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Back The Land Beneath Us Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Endorsements
  3. Books by Sarah Sundin
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Presidential Radio Broadcast
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. Epilogue
  58. Acknowledgments
  59. Discussion Questions
  60. About the Author
  61. Back Ads
  62. Back Cover

A square-faced soldier with pale blond hair gave her the type of grin Leah had only seen directed at girls like Darlene. “Sounds like you could use a night on the town. How about the four of us, the two of you? Maybe you’ve got a couple girlfriends.”

Darlene set her hand on her hip. “Sure, handsome. I know plenty of gals. But y’all had better take us somewhere nice. We’re plumb tired of the cafeteria.”

Leah felt ill. Why, she didn’t even know these men, much less how to act on a date. “Not me, but thank you for the invitation.”

The skinny soldier crossed his arms. “Got yourself a boyfriend?”

“No. I just . . .” Leah twisted her purse strap and smiled in a way that she hoped would communicate polite regret. “I’m still settling in and getting used to my job.”

The black-haired soldier at the end was looking at her chest.

Leah pulled her purse in front of her like a shield.

The man had a notch in his left ear like a tomcat who had been in too many fights. He met her gaze. His eyes were dark and as cold as midnight in Iowa in January, and a shudder ran through her. One of the wolves.

“Any of you fellows have a pen?” Darlene asked.

Two immediately sprang forth.

Darlene uncapped one, took the hand of the blond soldier, and wrote on the back of his hand. “The number for my boardinghouse. Ask for Darlene. I’ll round up some friends.”

He grinned at his hand. “Say, that’d be swell.”

“Bye, fellas.” Darlene wiggled her fingers in farewell, took Leah’s arm, and headed outside. After both umbrellas were raised, they strolled down Atlantic past Sterling Stores and the First National Bank. For once, Darlene was silent.

In front of Couch’s, where signs advertised appliance sales and repairs, Darlene stopped and huffed. “What’s wrong with you? You could have had a date.”

“I don’t know those men, don’t even know their names.”

Another huff and louder. “Sugar, you’ve got a lot to learn. I’m willing to teach you, but you’ve got to be willing to listen.”

Leah’s lips twisted. “One thing at a time, please.”

Darlene fell silent, and then she hugged Leah’s arm. “A new job, new clothes, new hairdo. And now that you look cute, men are asking you out. I suppose it’s a lot for you.”

“It is.” She couldn’t even imagine herself on a date.

Maybe with Clay Paxton, who was so kind and bright. He also knew tragedy, and she longed to talk with him again.

But not on a date. She wasn’t ready, not even with Clay.

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CAMP FORREST
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1943