Across the Sea

one • prologue

Hawaii, 1942

"Whatd'ya say you'd tell our grandkids one day about all this?"

I swayed to the band's music, holding my husband close, not truly knowing the next time I'd have the chance. He smelled like he always did, like mint and cologne. Danny looked sharp in his uniform. I'd pressed it just for tonight and I'd found something nice for the USO dance for myself.

It was out of the ordinary for wives to be at these sort of things, what with the USO girls and all, but Danny never seemed to mind and I only beamed with pride knowing he still wanted to spend every minute ashore by my side.

"I'd tell them I married the best dive bomber west of the Mississippi, but he never knew how to listen to his wife when it counted," I murmured smartly into his shoulder. I could feel his rumbling laughter as he chuckled wryly.

"Well, hold on a minute now, Miss Darlene. You know a guy better than me east of the Mississippi?"

Danny pulled away just enough for me to see his questioning frown. He was always like this. I think that's what I would tell our grandkids.

We met on a summer night in Brooklyn when I was eighteen. I had been visiting my mother's sister when I was brought to a dance hall by a cousin. It was there that I first saw that face. He was a handsome rogue they called Halsey and my life was never quite the same.

I had spent that whole summer trying to imagine my life without those smart brown eyes. Ten years later and he was still the same man at heart, only growing better with age, and I never knew what I had done to deserve him.

I never liked admitting affection. It wasn't who I was, everyone who knew me knew that. I was gentle and soft but I was never overly expressive. I was wary about falling in love. But him, him I loved.

"No," I replied softly. "You're it. But that sure as hell doesn't mean you can pull another stunt like that and scare your wife half to death. I own you, Halsey. Whatever you do, you'll always have to bring this back to me in one piece. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," he teased, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. It was that smile that I always missed when they took him on those big, hulking ships. I tried to take him all in, memorizing the little slants and curves of his face. He had soft brown eyes that thrummed with life and vivacity. They were expressive, just as much as the rest of his face. His jaw was chiseled and his cheeks were perfectly symmetrical and thinned, not like they were when he was just a boy anymore. He had a nice sturdy chin and the rest of him looked just as lean and ready to face adversity. I liked his nose. He always thought I meant it as a joke, but I liked the endearing button-esque shape it took.

Stella and Gracie had that nose, and I didn't see why the next wouldn't.

We swayed to the music a bit longer, before sitting back at our table with the other officers. Danny was flight officer as of a few months ago, making him third in command. I saw how it weighed on him now, the added clearance and responsibility. I knew he tried his best to keep me out of his business, but he shared all of the details he didn't think would scare me too much. I looked around the table and observed the men who would have my husband's back.

I knew some of their wives or I knew their sisters somehow. I trusted them. I knew where Danny needed to be. I counted his men as family as much as I counted my own sisters. Still, no one could stop my worrying about his life, especially when I knew my girls relied on their daddy coming back.