Page 37 of The Soldier's Homecoming

Gabby ran off with a smile on her face. Vicki’s face was more solemn.

“I don’t know what’s happened here today, but I’m not going to stand around and let you mope,” she said to both of them, her voice stern. “I’m here now so you may as well go out and enjoy yourselves.”

Penny held up her hands. “I’m sorry to waste your time, Vicki, but I think dinner’s off the cards.”

Daniel didn’t say anything. He looked at the ground, before raising his eyes slowly to meet Penny’s gaze.

“Are you sure?”

She glared at him. “Yes.” She had no intention of going through with their date night. “Besides, Gabby seems to have a bit of a cold or something coming on.”

Vicki looked deflated. Like she’d been looking forward to seeing the pair of them go out.

“What time was the booking, Daniel?” his mother asked.

“Seven.”

Vicki took a step forward and touched Penny’s shoulder. “You’ve got an hour to get yourself ready.” she said, voice low. “Can you not both put aside your differences and enjoy a meal together? You can have your dinner, chat about your daughter and then come home. I’ll make Gabby dinner, then put her to bed.”

Penny felt her mother-in-law’s gentle squeeze to her arm. She looked at Daniel. His gaze was…hopeful.

Penny shut her eyes, thought for half a second, then gave in.

Itwouldbe nice to have a meal out. To discuss what they were going to do custody-wise once she was home for good. Talk about Gabby and how they were going to deal with her leaving. About telling her what had happened between them, and perhaps even being honest with her about what it was her mother did for a career. Daniel must have told her something, but it was about time they came clean about her being a soldier.

“Pen, why don’t you have a shower and think about it?”

She forced a smile on her face. “You know what? Maybe it’s not such a bad idea.”

So long as it wasn’t a date.

Vicki beamed at them both, reaching out for Gabby as she appeared, arms laden with goodies.

“Grandma, you do remember about my bike, don’t you?”

“Of course, sweetheart, it was all the other things I needed reminding about.”

Penny tried to avoid Daniel’s gaze as she went to the bath- room, but it wasn’t easy. His eyes followed hers, she could feel them burning into her as if his pupils were laced with acid.

Her stomach churned at the thought of a night out, just the two of them. After their argument last night, the words they’d said, the anger that had blasted between them…she wondered how they’d even manage to sit across from one another for an entire meal.

But maybe it was what they needed, she thought, as she stepped out of her clothes and under the hot stream of water in the shower. They couldn’t argue in public. She wouldn’t embarrass herself by walking out of a restaurant.

So maybe, just maybe, dinner wouldn’t be so bad. They could eat, have a civil conversation and head home, like Vicki had suggested

Daniel tuggedat the edge of his shirt.

He guessed it was nerves making him on edge, but he wasn’t sure.

He didn’t ever remember being this nervous before. Not before his first flight up in a helicopter. Or the first time he went up solo after joining the navy as a pilot.

He decided to tuck the shirt into his jeans. He’d snuck into the bedroom to grab clothes from his wardrobe while Penny was in the shower. He was still waiting for her to emerge.

“You look lovely.”

He smiled at his mother’s words, not having realized she’d been watching him. “Yeah, but you have to say that.”

Gabby laughed, slapping her hand down with glee on the table.

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