Read it and weep!

It's time for your first sneak peek from Shelter for Penelope! Below is a short excerpt from the book. It's the first time Moose sees Penelope (and Smokey!) after she returns after being away. Moose has loved her forever, but isn't sure how to help her.

I think many of us have felt this way about a loved one. We want to help them with whatever is bothering them (sickness, addiction, mental health, whatever), but am not sure how.

I'm super excited for everyone to read this one. I hope I did both Penelope and Moose justice, but also everyone else in the Badge of Honor family.

The wait's not long now!
~Susan

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Shelter for Penelope Sneak Peek
Penelope’s gaze met his, and Moose sighed in relief at what he saw there.

She still had demons, that was easy to see, but she seemed more settled than when he’d last seen her. Less frantic. Less haunted. Her impromptu trip had ripped his heart out of his chest, but he couldn’t deny it seemed to have done her good.

He wanted to run to her. To take her in his arms and order her never to leave him again, but his feet felt as if they were glued to the boards beneath them. Maybe she regretted coming back. Maybe she’d just stopped by his house to tell him she needed more time and space.

That she couldn’t ever love him…

Before either of them could say anything, Smokey had exited the car and seen him. He made a noise somewhere between a bray and a yell and came barreling toward Moose as fast as his little legs could carry him.

Moose heard Penelope laugh before he knelt to catch Smokey as he ran full tilt into him. Moose fell back on his butt and laughed as the miniature donkey did his best to let him know exactly how much he’d been missed. Smokey brayed and rubbed his head all over Moose’s chest in excitement. It was all he could do to stay upright under the exuberant donkey’s affection.

“It looks like he missed you,” Penelope said softly.

As thrilled as he was that Smokey hadn’t forgotten about him, Moose was more eager to greet the animal’s mistress than continue to get slobbered on by the beast. Extricating himself from the donkey’s overly enthusiastic greeting, Moose climbed off the floor and stared down at Penelope.

She was standing on the ground at the bottom of the three stairs that led up to the porch, which made her seem even smaller than she was. Moose knew they were an odd sight together. His six-three height to her five-two made him look even more like a giant. His muscular biceps were three times as big as hers. He was as big all over as she was small. Most of the time when he was around Penelope, he felt even more ungainly and hulking than usual, though she never made fun of his size and brawn. And normally around someone as small as she was, he’d be scared of hurting her. Not Penelope. Her personality and strength made her seem bigger than she was.

But at that moment, for the first time, Moose was scared to death to touch her. He’d loved her forever, but not knowing how she felt about him made him cautious. He didn’t want to say or do the wrong thing that might make her put him in the friend zone once and for all. He felt stupid, like a gangly teenager all over again. And he stood frozen at the top of the stairs. He didn’t know what to say or what to do.

But Penelope, being Penelope, didn’t give him much time to fret. In a blink, she came at him almost as fast as her donkey had. One second he was standing on his porch staring down at her, and the next, she was in his arms.

Sighing with a relief so profound it literally took him to his knees, Moose wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face into her stomach. She clung to him just as desperately. No words passed between them for the longest time. They just held on to each other as if their lives depended on it.

Moose felt her hands in his hair, and he knew he’d never known anything better in his life. He could hardly believe she was there. It was almost as good a feeling as it had been the first time he’d hugged her after she’d returned from Turkey, after her captivity.

Finally, he tilted his head back and looked up at her. “Welcome back, sweetheart.”

“Thanks. It’s good to be back.”

He slowly stood, not breaking eye contact. He had a thousand things he wanted to say but couldn’t get even one out of his mouth.

But again, he needn’t have worried. Penelope took the reins. “You should know, I’m not sorry I left. I needed the time away to think. But I realized while I was traveling around, and watching others with their families and friends, that I’d done you and our friends a disservice. I need you guys. Even though I’m scared that I’m never going to find my way back to the person I used to be.”

“But that’s the thing, Pen, you don’t have to. We love the person you are today.”

“I don’t even know who that is.”

“Then we’ll help show you.”

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