Graham yanked the bottle out of Zach’s grip and barely held back from heaving it at the wall. “Of course it fucking occurred to me. But you tell me how the hell I’m supposed to turn my back on everything and everyone here? How do I do that? Because I sure as shit don’t know how.”
Zach stood, face lined with strain and shoulders slumped in defeat. He walked to the door and paused at the threshold. “You just choose her.” He met Graham’s gaze. “I’m gonna miss you, brother.”
Graham was left alone, clutching the whiskey bottle with Zach’s words ricocheting through his brain.
Ro watched as her dad rearranged the gear in the bed of the truck before stowing her own backpack in the cab. The truck was parked alongside the armory for easy loading. Apparently, Graham had offered her father more firepower to ensure they had a safe trip to their undisclosed location. The gesture was a little too much, “Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry?” to Ro.
“You coming to get some grub?” her dad asked.
Allison had cooked up an extra-early breakfast, but Ro’s stomach was too knotted up to consider eating.
“I’m good.”
“I’ll be back in a few, and then we’re heading out.” Her dad sauntered off to what was likely their last home-cooked meal for a while, and Ro caught sight of Zach. He was weighed down with two sea bags and a backpack. He dropped them to the ground near the tailgate with a thump. Ro pushed off the side of the truck, gathered her courage, and intercepted him as he started to shove them inside.
She laid a shaky hand on his arm. “I can’t let you do this.”
Zach jerked backward like he’d been slapped. “Please tell me you’re talking about my packing skills. Tell me you’re not saying what I think you’re saying.”
Ro squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stop the tears that were poised to fall. “I can’t be the reason you throw away a friendship that means everything to you. I can’t be the reason that you turn your back on everything that matters to you.”
“Ro—”
“No, listen to me.” Ro forced back the sob that was trying to claw its way out of her throat. “This is a mistake, and you know it. You’re going to resent the hell out of me as soon as we drive out those gates, and it’s going to kill anything we could have together. Graham may not be with us, but he would be hanging between us at every moment. Some part of you has to know I’m right.” She lost the battle with her tears, and they streamed down her face.
Before she could swipe them away, Zach cradled her face with his big hand. “Why are you doing this?” His thumb skimmed across her cheek, catching her tears.
“Because I’m making the hard choice. The right choice. The only choice I can live with.”
“Don’t I get a say?”
She just shook her head.
“Don’t do this, Ro. I love you.” It broke her to see tears gathering in his eyes.
“I know,” she said, barely able to get out the words. “I love you, and I love Graham, too. But it’s all or nothing for us. Anything less is going to destroy at least one of us, and I can’t let that happen. Not if I can stop it.”
“Rowan, I swear to God, woman,” Zach started, his features twisted with anguish.
“Please,” she whispered. “Don’t make this harder than it already is.” She leaned up on her tiptoes to press one last kiss to his cheek. She pulled away from his grip and lunged into the backseat, shutting and locking the door. Burying her face in the arms her bulky gray sweatshirt, she sobbed.
From his position inside the doorway of the command post, Graham could hear and see everything that was taking place next to the Callahan truck. And what he was hearing and seeing gutted him. Why would she do it?
Rick Callahan’s rangy stride carried him out of the mess hall. His youngest daughter followed, dressed in camo pants and a black sweatshirt, her trademark dew rag covering the top of her head. Rick paused as they neared the truck, spying Zach bent at the waist as if he’d just been sucker punched. Zach straightened slowly before shouldering his bags. They exchanged a few words, but Graham couldn’t hear them. By the look on Erica’s face, it was safe to say Zach had just informed them of Rowan’s unilateral change in plans. Rick shook his hand and slipped him a piece of paper. Zach walked away, staring down at the scrap of paper in his hand. Rick tapped on the window, and after a beat, Rick and Erica climbed into the cab of the truck, and the engine roared to life. The truck shifted into gear and started to pull away, circling the armory and command post to head for the gate.
Graham jerked away from the door, as if shocked from his stupor by the growl of the diesel engine. He jogged toward Zach, cutting him off and stopping directly in his path.
“What the fuck, man?”