Love's Sweet Melody by Kianna Alexander

Author:Kianna Alexander
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: american historical romance, american historical romance 20th century, united states historical fiction, african american historical romance, african american historical fiction, Kianna Alexander, Decades series
Publisher: Kianna Alexander
Published: 2018-05-07T16:00:00+00:00

-Portrait of a Man-

WARNER TRUDGED OUT of his kitchen through the back door the following morning, after his simple breakfast of coffee, toast, and a fried egg. Stifling a yawn, he crossed his backyard to his workshop.

Inside the shop, he eyed the old Buick, still sitting up on the stacked cinderblocks he used to raise it above ground. Once he'd slipped his dark blue coveralls over his tee shirt and jeans, he returned to the car's cabin to continue removing the steering column. He wished his assistant, Darnell, were there to help. But Darnell had taken the morning off to go to Alexandria and see his sister and her family. As a compromise, he'd promised to stop on the way to work and bring lunch for the both of them.

Then again, considering his sour mood, Darnell's absence worked in his favor. He could brood in peace, without being questioned or castigated about it, as Darnell tended to do. While he used his tools to disconnect the various wires and fittings, he tried to put his embarrassment out of his mind, along with thoughts of the enchanting Betty.

She saw him at his weakest. She'd been there to witness him giving in to the darkness buried deep inside. How could she ever come to care about him after what she'd seen? The portrait of a man, broken and crippled by gruesome memories.

Just by sitting with her and opening his heart, he'd shown her the very thing he tried to keep hidden from everyone else.

War had changed him. Rendered him speechless. Haunted his dreams with things too revolting to speak of.

He set his pliers aside for a moment and used the back of his hand to wipe the sweat from his brow. Introspection and mechanics’ work did not go together. If he were going to do this job right, he needed to concentrate. So he tried to push away his thoughts of Betty.

Best to just forget about her now, before you make an even bigger fool of yourself.

He left the car for a moment to turn on the old farmer's radio he kept in the shop. Tweaking the controls, he searched for something suitable to listen to while he worked. He stopped at one station, listening to the voice of announcer Dick Joy as he introduced an episode of The Adventures of Sam Spade, Detective. Satisfied, Warner turned up the volume and returned to the car.

By the time he went to reassemble the repaired steering column, the show had ended, and the station was now playing a big band concert. The music filling the workshop reminded him of nights at Camp Claiborne, when he and the other boys of the 751st would huddle around the old farm radio and listen to music. They'd sing, dance and carry on late into the night, as a substitute for going into town to visit a dance hall. The memories of that, unlike those of being on the European front, brought a smile to his face.

The workshop door slid open, and Darnell entered, clutching two brown paper bags.

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