Page 28 of The Soldier's Homecoming

“Let me kiss you, Penny,” he whispered, his voice low and husky.

She didn’t know what to say. She wanted it and yet she didn’t, but her body betrayed her. Her mouth parted, responding to the call his was putting out.

“Danny,” she whispered, wanting to tell himnoyet failing badly.

He bent, mouth so close to crushing hers.

Penny’s head dipped back, her body dangerously close to Daniel’s.

“Daddy?”

They both froze.

Daniel pulled back, his hands sliding from Penny’s waist to slowly hang back at his sides.

She gripped the bench behind her, legs shaking.

“Yeah,” he said gruffly.

“What are you doing to Mommy? Isn’t it cake time yet?”

“We’re, um, looking for candles,” Penny said, cheeks burning at being caught by their daughter.

“Oh, okay,” Gabby said, skipping out of the room.

Daniel turned almost-black eyes at her and smiled.

“I’ll get those candles,” she said, needing the distance from him, hoping he stepped backward rather than toward her.

“I’ll, ah, take the rest of the food out.”

She listened to Daniel pick up another tray and walk out.

It only just gave her enough time to flop forward on the bench, her elbows resting on it so she could cradle her head in her hands for a moment.

Coming home was harder than she’d expected it to be. So hard it made her feel as if a ton of concrete was trapped on her chest, crushing her lungs.

She’d expected to be so angry with Daniel that she wouldn’t even be able to look at him. Disgusted with what he’d done.

But now she was here, it was the memories of what they’d had that kept playing through her mind.

She still couldn’t forgive him, but forgetting their past seemed to be as difficult as forgetting what he’d done.

Penny forced her head up and reached for the candles. She chose the five prettiest ones from the pack and pushed them carefully into the cake.

Daniel had asked for a chance to prove himself last night, to pretend for Gabby’s sake.

She hadn’t wanted to hear the details before. To talk about what had gone wrong in their marriage.

Maybe she hadn’t been there enough for him. Hadn’t been emotionally available enough to truly understand what he’d gone through leaving the navy. Just because they’d both joined to get their qualifications, it didn’t mean they didn’t both love what they did. Hadn’t learned to love the camaraderie of their careers, even if they had only signed up for the minimum term each.

But if the constant tug within her chest was anything to go by, she owed it to him, herself and to Gabby to be brave.

She hadn’t made a career for herself as a sergeant in the United States Army by being a coward.

7

PENNY picked up the last paper plate off the floor and dumped it in the trash. She had no idea how so few children could make such a huge mess.

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