It was like a wonderful dream and Evelyn didn't want to wake up. It frightened her a little to feel herself falling for Rafe McCawley, because she was falling hard.

She'd never been at a loss for escorts to dances or parties, but she'd never felt anything close for them to what she was beginning to feel for Rafe. He was handsome and cocky, but he was also very thoughtful and considerate. He could make her laugh with stories of home or flight training then become so serious when he talked about his parents or his friend Danny.

In the short time since they had started to see each other, Rafe had made it very clear to Evelyn that his interest in her was more than passing. They'd spent hours at the coffee shop and talked, once they'd gotten over the initial awkwardness of the meeting.

She got the feeling he was keeping their budding relationship to himself, because they never mixed with the nurses or the other pilots. She'd heard so much about Danny, but had yet to meet him. She never thought it was that Rafe was trying to keep it a secret. But that what was happening was so special he wasn't ready to share it, with anyone.

She understood what he was feeling, because she felt the same way. Barbara had started to grill her when she would come home after her dates with Rafe. "All right honey, who is he?" She asked Evelyn one evening as she walked through the door. They'd met again after her shift. They'd gone back to the coffee shop and sat at what they'd come to consider their table.

Evelyn tried to keep her face blank as she took her coat off and hung it in the closet. "Who's who Barbara?"

"Don't kid a kidder, sweetie. I know you've been meeting someone, so spill it."

"Well unless you've been having me followed, how would you know?"

Barbara took her hand and was unusually serious. "There has to be someone because you have this look I've never seen before. You get this faraway look in your eye, like you're thinking about someone, someone that's pretty special."

Evelyn willed herself not to blush, but she wasn't sure if she'd pulled it off. "Barbara, you're seeing something that isn't there."

"Oh there's something there; it's all over your face."

Darn it, it hadn't worked. Evelyn sighed and smiled at her concerned friend. "Everything's all right. If you're worried that he's married or something, he's not." Shoot! She'd just revealed more than she wanted to.

Barbara smiled in triumph. "So there is someone."

Evelyn sighed again and nodded. "There is someone, but I'm just not ready to talk about it yet."

"He must really be something if you're keeping him to yourself."

This time Evelyn didn't try to stop herself from blushing and the look on Barbara's face told her she suddenly knew who Evelyn's mystery man was.

"You've been seeing that pilot, haven't you?" She grinned at her friend. "The one who broke his nose?"

"Barbara..." Was all Evelyn could say.

"He's a looker, Ev; I'll give you that."

Evelyn was going to chastise her friend, but nodded instead.

Barbara had let go of her hand while they talked, but gathered her back into a hug. "I won't tell the girls about this, I promise."

"Thanks Barbara. I appreciate that." And Evelyn headed to the stairs to go up to her room.

"I just have to know one thing though."

Evelyn stopped and turned around. "What's that?"

"Is he a good kisser?" Barbara's eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Barbara." Evelyn said with a laugh before she headed up the stairs. She heard Barbara laugh as she reached the second floor landing.

"That's all I needed to hear, honey."

When Evelyn got to her room, she didn't turn on the light. She put her purse on the bed and sat down at the foot. While she hadn't actually told Barbara anything, it hadn't taken her long to figure out what was going on. But Evelyn was not ready to talk about Rafe to anyone and she knew Barbara understood that.

The other girls must have still been at the hospital, because it was quiet. Evelyn didn't hear the usual chatter from the bedrooms upstairs or down in the kitchen, but it meant she wouldn't have to talk to anyone else.

When she finally got up, she went to turn on the bedside lamp. Propped up against the base was a snapshot of her and Rafe that had been taken with her Brownie camera by a very nice man who worked at a service station near Mitchell Field. They'd gone for a drive the Sunday after they'd met for coffee. Evelyn had brought along the camera her parents had given her for her birthday because she wanted a picture of Rafe. She'd taken the picture she wanted and after the attendant had filled the tank, had offered to take a picture of them. "I'm not too good at this, but what do you say?"

They'd looked at each other and smiled then Evelyn handed her camera to him and thanked him.

She stood next to the bed with the picture in her hand. It was the only evidence she had that they were seeing each other. She didn't worry the girls had seen it because she knew they hadn't. Privacy was something that was very important to all of them and bedrooms were off limits unless invited in.

Evelyn changed out of her uniform into a wool skirt, a long sleeved blouse and a sweater. She slipped into her favorite pair of fuzzy slippers and headed to the door. As she was about to turn the knob, she heard tapping at her bedroom window. What in the world? She was on the second floor, so what could the sound have been?

She walked over to the window and drew back one of the curtains. Why did it not surprise her to see Lieutenant Rafe McCawley standing under her window. As she raised the sash of the window she pulled her sweater closer around her and smiled.

He had a big grin on his face and dropped a handful of pebbles he'd been holding. "Hey." He greeted her. "I was hoping this was your room."

"Rafe McCawley, what on earth are you doing here? You're supposed to be on your way back to the base."

"I was, but I wanted to see you again."

"Why? We just saw each other a half hour ago."

"I know we did, but that was a whole half hour ago."

She smiled and at that moment knew she'd fallen in love. "Do you know how much trouble you could get in if you're caught?"

"You're worth it." Was all he said.

She shook her head in amusement. "You're really something."

"So are you." And the look he had on his face made her heart skip a beat. "Would you have dinner with me Saturday night? Maybe a movie?"

She nodded. "Of course. Call me at the hospital and let me know what time."

"Evelyn, do you think maybe it's time we stop keepin' this a secret?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "If you're ready to let everyone in one this, maybe we should let them know what's going on."

Rafe seemed to weigh the option because he was quiet for a moment. When he looked up at her he smiled. "Would you mind keepin' this to ourselves for a little while longer?"

"No I wouldn't mind, but Barbara knows. I haven't told her anything, but she's noticed I've been out a lot. It's a cinch the other girls have noticed, too."

There was a knock at Evelyn's door and through it she heard Barbara's voice. "Ev, I was going to make some popcorn, you want to share?"

Evelyn turned away from the window to answer. "That sounds swell Barbara, I'll be down in a minute." When she turned back to the window, Rafe was gone. She leaned out and whispered, "Rafe, are you still here?"

He appeared out of the shadows. "I'm still here, but I need to leave now. I'll call you at the hospital on Friday."

"All right. Goodnight Rafe."

He raised his hand in farewell. "Goodnight Evelyn." And he walked into the shadows.

Evelyn closed the window sash and the curtain. She couldn't help but smile to herself as she walked over to the night table and looked at the picture of her and Rafe before she turned off the lamp and headed back downstairs to share a bowl of popcorn with Barbara.