Grey Skies - A Military Romance (Complete)

Grey Skies: Chapter 37

"Where are we going?" Sophie asked as Max turned left at the end of the winery driveway. For weeks, they'd turned left to head back to Bridgetown and the lake house.

Max tapped her knee. "You agreed to go to dinner with me tonight."

She glanced at the clock on the dashboard. "It's only 4 pm. Are we eating the early bird special?"

The chuckle from Max eased the block sitting on Sophie's chest since she'd woken up this morning and crept out of Max's bed. "It's a bit of a drive. I wanted to take you somewhere special for our last night together."

The block slammed back into place, making it utterly impossible for her to breathe. Tomorrow, Max had to report to the naval base in Washington for active duty. A few days later, he'd be shipped out of the country. It would be at least six months before she was with him again.

If she saw him again.

She gripped the door handle of the jeep and forced herself to smile. "Shouldn't I change then?"

Max's hand covered hers, warm and comforting. "You look beautiful just as you are." He squeezed her fingers. "Besides, where we're going isn't fancy."

"And that is?"

Max took the on-ramp to Route 50. "To the city?"

A muscle in her stomach tightened, and she bit her lip to hide her grin. "Really?"

"Yup." Max stepped on the gas and the car accelerated, speeding down the highway. "Thought we could spend some time in your world."

"It's a long way." Sophie glanced out the window, a grey country-side rushing by with barren trees and dormant fields.

"By train." He patted the steering wheel. "Only a little over an hour in this baby. Barely any time."

Turned out to be closer to two as they caught the end of rush hour traffic. Even so, she didn't mind as they passed familiar landmarks until they pulled onto 118th Street. The very street she'd walked on night after night after her shifts at La Terra. Max parked the Jeep and scooted around the hood to help her out of the vehicle. Taking her hand in his, they strolled along the sidewalk.

"Finn told me about this place." Max slowed. "Said it's one of your favorites." Sophie kept walking, ignoring the blue sign over the entrance to the Glass Onion, the restaurant and bar she'd haunted for years, prowling for one-night stands to avoid going home to her empty bed.

Max stopped and held open the door. The chilly air caught in her throat.

His grin faded. "Something wrong." She rearranged her face, masking the frown that must have appeared. Max squeezed her hand. "We can go somewhere else."

Sophie shook her head. "No. I love their oysters."

The interior hadn't changed since she'd last stepped inside. A pretty hostess smiled in greeting and Sophie's mouth went dry, worried the woman might recognize her and say something. Her fears were baseless as the hostess drank in Max from head to toe, her grin wavering when she glanced at their entwined hands. "Table for two?"

"I made a reservation. It's under Randall."

Sophie's heart twinged. "You planned this."

In that shy way of his, Max's gaze fell to the floor, and the twinge deepened. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."

"This way." The hostess plunged into the collection of tables and wound through the restaurant. Sophie ignored the spot at the bar she'd always chosen out of habit, but unfortunately caught the eye of Kyle, the bartender. He raised his hand in a small wave, but she averted her gaze.