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lungs.
    “Of course Penny, but the navy, too. I know I should be grateful to be back here for good, but without Penny, it was so hard adjusting. I miss the guys, I miss the adrenaline rush of being up in the Seahawk, of being on a mission. I miss it so damn bad.”
    Tom stayed silent, swigging quietly on his beer.
    “And then I got so damn lonely, felt so sorry for myself, that I ruined everything.” He stared at the ceiling, forcing emotion back down his throat, fighting the feeling of his heart burning to death. “I was so alone, it was like I’d lost everything, and I was so utterly selfish that I ruined my life and hers. I just wish she’d let me try to explain what happened, what I was going through.”
    Tom leaned toward him, the anger gone, replaced by a look Daniel hoped wasn’t pity.
    “You stuffed up, bro, but you need to do everything you can to make this right. For you. For Penny. For Gabby.”
    Daniel twirled the cold bottle in his hands. He didn’t know what to do, how to go about it.
    “Even if you do get her to listen, you made the choice and this is the consequence. You can’t lump any of the blame on Penny.” Tom’s voice was stern but his gaze was kind. “I can’t imagine ever leaving the#x2‘leaving t navy behind, it’s my life, but she’s your wife, Dan. It doesn’t matter how hard it is for you, she’s more important. It’s Penny we’re talking about.”
    He was right, he usually was. Only this time, Daniel had no idea what to do to make things right.
    A phone rang.
    He looked up, expecting it to be Tom’s, before realizing it was his.
    Daniel reached for it, almost dropping it when he saw the caller identification.
    “Who is it?” Tom asked.
    Daniel gulped, pausing before he answered. “Home,” he replied, his voice hoarse.
    Tom raised an eyebrow again.
    It was too late for Gabby to be calling him.
    And that left only one option.
    Penny.
    He put his beer down and pressed the phone to his ear.
    “Daniel?”
    Her voice was shaky, fragile. Like she’d been crying. “Penny, what’s wrong? Is Gabby okay?” He listened to a muffled noise, hoped she wasn’t crying, then a sigh.
    “I think you need to come home.”
    Daniel eyed his beer, thankful he hadn’t consumed it. He’d have been no help to anyone if he’d drowned his sorrows and hadn’t been able to drive.
    “I’ll be there as quick as I can.”
    “Thank you,” she whispered down the line, before hanging up.
    Daniel looked at the makeshift bed on the couch, then over at Tom.
    “Go,” his brother told him. Daniel didn’t need to be told.
    He ran a hand down his jeans, pushing out the crumples, did the same to his hair and grabbed his keys.
    “I’ll call you tomorrow,” he called over his shoulder.
    “Don’t bother, I’ll be at the party.”
    The party. He’d almost forgotten. The reason Penny was home.
    He threw a hand up in a quick wave and slammed the door behind him.
    It didn’t matter why Penny needed him. Why she’d called. Because he’d always be there for her. She’d never have to ask him twice.
    He’d been an idiot. Once.
    In all their years together, all the times they’d spent apart, with her in the army and him in the navy, he’d always been faithful. Never even thought of straying.
    He’d been a jerk once, and he’d regret that for the rest of his life.
    But Tom was right. This was his chance to make things right, to make it up to Penny. No matter what it took, no matter what the consequences.
    Because the consequences of not saving his marriage weren’t even worth contemplating. Everything else could be overcome, dealt with, but letting Penny slip from his life would be something he’d regret forever.
    He loved Penny, and he’d do his darndest to prove it to her.
    Starting now.
    Back in the Soldier’s Arms/Here Comes the Groom

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CHAPTER FIVE
    PENNY slumped against the wall in the hallway. She’d never felt so hopeless, so useless before.
    And even