"You've been awfully quiet for the last couple of days Ann, what's going on?"

Ann looked up from her spot on the front porch swing to see her mother in the doorway. A forgotten book was still open on her lap where she left it when her mind began to wander.

She walked over to her and sat down on the swing. It was then that Ann noticed her mothers short dark hair had begun to show some gray as she tucked a lock of hair behind Ann's ear. "You've got Dad a little worried because you've been keeping to yourself. What is it?"

Ann didn't know where to begin and didn't know if she should say anything.

"Would this have anything to do with the attention that you've been getting from Danny McCawley?" She asked softly.

How did she do that?

"He's teased you ever since you were children and it never seemed to bother you. But it seems to be bothering you now."

"It's not the teasing that bothers me. But the boy who's doing the teasing isn't a boy anymore." Ann admitted with a shrug.

"Honey, he was away for four years and you didn't see much of him. It makes sense that you would notice that he grew up." Her mother told her. "The question is, how much have you noticed?"

"I don't understand what you mean."

Mrs. Walker looked at her and smiled. "I think you do. All you kids grew up as close as brothers and sisters but the fact of the matter is you aren't. If you're seeing Danny differently now, it's perfectly natural because he's grown into a very handsome young man. What you need to ask yourself is this, is it something that you're noticing because he's not the boy who left here four years ago or is because you might have some new feelings that you didn't expect?"

"The only thing I've noticed about Danny McCawley is that he's become a cocky pilot." She sounded defensive and knew it.

"If anyone has a right to be a little cocky, it's Danny. He worked very hard to get into the Academy and he worked even harder to become a pilot once he got there. Give him some time to get used to it and he'll probably be less annoying to you."

"I doubt it." She frowned.

Her mother put an arm around her shoulders. "Don't be like that Ann. He has always been a nice boy and you know that. It's just going to take you some time to get used to him as a nice young man."

"I know."

She smiled again. "It's a beautiful day and I'm surprised that you're sitting on the porch reading instead of being down on the beach. Why don't you get a blanket and take that book down to the water. It's going to be a little while before dinner is ready and you won't have many more days to read before school starts."

"I can hardly believe it; I'll be starting senior year in a few weeks." She smiled.

"Dad and I can't either. It doesn't seem so long ago that we were rushing to the hospital because you were in an awful hurry to be born."

"Is it true I almost came early?" She asked as she closed her book and stood up.

Mrs. Walker shook her head and stood up next to her. "It never got quite that serious, but we did worry for awhile that you might. But then you seemed to decide that you weren't ready to meet us yet and stayed put."

"I'll bet you were relieved I did." Ann smiled as she and her mother walked into the house.

"We certainly were." And she looked at her watch. "I'll be starting dinner in a few minutes and Dad's going to be home in about a half-hour. Dinner should be on the table in an hour, so you need to be home in forty-five minutes, all right?"

"All right, Mama." She answered before she walked to the hall closet and found the stack of blankets that her mother set aside for the beach. Ann pulled one out and headed to the front door. "I'm going now." She called to her mother before she walked outside and picked her book up from the porch swing and walked toward the beach.

As she found a spot near the water, she wondered as her mother did why she decided to sit on the swing to read. It didn't really matter though because Danny McCawley continued to creep into her thoughts and she couldn't seem to stop them. She unfolded the blanket and shook it out before she laid it on the warm sand and sat down. She opened her book from where she marked it and began to read.

"How is it that you're so easy to find?"

Ann looked up toward the familiar voice and her heart stopped. How was it possible for him to get more handsome every time she saw him? And why did she notice the physical changes that took place while he was away?

She raised a hand to shield her eyes against the afternoon sun and hoped that he didn't see her reaction to him. "You haven't been away that long Danny. You should remember that this is where Sarah and I always come because we get a great view of the ocean."

He smiled and it sent goose pimples down her arms. "With your nose in a book, how would you notice?"

She answered his question with one of her own. "What are you doing around here?"

He sat down next to her without invitation and wrapped his arms around his knees. "Running." He told her. "Running in the sand is great for the calves." And he grinned as he presented a well- muscled calf to her. "What do you think?"

She felt her face warm and frowned. "I think you're a pilot who has an awfully high opinion of himself."

"It comes with the job Annie. Pilots are expected to be a little smug, you should know that." And he put an arm around her shoulders.

She shrugged it off and changed the subject. "So is Caroline still here?"

He grew serious and put his arms back around his knees before he nodded. "She's still here and chomping at the bit to get back to New York."

"Does that bother you?" She asked even though she knew it wasn't any of her business.

He sighed and looked out at the ocean. "I just can't understand why she can't be happy here. I lived in Colorado for four years and I missed this place like crazy. And I missed being able to come down to the beach."

Sarah was wrong; he did love Caroline. Why else would it bother him so much?

"Major Harris thinks it would be best if I called things off with Caroline." He continued. "He says that she would never be happy married to the military, which she would be if we decided to tie the knot."

Ann sat next to him, stunned.

Had they actually talked about marriage? And if Sarah knew had she decided to keep it to herself? It was still none of her business but she decided to ask him anyway. "Have you and Caroline talked about getting married?"

He looked absolutely floored by her question, as though it never occurred to him.

"Would you leave the Air Force?" She asked him.

The shock seemed to pass because he grinned at her. "No and no."

Ann couldn't help but smile back as she shook her head in amusement. "Direct as always."

"You don't exactly beat around the bush either you know. I never gave much thought to my relationship with her because the Academy always took precedence over everything. But even Dad seems to think that it's time to call it a day with her."

"Is that what you want?"

"Annie, I haven't given myself the time to really think about what I want because I'm finally a pilot. A big part of me wants to concentrate on that right now and not have to worry about making a girl happy."

She nodded. "It sounds to me like you've made a decision."

"Does it?" He paused for a moment and sighed again. "I guess I have."

Ann put her hand on his arm and the solid muscle she felt beneath her fingers made them tingle. "Then if that's true, it's only fair that you tell her."

"Sarah doesn't like her." Danny frowned.

"I know, she told me."

He leaned in and said quietly, "What doesn't my baby sister tell you?"

Danny McCawley had never been so close to her and Ann's heartbeat began to quicken. "Now why would I tell you that?"

He too seemed to realize the closeness of his proximity and leaned away before he cleared his throat. "Hank seems to have gotten her attention."

"And she's gotten his too. He seems like a very nice guy."

"I couldn't have asked for anyone better for my sister." Danny smiled at her. "So how about you Annie? Is there someone that's gotten your attention?"

Ann didn't expect the question and felt her face warm. "Having a father who's a pilot tends to put the boys off. Most of them have dads who are part of the air or ground crews. The few who have dads that are pilots are already spoken for."

"We're at the top of the food chain, don't you remember? Pilots, then co-pilots, then…" Danny's voice trailed off in laughter and it occurred to Ann that she couldn't remember the last time she'd heard him really laugh.

"Spoken like someone who was at the top of the food chain." She smiled back. "But it's different for the daughters of pilots because we're usually at the bottom of that food chain. None of the boys want to be grilled by a Captain or a Major."

"I was."

"I doubt that. Major Harris is one of the nicest men I've ever met and he doesn't seem the type to grill anyone, especially you." Ann countered.

That seemed to surprise him. "When did you meet him?"

"Just before we went back to Colorado for your graduation there was a dance to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of D-Day and there's talk about having another dance in December. Anyway, he and Mrs. Harris were there and he recognized all of us and asked how you were doing. Mrs. Harris was really sweet too."

Danny nodded. "She's a really nice lady. It's hard to figure why Caroline isn't more like them."

"Being an only child might have something to do with that."

He looked puzzled. "How do you figure that?"

"Think about it Danny, no competition for your parents attention. You and I grew up with brothers and sisters and we had to compete for their attention all the time."

He grinned at her again. "I was too busy to compete for my parents attention. I let Sarah and Joe duke it out."

"You did not." Ann laughed before she looked at her watch and scrambled to her feet. "Oh my gosh! I promised Mama I'd be home ten minutes ago!"

Danny stood up next to her and gently shook the sand out of the blanket before he folded it up. "I'm sorry Annie. I didn't know you had to be home." And he handed her book to her.

She shook her head as she took it from him and began to walk up the beach. "It's not your fault. If you hadn't come along when you did I might have missed dinner all together."

"I'll walk up to the house with you and take the heat if you get in trouble with your mother." He smiled and walked next to her as they made their way back to her house. Neither of them talked as they walked up to the main road, but it was a comfortable silence. Ann couldn't remember when they talked as much as they had that afternoon and began to really see him differently.

Ann's mother waited on the porch as she and Danny turned up the walk toward the front door and stopped near the foot of the stairs. There was a look on her mothers face that Ann had never seen before and wondered if it was because she was upset.

Danny seemed to wonder the same thing and stepped forward. "Please don't be too upset with Ann, Mrs. Walker. She told me that she needed to be home when I stopped to talk to her but I wasn't watching the time."

She seemed to shake herself out of what was bothering her and smiled. But Ann could see that it was a strain. "It's all right Danny, she's not too late. Thank you for walking her home."

"Yes Ma'am." He looked uncertain as he handed the blanket to Ann. "I'm going to run back to my quarters and clean up."

"It was nice to see you Danny." Mrs. Walker raised a hand in farewell as Danny turned around and walked down to the sidewalk. When he got there began a slow jog up the street before he disappeared.

"I'm sorry I'm late Mama."

"It's all right Ann. You don't make a habit of it and Dad's running late tonight. But if you'll set the table for me I'd appreciate it."

Ann stepped up on the porch and put her book and the blanket on the swing before she followed her mother into the house. "Is everything all right? You had a strange look on your face when we walked up."

Her mother shook her head. "It's nothing to concern yourself with honey."

She knew there was more to it but she also knew her mother wouldn't say anymore. So she carried the silverware her mother handed her out to the dining room and began to set the table.