance floor and Temperance felt a flash of guilt.

‘I’m supposed to be working,’ she said.

‘Nobody’s going to mind,’ Archie went on. ‘You deserve a moment off for yourself.’

Temperance smiled. She had to admit that the quickstep was one of her favourite dances.

‘Go on, then,’ she said, allowing Archie to lead her across the dance floor. He wrapped his hands around her waist and she enjoyed the closeness of his body. As they danced their way across the floor, she felt all their problems fade as the combination of music and steps took them to another world.

Looking up at her beau, she saw Archie smiling down at her and knew he felt it, too. No matter what problems they were facing, surely they could get through them together? They had to.

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