Then her face hardens.
She keeps walking.
Past me.
Doesn't look.
I fall in behind her. Keep pace. Don't crowd her. Don't touch her. Don't say anything for half a block.
"Delilah."
"No."
"Just listen."
"No, Hawk. I listened once. In your kitchen. For about eleven minutes. You were very clear."
"I was wrong."
She stops so fast I almost walk into her.
Turns.
Her eyes are bright and furious and my chest cracks because I put that look on her face and I'm the only person in the world who can take it off.
"You drove to Reno to tell me you were wrong."
"Yes."
"That's it."
"No."
"Then get to the rest fast. I've got a meeting at two and I'd like to eat something first, and I'm not standing on a sidewalk for this."
"I love you."
She blinks.
One hand goes to the strap of her bag like she needs something to hold onto.
"You don't get to just say that."
"I'm saying it anyway."
"Hawk."
"I told you I wasn't scared. I was scared. I was scared of a woman who looked at me like I was a man instead of a broken soldier and I was scared of what I'd do if you stayed and I was scared of what I'd do if you left, and the second one turned out to be worse because I can't sleep and Ghost won't come inside and I've been splitting wood I don't need for nine days."
Her eyes fill.
She blinks hard.
"Ghost won't come in."
"He lies on the porch. Stares down the road. I told him she's not coming back. He doesn't believe me."
"Neither do I."
