The Royal Hawaiian Hotel, where they were staying, was right on Waikiki Beach. Their room had a balcony, called a lanai, where they had breakfast the next morning, and then they went downstairs and took a long walk on the beach. By ten-thirty, they were lying in the sun, working on their suntans, and swimming in the surf. Then they went back to their room to shower and dress for lunch. For dinner that night, Lizzie borrowed one of Audrey’s dresses, which she liked better than her own, although it was a little short for her. They both looked fresh and young and beautiful when Will met them in the lobby. He stayed late for drinks with them afterwards. He couldn’t tear himself away. The girls stayed up late, but were up early for a swim in the morning. Will returned to take them to lunch at the Moana Hotel, and then drove them around the island, and stopped for them to admire the view from all the famous places. At the end of the afternoon, he took them to Ford Island Naval Base, where he lived. The harbor was full of navy ships, and there were sailors and officers in whites everywhere. The insignia on Will’s uniform identified him as a pilot, which made him something of a star when others recognized it. He was the section leader of the formation he flew in.

“We don’t have as many pilots as the Air Force,” he boasted to his sister as he showed them around. “But we’re better,” he said, laughing. Audrey could tell he meant it. He had been a navy pilot for three years by then, almost three and a half, and was in advanced aircraft carrier flight training. He was twenty-five years old and so handsome he took Lizzie’s breath away whenever she looked at him. He had been a perfect gentleman since they arrived, but there was something about the way he looked at her that told her that he liked her, more than just as his little sister’s best friend.

He took them back to their hotel at the end of the day, and the three of them swam in the pool. He teased and played mostly with Lizzie, and chased her under water. At one point, she opened her eyes and looked at him, and they were both smiling. They were breathless when they came up for air and he gently put his arms around her.

“You’ve changed,” he said softly to her.