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Or he may never return to her.
She bit her lip and fought off that thought before it could make her despair any worse.
Jessy rested her hand atop Allison’s. Her friend looked worried for her. “It’s going to be all right, Allison. This is how all Army wives feel.”
“I’m not an Army wife.”
“Not yet, but you will be. Lincoln’s in love with you, and you clearly love him enough to wait for him. I have eyes, woman. I see. Hell, the aliens from two galaxies over can see what I see.”
She nodded knowing her friend was trying to make her laugh but all she managed was a soft smile. She used her coffee stirrer to zig-zag through the heart in her coffee, breaking it into pieces. “I don’t know how I’ll live without him. We just met and now he’s being taken away from me.”
Jessy patted her hand again, her eyes mirroring the sadness Allison felt. She turned her hand upward and squeezed her friend’s. “You’re such an empathetic friend. Thank you for agreeing to have coffee with me.”
“Of course, and the Rise and Grind beats Walker’s. I’m glad you suggested it.” Jessy took a sip of her caramel macchiato, and Allison tried her cappuccino. The warmth and sweetness improved her mood slightly, and her tears receded for the moment. She’d cried what felt like floods already—enough to fill up Willow’s Pond.
“You’ll just have to keep busy. Find a hobby. Maybe start running with me?” Jessy asked hopefully.
“Sure, I’d like that.” With a plan under her belt, she did feel better.
The door opened and closed, the bell giving a little jangle. She didn’t look up until a shadow fell over their table.
She blinked at the big, tall, firm body of Ford. He wore fatigues and seemed to be surprised to see her here, just as she was surprised to see him.
“Ford, hey.”
“Hey, Allison. Care if I take a seat with you ladies?”
She didn’t want him to believe she was being anything but friendly, but she nodded. He took a chair from the next table and spun it backward to straddle it.
“I thought I should say I’m sorry for what happened that day at Walker’s. I know it made you uncomfortable, and it wasn’t your fault at all.”
“I’m sorry if you thought I was leading you on, Ford. You’re a good guy, but...” She chewed her lip.
A hint of a smile appeared at the corners of his hard mouth. “But you’re in love with Lincoln.” He nodded. “I get it. Sometimes life is funny—we know the course we’re set on even before we’ve had time to examine it closer.”
She nodded, knowing his words were spot-on.
“Some good came from his love triangle we started with,” Ford said.
“What’s that?” She searched his gaze.
“Lincoln and I fixed our problems.”
She smiled, unable to stop the happiness about that from spreading through her heart. “I’m so glad. And just in time to go to Afghanistan.”
He blinked. She saw right away that something was wrong. Jessy saw it too, and she set her cup down a bit too hard.
“What is it, Ford?” Allison asked, covering his hand with her own.
“Lincoln hasn’t told you yet?”
Allison felt like puking. “Told me what?” she cried.
“Our operation’s been pushed back.”
“What?” she breathed, unable to ingest what he was saying.
“We aren’t going to Afghanistan this week. They’re telling us six months, as originally planned.”
