placed his hand on her skinny shoulder. “I’m not out to hurt you. I just need a pretty Caroline to serenade. Will you help me?”
Truthfully, Bennett had seen prettier girls than this one. But his words had the desired effect. Her pink cheeks deepened to a blazing red, and she stopped trying to escape. She offered a timorous nod. Her friends fell back, and Bennett gave her shoulder a quick squeeze. “That’s a good sport.” He winked. “Now just stand right there and keep smilin’ at me, honey—that’ll give me the encouragement I need to get these fellas off my back.”
He stretched to his feet. With his eyes pinned to Caroline’s face, he belted out the words to “Can’t You Hear Me Callin’, Caroline?” Bennett had been told he couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket, but he didn’t let it stop him. He sang at full lung. While he sang, he gestured broadly, occasionally going down on one knee to brush Caroline’s cheek with his knuckles or smooth his hand over her frizzy brown hair. The red in her cheeks spread until her face was mottled with color from neck to hairline, yet she stayed pressed to the edge of the table, her face upturned.
He couldn’t remember all the words—he’d only heard the song a few times on the radio—but he substituted with la-la-la where needed. Laughter and cheers rang throughout the entire performance, and by the time he finished, Caroline was gazing at him in rapture, completely besotted.
When the song reached the last line, he jumped to the floor, cupped Caroline’s cheeks with both hands, and held the final syllable on “Caroline . . .” until he ran out of breath. He faked a cough, winning more laughter and a spatter of applause. Then he lifted Caroline’s bony hand and pressed a kiss to its back. Finally, he bowed to the cheering audience. Jim and Ted pounded him on the back as wild clapping and foot stomping made his ears ring. Bennett stepped away from the two men and slipped his arm around Caroline’s waist.
“C’mon, honey, let’s get you back to your lunch.”
Caroline hunched her shoulders, holding her clasped hands to her heart. “Yes. Please.”
Accustomed to Libby’s boldness, Bennett found himself impatient with this girl’s bashfulness. But he played the gentleman and escorted her to her table, where she melted into her seat, her doleful eyes still glued to his face. “Thanks for your help, Caroline.” He hummed a couple of bars from the song, grinning as Caroline fanned her still-red cheeks with both hands. Then he winked at her friends, who giggled hysterically, before he swaggered back to his own table.
Just as he lifted his tray, Libby and Pete entered the dining hall. He scowled at them as they approached. “ Now you show up. Where’ve you been?” He bounced his empty tray. “I’m all done.” He didn’t mention his impromptu concert. He also didn’t ask why Libby was with Pete when he’d invited her to have lunch with him.
“Sorry I’m late.” Libby stuck out her lower lip and blew, lifting the fine strands of hair along her forehead. “It took longer than I thought it would to get to the newspaper offices in town.”
Bennett frowned. “Newspaper offices?”
“I was seeking employment.”
They’d all need to find jobs to help with spending money. Their scholarships covered school expenses but nothing else. And they didn’t have parents to send them a monthly allowance. Pete was lucky—Mrs. Rowley had arranged for him to be a student assistant for the biblical professors. But of course the Rowleys hadn’t bothered to set anything up for him or Libby; they were on their own. He wished he’d known that’s what Libby’d been doing all morning—he could’ve gone with her and done some job-seeking himself. “Find anything?”
A secretive smile creased her cheek. “Yes. Something completely unexpected.” Before Bennett could ask her what she meant, she turned to Pete. “Well, I’m glad we ran into each other.
Truthfully, Bennett had seen prettier girls than this one. But his words had the desired effect. Her pink cheeks deepened to a blazing red, and she stopped trying to escape. She offered a timorous nod. Her friends fell back, and Bennett gave her shoulder a quick squeeze. “That’s a good sport.” He winked. “Now just stand right there and keep smilin’ at me, honey—that’ll give me the encouragement I need to get these fellas off my back.”
He stretched to his feet. With his eyes pinned to Caroline’s face, he belted out the words to “Can’t You Hear Me Callin’, Caroline?” Bennett had been told he couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket, but he didn’t let it stop him. He sang at full lung. While he sang, he gestured broadly, occasionally going down on one knee to brush Caroline’s cheek with his knuckles or smooth his hand over her frizzy brown hair. The red in her cheeks spread until her face was mottled with color from neck to hairline, yet she stayed pressed to the edge of the table, her face upturned.
He couldn’t remember all the words—he’d only heard the song a few times on the radio—but he substituted with la-la-la where needed. Laughter and cheers rang throughout the entire performance, and by the time he finished, Caroline was gazing at him in rapture, completely besotted.
When the song reached the last line, he jumped to the floor, cupped Caroline’s cheeks with both hands, and held the final syllable on “Caroline . . .” until he ran out of breath. He faked a cough, winning more laughter and a spatter of applause. Then he lifted Caroline’s bony hand and pressed a kiss to its back. Finally, he bowed to the cheering audience. Jim and Ted pounded him on the back as wild clapping and foot stomping made his ears ring. Bennett stepped away from the two men and slipped his arm around Caroline’s waist.
“C’mon, honey, let’s get you back to your lunch.”
Caroline hunched her shoulders, holding her clasped hands to her heart. “Yes. Please.”
Accustomed to Libby’s boldness, Bennett found himself impatient with this girl’s bashfulness. But he played the gentleman and escorted her to her table, where she melted into her seat, her doleful eyes still glued to his face. “Thanks for your help, Caroline.” He hummed a couple of bars from the song, grinning as Caroline fanned her still-red cheeks with both hands. Then he winked at her friends, who giggled hysterically, before he swaggered back to his own table.
Just as he lifted his tray, Libby and Pete entered the dining hall. He scowled at them as they approached. “ Now you show up. Where’ve you been?” He bounced his empty tray. “I’m all done.” He didn’t mention his impromptu concert. He also didn’t ask why Libby was with Pete when he’d invited her to have lunch with him.
“Sorry I’m late.” Libby stuck out her lower lip and blew, lifting the fine strands of hair along her forehead. “It took longer than I thought it would to get to the newspaper offices in town.”
Bennett frowned. “Newspaper offices?”
“I was seeking employment.”
They’d all need to find jobs to help with spending money. Their scholarships covered school expenses but nothing else. And they didn’t have parents to send them a monthly allowance. Pete was lucky—Mrs. Rowley had arranged for him to be a student assistant for the biblical professors. But of course the Rowleys hadn’t bothered to set anything up for him or Libby; they were on their own. He wished he’d known that’s what Libby’d been doing all morning—he could’ve gone with her and done some job-seeking himself. “Find anything?”
A secretive smile creased her cheek. “Yes. Something completely unexpected.” Before Bennett could ask her what she meant, she turned to Pete. “Well, I’m glad we ran into each other.
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