Back in the Soldier's Arms Read Free

a sip and followed in Penny’s footsteps.
    They were sitting on the bed when he walked in, Gabby cross-legged with toys around her and Penny perched on the edge, a doll in one hand.
    Penny looked up at him, gave him that look again, and he stared straight back at her. Would have done anything to have looked into her eyes all day, whispered to her and promised to do better, convinced her how much he loved her.
    But he couldn’t say anything, and he knew she didn’t want to hear it anyway. Not right now.
    “You showing Mom your things?”
    Gabby nodded, her eyes bright. “She didn’t even know about my new favorite toys.”
    Daniel moved slowly across the room and sat on the far edge of the bed. “That’s why you have to tell Mommy about all the things you do when she’s away. Every time she calls you.”
    Gabby shook her head. “But she’s home now.” In complete denial.
    Daniel cringed. If only she were. Home for good, that was. It didn’t seem to matter how many times he told Gabby, she was holding on to her mother being back forever.
    “Remember we talked about this, hon,” he told her. “Mom is only back for a week.”
    Gabby looked down, fingering the doll on her lap.
    “Do you want to play with me?” she asked, shyly watching her mother.
    Daniel turned away as Penny shuffled across the bed on her knees to sit beside their daughter.
    “I’d love to.”
    He stood up and walked from the room as Penny spoke, not wanting to see the tears in Penny’s eyes as she snuggled up besidack ad up bese Gabby.
    Because he would have done anything to snuggle right up beside his two girls.
    Instead he was heading back down the hall to confirm his accommodation arrangement for the night. Preparing to be alone, instead of with his family.
    Daniel squared his shoulders and went outside, needing the fresh air.
    He had been such an idiot. A fool.
    If he could turn back time, change the decision he’d made, he would do it in a heartbeat.
    But there was no changing the past.
    Even if it did seem like a long shot, no matter how strained things might be between them, he still believed.
    In the power of love. In the strength of their marriage.
    He dug his heel into the top of his other foot. Stomped down hard, trying to fight the hot rush of tears as they pressed down hard, burning at the backs of his eyes.
    Daniel wiped hard at his face, knuckles into his eyes.
    He wasn’t the kind of guy who cried, couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt the sting of tears pierce his eyeballs.
    He only had six and a half days to make Penny fall in love with him again, and he was going to make the most of every single minute.
    Because he loved his wife and he wasn’t going to walk away without a fight.
    Back in the Soldier’s Arms/Here Comes the Groom

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CHAPTER TWO
    PENNY made her way back down the hall. She didn’t know whether to be smiling or frowning. Laughing or crying.
    Part of her was so overwhelmingly happy about being home, yet it was heartbreaking at the same time. She’d never resented her four years of service, not when the army had given her so much, but being here with Gabby made her realize how much she was missing out on. How much she just wanted to be a mommy.
    She saw Daniel sitting on the sofa, feet up on the coffee table as he watched a game of football, volume down low.
    “Hey,” she said, letting him know she was standing behind him.
    He flicked the television off and swung his feet down. “Where’s Gabby?”
    Penny moved slowly around the edge of the sofa and sat down in the chair opposite. She stifled a laugh. Getting Daniel to turn a game off wasn’t usually so simple as her walking into the room.
    “She fell asleep while I was reading a story to her. I hope that’s okay?”
    She had no idea if she even napped during the day still or not.
    Daniel smiled. “Yeah, that’s fine. She wouldn’t go to bed until late last night because she was so excited about you coming