Waiting for Dusk Read Online Free Page B

time. Just as she opened
the kitchen door to go inside, she heard a familiar voice.
    “You do get a lunch break, don’t you,
Kate?”
    She whirled around to see Drew standing
behind her. She almost dropped the basket of eggs.
    “Yes, of course I do,” she said indignantly.
She really didn’t remember last time if she did or not.
    “Well, then I would love to have lunch with
you. I’d love to show you the park.” Drew pointed past the
hotel.
    “The p-p-park?” She completely forgot she was
at some sort of resort people in the 1920’s vacationed at.
    “Do you know where you’re at?” Drew chuckled
light-heartedly.
    “Well, I know it’s hot and dry here. Not too
much grass. Lots of pine trees. The sky is always blue and the sun
shines high in the sky,” Katie tried to be factual. Too scared to
look around the first day, she just gazed at the other girls’ faces
during the car ride to the hotel. This morning she had her eyes
closed the whole time.
    “Come here,” Drew took Katie’s hand. She
almost dropped the basket again. He took it from her and set it on
the step.
    They walked to the end of the building and
around the corner. Katie gasped. She put her hand over her mouth
and then mumbled, “The Grand Canyon.”
    “Yes, that’s right. You didn’t know you were
working at El Tovar at the Canyon?”
    “Yes...yes of course I knew!” Kate fibbed.
Her eyes were still as large as saucers. It was such an
overwhelming sight. She looked at Drew. He was looking at the
canyon with awe, too. “You love it, don’t you?”
    “Yes, that’s why I’m here. To learn as much
as I possibly can about it.” He became very quiet.
    “I need to get back, but I’ll meet you later
for lunch.”
    “Lunch it is.”
    The morning seemed to drag by. Katie thought
it would never be lunchtime. Then the backdoor flew open and Drew
walked in. He was greeted by everyone. He knew them all by name.
“Cook, what’s good for lunch today?” He slapped Cook on the
back.
    Cook’s brown skin glistened from working over
the hot stove. He wiped his brow and turned toward Drew.
“Everything’s good, Andrew. You know that. I am the Cook!”
They laughed like they were the best of friends.
    Katie loved when Cook laughed. His teeth were
the whitest Katie ever saw. His face lit up the room and he put
everyone in a good mood.
    Cook handed Andrew a pail. “Have a good
lunch. And don’t fall into the canyon. I swear you get too close to
that edge.”
    “You’ll have to join me, Thomas, on a hike or
maybe that mule ride down the trail,” he teased. “I know you don’t
care to get too close to the canyon edge in any form. You’ll have
to get over that fear if you want to be a ranger someday.” He
slapped Thomas on the back. “Or you can stick to being the greatest
cook here at the park.”
    Andrew headed for the door, but not before
catching Katie’s eye and pointing toward the canyon. Katie’s heart
skipped a beat. She wanted to gaze into that face for longer than a
minute. She couldn’t wait.
    Cook broke Katie’s thoughts. “Hello, Kate!
It’s time for a lunch break. Hey, that rhymes.” He laughed at his
own joke.
    Katie jumped and came back to reality.
“Thanks, Cook,” she said as he handed her a little pail covered
with one of the dining room’s cloth napkins. She didn’t realize he
called her Kate.
    Anna ran up to her. “You are on your own
today. You can go into the lunchroom or there are tables outside in
the back. Here’s some sweet tea.” She handed Katie a small jug.
    “Thanks, Anna. I think I’ll go outside
today.”
    Anna’s dark brown eyes seemed to have love
and concern in them as Katie took the tea from her. Anna was
lovely, even though her long hair was tied back in a bun and
covered in netting like the other girls. Anna’s dark blonde hair
was done up so neatly. Katie didn’t know if she’d ever get the hang
of it.
    “Have a good lunch then. See you in a
half-hour.”
    Half-hour? That’s all I