"Yes." He's nodding like this is all perfectly reasonable.
"Where I know no one except you and your brothers."
"You'd get to know people." He spreads his hands. "It's a great community."
"I have a community. Here." I gesture around my kitchen.
His frustration is starting to show. "Callie, I'm offering you an opportunity. A real partnership, not just?—"
"Not just what? Playing small-town vet?" The anger flares hot and sudden. "This isn't some stepping stone, Dean. This is my life. I chose Pine Valley. I chose this practice. I built something here."
"And I'm asking you to build something with me."
"No." The word comes out harder than I intend. "You're asking me to give up everything I've built to fit into plans you've already made."
His jaw tightens. "That's not fair."
"Isn't it?" I watch him piece it together. "You've been avoiding your re-enlistment papers for weeks. Made this huge decision in one day because of a phone call with your brother. Showed up at my door with a plan already in motion. How is that different?"
"Because I love you."
The words stop me cold.
"What?"
"I love you." He says it again, steadier this time. "I know it's fast. I know it's crazy. But I love you, Callie. I love how fierce you are—with your patients, with your practice, with protecting what you've built. I love that you're beautiful and have no idea how beautiful you are. I love that you called me on my bullshit from day one and never stopped. I love watching you work because you care so damn much about getting it right."
His hands drop to his sides, no longer reaching for me. The fight drains out of his posture—shoulders curling inward, head dropping slightly. When he looks up again, there's no charm, no easy confidence. Just raw honesty.
"I love how you make me want to be better. How you look at me like I'm more than just a pilot with a ridiculous call sign.Like I'm someone worth choosing." His voice drops. "I've spent twenty years not knowing what I wanted. Then I met you and I knew. And I thought—I hoped—that might matter."
My throat closes. "Of course it matters."
"Then come with me." He reaches for my hands again.
I pull away. "I can't."
"Can't or won't?" His voice hardens.
"Both." I can't stop crying. "I can't uproot my entire life on thirteen days and a feeling. And I won't be punished for saying that."
"I'm not punishing you."
"Then why does this feel like an ultimatum? Come to Texas or we're done?"
"That's not what I'm saying."
"Then what are you saying, Dean? Because from where I'm standing, it sounds like you've already made your choice and you're just waiting for me to fall in line."
He runs both hands through his hair. "I don't know what you want me to do. I can't stay here. The Air Force isn't offering me Pine Valley as an option. It's overseas or Texas. Those are my choices."
"I know."
"So what do you want?"
"I want you to have asked instead of assumed. I want you to have had this conversation with me before you had it with Jake. I want—" My voice breaks. "I want this to be different than last time."
His expression shifts. Softens. "It is different."
