A week later, Sophie sat at the bar in her kitchen, feeling sorry for herself. It had been over a week since her narrow escape from death, and she hadn’t seen much of Gage in all that time.

The night of the flood was all a blur in her mind. She recalled slipping from the truck into the water, and she had a vague mental picture of a crowd of soldiers standing around clapping, but not much else, until she woke up in a hospital bed.

So much of that night played out in her head like a frightening nightmare. She remembered thinking she hadn’t told Gage she loved him, and she could swear, somewhere in her dreams, she heard him say he loved her. The frustrating thing was she couldn’t separate the dreams from reality. She must have swallowed too much water.

Waking up in the hospital had been disconcerting. Her last clear mental picture was of darkness and raging water. When she opened her eyes in the crisp white room, her first thought was she had died and gone to heaven. But somehow her vision of heaven didn’t include the distinct smell of alcohol and antiseptic. It took her a few moments more to gather her senses and realize she was in a hospital.

The next time she awoke, she saw the flowers. They were a multitude of colors, and the majority were red roses, filling the stand beside her bed and the ledge below the windowsill. A man sat in a chair pulled up close to the bed. It was Gage, and he was fast asleep. His face looked haggard, and he had a couple days growth of beard covering his jaw.

Unwilling to wake him, she looked her fill of this man she had grown to love. “I love you, Gage,” she whispered quietly. There. She had fulfilled her dying wish. Only now, she wasn’t going to die. She’d been given a second chance at life, and she was going to take advantage of it.

A knock on her hospital door disturbed the silence and her gaze swung over as three familiar faces peeked around the edge.

“Howdy, Lieutenant!” boomed the jovial Sergeant Schott.

“How’s our patient?” said a smiling first sergeant.

The two older men were all but blocking shy Private Johnson, who was carrying a vase with three perfect yellow roses. “Uh...how are you feeling, Lieutenant Keaton?”

“A little tired, but really just fine, for having died and gone to heaven.”

And she felt pretty good after almost drowning. It must have had something to do with the good-looking man sitting next to her.

With his chin tucked into his chest, the private stared at his shoes scuffing the floor as he shifted to the left and right, obviously uncomfortable with the fact he was standing in the room with a woman in a bed. Then he seemed to realize he was still holding the small vase of roses. He shoved them toward her. “These are for you.”

“Well, I sure didn’t think they were for me,” said the man next to her. Gage rose from the chair, taking the vase from the private and making room for it on the nightstand next to the bed. Then he yawned, stretched and ran a hand over his face. “How are you gentlemen, today? Are you feeling all right, Private Johnson? That was quite a dip you took out in the creek, last night.”

“I’m just fine, sir. Thank you for asking.” He paused and glanced in Sophie’s direction with an agonized look. “I just wish the Lieutenant had gone first. None of this would have happened if she had.”

Sophie realized the private was browbeating himself with guilt over her near miss with death.

“Private Johnson, she did what she had to do as an officer. It was the right thing, and you did the right thing by following orders. So, stop berating yourself,” Gage said sternly, then added softly, “Everything turned out just fine.”

“But, sir—”

“No buts. That’s an order,” Gage said.

“And I second that,” Sophie chimed in and then smiled.

“Just like an officer to be shouting orders from a hospital bed.” Sergeant Schott rolled his eyes and grumbled. “Just when you think you got ’em where you want ’em, they get all bossy again. There’s no hope for us enlisted.”

They all must have realized how ridiculous they sounded, because the room full of people burst into laughter, relieving the tension and erasing the guilt.

Gage ran his hand through his hair, stretched and then walked over to the first sergeant. “Did all the vehicles and equipment get taken care of at the unit?”

“Yes, sir, the men worked all this morning stretching tents out in the armory so they could dry without mildewing. The mud was sprayed off the vehicles, and they’re sitting as shiny as the day we left the motor pool, sir.”

Gage nodded. “Thanks for taking charge of things, Top.”

“It was a tough job, but someone had to do it with both you and the lieutenant up here all night.”

Sophie looked from the first sergeant to Gage. “You were here all night?”

“Like the first sergeant said, it was a tough job, but someone had to do it.” He walked back to her bedside and stared down at her with a crooked smile. “Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I just want to get out of this bed and go home.”

“Soon enough, my impatient patient.” Gage chucked her under her chin like a big brother would do, then he smiled and moved toward the door. “Since you’re feeling better, and you have fresh company, I may just as well head home for a shower and a shave.”

Sophie’s heart slowed, and her smile faded. “Must you leave so soon?”

“So soon?” Sergeant Schott snorted. “He’s been here as long as you have, only he didn’t have a comfortable mattress.”

Guilt pinched her chest. “Oh, that’s right. I forgot. You must be exhausted. Of course, you should go home and get some rest.”

“Bryce said he would be here in about an hour to take you home. The doctor saw no reason to keep you if you felt up to leaving today.” Gage nodded at the three men standing in the room. “See you three in a couple of weeks.” With one last look in her direction, he left the room.

“Well, Lieutenant, you gave us all a scare, but none so much as the captain.” Sergeant Schott moved closer to her side.

Sophie smiled weakly. “I don’t remember anything after I went under.”

“Geez, Lieutenant, you missed the best part.” Warming to his tale, the sergeant sat in the chair Gage had vacated and proceeded to fill in the gaps in her memory.

“When the captain saw that you couldn’t reach for the rope, he tied it around his own waist and jumped in after you.” Schott leaned forward, excitement in his eyes. “Then we all saw you slip off the top of that truck. We were sure you were a goner. Not the captain. He swam like a wild man. No sooner had you gone under, then he was right there going after you. He had you pulled up before you were swept away forever, he did. It took about twenty soldiers to drag you two back to shore against that current.” He leaned back and smiled, satisfied he’d done the story justice.

Sophie stared at the plain white walls and strained to recall the moment she came to after being pulled from the water.

“I can’t remember what was dream and what was reality from last night. I keep thinking I heard clapping.”

“Yes, ma’am, you did,” Private Johnson said quietly.

“That’ right,” chimed in Sergeant Schott. “We were all so glad the captain managed to pull you out and get you breathing again, the whole unit cheered.”

The three men stayed and talked quietly with her until Bryce arrived. Then each one filed by her bed to say good-bye.

“See you next drill, Lieutenant.”

The room grew quiet, and Sophie looked over at Bryce. He was paler than usual, and his ready smile was conspicuously absent. “Hey, Sis.” He gathered her into a big bear hug. “Don’t ever do that again. Do you hear me? I wasn’t even there, and it scared the living daylights out of me.”

“Why, Bryce?” Sophie chuckled. “Everything turned out just fine.” She had never seen Bryce so emotional.

“I’m kinda used to having a big sister around to pick on. I can’t imagine life without you. Besides, I didn’t want to get stuck with your crazy cat.”

Now that was more like Bryce. “Well, I don’t plan on going anywhere for a long time, so you’re stuck with me, and so is Cujo.”

“Good. Now, that we have that settled, I spoke with the nurses, and you have your marching orders to leave. Let’s get you home so I can put you in your own bed to recuperate. I have all kinds of recipes I want to try out on you while you convalesce.”

“Oh, no,” Sophie groaned as she threw back the covers. “I may as well stay here. With you cooking, I’ll need a permanent hook up to a stomach pump.”

True to his word, Bryce took good care of her, between going to classes and popping over to Gage’s. He was getting really good at opening cans of chicken noodle soup and making delicious bowls of cereal. What more could a woman ask for?

Maybe a visit from the man she loves? Bryce had seen more of Gage than Sophie had. She only caught glimpses of him through her windows as he came and went from his house. She was dying to know whether she had dreamt that he’d said “I love you” or if it was a reality. If he didn’t come to visit her, how was she to ask? She could just as well have drowned for all the attention she was getting from him, now.

To make matters worse, now that she was back to one hundred percent herself, Bryce was spending more and more time over there. She didn’t even have her cat anymore. The ingrate had moved in with Gage the weekend she’d spent at her parents’ house and only came over for short visits.

So here she sat, feeling so pathetic she could cry. “Well, who needs them anyway?”

Perhaps shop-therapy would help. She could buy something she didn’t need just to cheer her up. While she was reaching for her purse, the phone rang. All thoughts of shopping flew from her mind and she grabbed the cell phone from the counter and said the first thing that came to her mind, “Gage?”

Deep masculine laughter filled her ear from the other end of the line. “Missing me, Sophie?”

Embarrassed by her automatic reaction, Sophie went on the defensive. “Who me? Of course not. I don’t miss men who don’t bother to call for a week.”

“Too bad. I had hoped you did. I guess I’ll call back later when you might be missing me.”

“No, Gage, don’t. I mean, don’t hang up,” She sighed and confessed, “I am missing you. Why haven’t you come by to see me?”

“I’ve been busy,” he said evasively.

“Oh, that’s nice.” So, he was too busy to come see her. She was darned if she would beg. Although, only a few minutes ago, she was almost to that point.

“Are you doing anything tonight?” he asked.

“I don’t know, why do you ask?” Two could play this game.

“I just wondered if you’d like to go out to supper with me.”

She could play hard to get with the best of them, but this was an honest-to-goodness offer to go out with Gage. “What time should I be ready?” she answered almost too quickly.

“I’ll pick you up at seven o’clock. Oh, and Sophie?”

“Yes, Gage?”

“Would you wear that black number you wore the night we met in the bar?”

“The black number? Oh, the black dress. Well, sure, if you’d like.”

“I’d like. Thank you, Sophie. I’ll see you at seven.”

“Bye, Gage.” Sophie laid the cell phone on the counter and stared out the window toward Gage’s house, a frown puckering her brow. What was he up to? She had never gone out with a man who’d requested a specific dress before. Well, whatever melted his butter. She’d stand on her head and quote Shakespeare if that’s what he wanted. Yeah. She was that desperate to see the man.

Excited about her first real date with Gage, she took her time getting ready. A long soak in an oiled bath left her feeling smooth and sensuous. She took extra pains to make sure her hair and face looked exactly like they had that fateful night.

The dress, which had been a little tight the last time she’d worn it, hung just a little more loosely from the couple of pounds she’d lost in the field when MREs were the only thing to eat. But it still had the same effect. It was gorgeous and very sexy. Sophie’s heart raced in anticipation of after dinner delights.

As she stood in front of the mirror five minutes before seven, memories of that passionate night with Gage, came flooding back. Her body reacted automatically, sending her blood rushing into her nether regions just barely covered by the short hem of her dress. She would have to restrain herself from pulling Gage through the door and saying to heck with dinner, let’s go straight for the dessert.

As if he knew she was thinking about him, the doorbell rang, announcing his arrival. Hurrying to the door, she stopped before reaching for the handle and took three deep breaths to calm the frantic beating of her heart.

She opened the door, and her first impression was one of flowers. A huge bouquet of about three-dozen roses had come to take her to dinner? Holding the flowers to the side, so he could look at her, Gage stood there with a sheepish smile on his face. “Are they too much?”

“No, certainly not, but why the roses?”

“Because you said your favorite flower was the rose.”

“When did I tell you that?”

“Remember the card game in the communications van?”

“Oh, yeah. Now, I remember. But you didn’t have to do that.” But she loved them. And the smell of roses filled her senses.

“I know I didn’t have to, but I wanted to. Can I put them down somewhere? They’re starting to get heavy, and the water is spilling out onto my clothes.”

“Oh yes, of course, how rude of me. Come right in and set them on the dining table.”

Once he’d set the vase on the table, Sophie leaned over the arrangement and inhaled deeply. “Mmmm...they smell wonderful.” She glanced over the flowers and smiled. “Thank you, that was very thoughtful of you.”

“Well, shall we go?” He crooked his arm, and she slid her hand beneath.

“You know, Gage, we don’t have to go out to dinner. I could whip up something here, if you’d rather not go out.”

He cringed and shook his head. “Oh, no. I want to live into my forties, at least. Besides, I’ve already made reservations.”

“Oh really? Where?”

“You’ll see when we get there,” he replied mysteriously.

Gage walked Sophie to his jeep and handed her up into the passenger seat. Sophie missed the days of bench front seats, when a person could slide across and sit close to their honey. Bucket seats didn’t lend themselves to intimacy. It was probably just as well. Having survived one near death experience, she valued her life enough not to distract the driver, and contented herself with sitting quietly in the passenger seat.

They drove several minutes in companionable silence, finally pulling into the parking area of an Italian restaurant.

“Is this where we’re eating?” she asked excitedly.

“Yes, this is the place.”

Sophie almost clapped her hands. “This is my all-time favorite place to eat in the whole town.”

“I know,” he said as he climbed out of the driver’s seat and walked around to hold her door for her.

“You know? But how?” Sophie glanced at him with a curious frown, and then her face cleared.

They spoke simultaneously, “The game!”

“And Bryce helped,” Gage added.

As they entered the plush Italian restaurant, her heart fluttered with happy excitement. He remembered. He was setting out to please her by remembering her favorite flowers and food.

When the maître d’ seated them at their table, Sophie graced Gage with a brilliant smile.

Their dinner was a culinary masterpiece complimented by a smooth red wine and easy conversation about the unit and their respective civilian jobs. After dessert, they leaned back in their chairs, sipping the remaining wine and laughing over the pranks the soldiers had played on them.

Sophie fell silent, remembering the vision of him standing in the shower tent, when she had been tricked into walking in on him. Her face was flushed, and she looked away so as not to betray her feelings. She didn’t have to worry, Gage wasn’t paying attention to her, he was getting up.

“I’ll be back in just a minute.”

Sophie watched as he walked off in the direction of the restroom. Once he was out of sight, she casually looked around at other guests. Everywhere she looked, there were couples dining together, leaning close, and talking in whispers. She envied their confidence in their relationships. She still had no idea where she stood with Gage.

He had to care a little to bring her all those roses and to take her to this wonderful restaurant. But was it a casual interest, a lustful interest, or one with lasting implications? She sighed when she heard the band strike up a haunting rendition of Love Me Tender.

Turning to watch them as they played, she noticed Gage stepping away from the raised dais on which the band perched. As he walked toward her, he smiled mischievously. He was carrying something behind his back, something he didn’t want her to see, yet.

Once he’d reclaimed his seat, he slid the something under the table and reached across to capture her hands. “Have I told you how beautiful you are, tonight?”

“Nooo,” she said, waiting for him to reveal his hand.

He grinned. “Well, you are.”

“Thank you. What are you hiding under the table?”

“The reason why we’re here tonight.”

Her heart fluttered, and her breath lodged in her throat. “What do you mean?”

“Sophie, I want you to know that I think you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. You’re exciting, funny, and a pleasure to be with.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you.” He released her hands and reached beneath the table, pulling out a small package. “I have some things I wanted to give to you and say to you.”

Sophia sat in stunned silence and watched as Gage handed her the neatly wrapped gift.

“I wanted you to know that I respect your life and everyone that you find dear in it. This first gift symbolizes my commitment to everyone you hold dear.”

Sophie took the small package and slowly tore the paper in which it was wrapped, then opened a small box. Nestled in tissue paper was a rhinestone-studded collar, just the right size for Cujo. “I don’t understand, you’re giving me a collar for my cat?”

“It was something your brother told me about you. A phrase you say that goes something like, ‘Love me, love my cat’.”

Laughing gently, she pressed the collar to her burning cheeks. She was afraid to say anything more than thank you. Afraid, because she didn’t know where this was going, and she didn’t want to jinx it. “Does this mean you love my cat?”

“I thought I would never say these words, but, yes. I love that crazy cat of yours.”

Tears well up in her eyes as she looked across and saw the sincere look in Gage’s eyes. “Well, it’s a good thing, because apparently, he’s adopted you. The traitor.”

“I noticed.” Reaching under the table again, he pulled out a larger rectangular box and laid it on the table. “I know how you resent the men in your life walking all over you and making decisions for you, that’s why I wanted to give you this.” He pushed the box closer to her then sat back and watched as she unwrapped the gift.

Loosening the paper, she pulled the lid off the box and folded back a layer of tissue paper. Sophie looked over at Gage with a frown. “I don’t get it. This is a pair of men’s pants.”

“It symbolizes my commitment to you to share the pants in our relationship. The man doesn’t always have to wear the pants in the family. I respect your judgment and will rely on you to share in the decision making.”

Confused and still unclear as to where this was leading, Sophie asked, “Does this mean we’re having a relationship?”

“Look inside the right front pocket in the pants for your answer, Sophie,” he suggested gently.

Sophie reached into the pocket, her hand shaking. She felt the shape of a small square box. Her heart caught in her chest as she pulled the little box from the pants. Setting the box with the trousers on the floor beside her, her hand came up, her watch snagging on the tablecloth. Impatient to see what was in the box, she ignored the tug on her wristband and snapped open the box.

“Oh, Gage.” Tears spilled from her eyes and slid down her cheeks. Inside the little box was a beautiful diamond engagement ring. She plucked it out of the royal blue velvet nest and held it up to the light. “It’s beautiful.”

“Sophie, do you think we can we call a truce in our little wars?”

Nodding through her tears, she dabbed at her face with her napkin.

Gage slipped off his chair and onto one knee, took the ring from her fingers and held her hand in his. “Catherine Sophia Keaton, will you marry me?”

Leaping to her feet, she cried, “Yes! Oh, yes!” Sophie was unaware that the corner of the tablecloth was still caught in the wristband of her watch. When she flung herself into Gage’s arms, she brought the entire contents of the table with her, depositing all into his lap.

Gage pulled her close, chuckling.

Sophie showered kisses all over his face, oblivious to the shambles she’d made of their table and to the stares from the other occupants of the room.

“Well, one thing’s for certain,” Gage said with a smile, “with you in my life, I will never be bored. There’s always something happening.”