Finally, Rick said, “She can’t bear to think about what it’s like when we’re deployed since she has firsthand knowledge of it.”

Bill nodded. “Figured. She and I chatted briefly about it.”

Rick had guessed, but he wanted Bill to confirm. “Chatted about what?”

“About the differences between leave and active time.”

Rick felt his anger stirring. “Took that on yourself, did you?”

Bill narrowed his eyes. “Look, brother, this was going to come from her now or at some point in the future. Don’t you think you were both fooling yourselves into thinking it would work? Your worlds were never meant to do anything but collide.”

Rage tinged the edges of his vision. “And yet they did more than collide. What do you think that means?”

“I think it means you had to rescue her, and she had some misplaced attraction for you that came from that. As soon as the dust settled, she would have realized it. Breaking up now just saved your hearts from future destruction.” He stood and tossed the empty bottle into the trash can next to the bench.

“What do you know about it?”

Bill snorted. “There was this girl in college. Man, she lit up a room just walking into it. I couldn’t wait to go to class just to be in the same room with her. We dated for a couple of years, but I broke up with her before she could realize we couldn’t possibly be together.”

Rick raised an eyebrow. “I see. So you think I need to be as miserable as you? That it?”

“Me? Miserable? I’m finer than a hog in fresh mud.” He picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder. “You want to go get some chow?”

Rick’s hand fisted, but he reminded himself that he wore his uniform, Bill was his subordinate, and they stood on military grounds. He would not do anything to affect his career.

Even though he’d love to stand up and take his fist and . . .

“No.”

Bill started to turn away but paused and looked at him again. “I didn’t tell her to break up with you. Our conversation was barely two minutes long. If you’re trying to pin her decision on me, you’re looking in the wrong place.”

“Maybe you put the thought in her head,” Rick said, his jaw aching from clenching it.

“Maybe. Or maybe it was already there and something I said made her aware of it.” Bill started to walk away and tossed over his shoulder, “I’ll see you in Kentucky tomorrow.”

Rick didn’t reply. He didn’t even watch Bill leave. He just sank into his own mind, analyzing the conversation with Cynthia. Should he have reacted that way? Should he have talked to her more?