The Moon That Night Read online

  He kissed her cheek as several of Ally’s friends ran toward them. “You ready to go, Al?” one of the girls asked.

  “In a minute.” Ally glanced at Riley. “Daddy?”

  “Go, Ally.” Start your life.

  “I love you.”

  She spun around, and the new graduates ran off toward the parking lot. As the rest of the family de-camped and started toward their cars, Riley glanced away for a moment, gathering in his emotions. He looked back and his gaze caught with Kate’s. She held the baby in her arms and her face suddenly turned very serious. “Feels like life is moving at light speed, doesn’t it?”

  House. Marriage. Pregnancies and the birth of three kids. Not to mention the fact that he’d retired and started a private security consulting firm. She’d set up a full art studio in their basement, so they both had lots of time with the kids.

  “Hey,” he said, planting a kiss on her neck, “you’re not regretting date number four, are you?”

  For their first date Riley had taken Kate to a firing range. She’d turned out to be a pretty good shot, too. Their fourth date had been a bit more tame. He’d surprised her by making dinner for her at her apartment. He’d made an offer on a house near Jenny’s in Alexandria that afternoon and had wanted to celebrate life, in general. On date number 150, he’d proposed and she’d accepted in a heartbeat.

  “Except for that hike up the Appalachian Trail when it rained cats and dogs, I’ve never regretted a single date with you.”

  “Yeah, but you look awfully cute wet as a drowned rat.”

  Riley’s heart filled with a love so complete when he looked into his wife’s face. His wife. His daughters. Being a soldier had been rewarding, important work, no doubt. But this—being a father and husband—was what defined his new life.

  “You were right, you know,” he whispered in her ear.

  “About what?”

  “Everything. As usual.”

  “Well, with Ally moving out, that means we’ll have room for one more.”

  He laughed and kissed his wife’s cheek. “Too late for that. Already did the snip, snip, remember?”

  “That reversed itself once, Riley. It could happen again.” A sly gleam fired to life in her eyes. “We could try for a boy.”

  “I think it’s clear I was meant to be surrounded by the opposite sex.” Because he’d never been happier. He brought the back of her hand to his mouth for a kiss. “You and the girls,” he whispered, “are all I want. All I need.”

  As if taking their cue, Sinead and Erin ran toward him, calling, “Daddy, are you coming?” Each grabbed one of his arms and started climbing on him like a jungle gym.

  “Of course I am, you little monkeys.” He grabbed them and lifted them in the air. Tomboys, through and through, just like their mother. He blew Kate a kiss.

  Chaos times ten had somehow added up to a great new life.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-7526-7

  THE MOON THAT NIGHT

  Copyright © 2010 by Helen Brenna

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  *An Island to Remember