Page 117 of Protective Heroes

“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.”

She shot to her feet. She had to move, walk, run, fly to find Lincoln.

“How long have you known?” she asked Ford.

“A few hours. I thought Lincoln would have come to find you straightaway.”

She shook her head and found all of her was shaking as well. “He hasn’t. Where will I find him, Ford?”

He laughed, a sideways grin plastered on his face. “Man, you’re as tough as my sergeant.”

She took him by the shoulders and shook him. “Tell me!”

Jessy giggled at Allison losing control.

“My guess is in front of the hospital. We were just cut loose for the day, and he’d come looking for you, wouldn’t he?”

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