Page 29 of The Soldier's Homecoming

“All done in here?”

She looked up, blowing out her breath so hard that tendrils of hair flew up around her face. “Finally.”

Daniel collected the garbage bag and tied the top in a knot. “She had a great time.”

Penny collected a glass to put in the dishwasher. “So did I.”

He looked thoughtful before carrying the bag into the kitchen.

“Penny, I know you want to spend time with Gabby, but…”

She put the glass down and spread her hands out on the bench. “What is it?’

It was unlike him to be unsure with his words. Daniel was usually forthright, never hesitated.

“I was wondering if you’d like to go away. Even just for a night.” His voice was rapid, he was talking too fast.

Where did he want to take her? And why?

“Daniel, I only have six days left, I can’t leave her.”

His face crumpled before the strength returned and he stood taller, looked confident and composed. The man-in-uniform kind of Daniel she was used to.

“One night,” he said, stepping forward so that he was as close as he could be to her from the other side of the bench, “Let me take us away somewhere for one night.”

She physically squirmed on the spot, unsure.

“Daniel, I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.”

He shook his head. “Please, Penny, this is really important to me.”

She didn’t want to say yes. Or maybe she did.

ell, she’d been so confused since she’d been home she hardly knewwhatshe was thinking. What she wanted.

“Pen?”

“I don’t know what to say,” she replied honestly.

“There’s something else I want to ask you.” His voice was soft now, careful.

Penny sucked in a breath and bent to place the glass she’d held before in the dishwasher. She flicked the switch.

Then looked up.

“I completely understand why you don’t want to leave Gabby, but we need to spend time together.”

She waited as he paused, not sure what he was getting at.

“Let me take you out on a date.”

Oh, my.

“A date?’’

Daniel looked suddenly serious, solemn even.

“This could be it for us, Penny, and I can’t let you go without a fight.”

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