Page 25 of Chasing Amanda

“Don’t be ridiculous.” He forced himself to soften his tone. “I’m not really sorry about any of it, except now that I’ve met you, I don’t want to leave. And I certainly don’t want you worrying about me, like there’s some…” He let his voice trail off.

She crossed her arms. “Some what?”

“Some future for us or something. I’m going to war.”

She shifted on the bench and stared into his eyes. He wouldn’t look away. He couldn’t let her see his wavering emotions, the pain he was feeling. She’d be better off with a clean break.

“You leave in a week?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Something like that.”

“So we have a week.”

“No, we don’t.”

“You just said⁠—”

“I’m just here for a visit. I’m leaving tomorrow. I need to spend some time with my parents⁠—”

“Why aren’t you home when you’re about to go to war?”

“A week with my mother is… You’d have to know her to understand.”

She lifted her eyebrows.

“She hates that I’m a Marine. She’ll never forgive me for getting sent to war.”

“I’m sure she’s just worried about you.”

“Hmm.” No sense trying to explain to someone like Amanda. She obviously had a healthy family.

“And it’s not like you have a choice.”

He shrugged. “Even if I did⁠—”

“You’d go?”

He nodded but said nothing.

And then, for no good reason, Amanda smiled. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

She stood and walked along the sidewalk toward his car. “If this is going to be the only day we get to spend together, let’s make the best of it.”

He caught up with her, pretending he didn’t feel a little jolt of excitement, knowing she still wanted to be with him.

Regardless of how they felt today, he’d still be leaving her. How could they make the best of it? Because leaving her—that might be the hardest thing he’d ever have to do.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Amanda led the way to the parking lot where they’d left Mark’s car. “Where should we go?”

“I should just take you home.”

She stopped on the sidewalk and stared at him.

He crossed his arms, not smiling. A battle raged behind his eyes. He didn’t want to take her home.