“The Buffalo Soldiers were an all-black unit, from the tenth Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed in the 1880’s. It’s what the Native Americans called them, and it sort of stuck. They were almost singularly responsible for breaking through the Gothic line—the German battle line in Italy.”

Win nodded. “It’s because of the Buffalo Soldiers, in large part, that Italy was liberated.”

RJ looked at York, then Win. “Now that’s a story.” She picked up the book. “Not only did Angelica fall for an American soldier, but yes, if the Germans had found them, it would have been even more terrible. The Nazi’s treated people of color like they treated Jews, as if they were inferior. Fred wouldn’t have just been captured—he would have been executed.”

“And Angelica with him, especially after —”

“Spoilers!” RJ said.

“It’s not a secret that they had a child, RJ,” Win said. “Hello, Ziggy?”

“Now you wrecked it for me.” She stood up and looked at York. “Try not to go in the pool fully dressed.”

“Wait—where are you going?”

“Somewhere people won’t wreck the ending!” She shook her head and crossed the patio toward the garden area.

Win grinned. “Such a Marshall.”

“You have no idea,” York said.

“I might have some. I have a sister, too.” Win leaned back in the chair. “Actually, I was about to ask her to unravel the ending for me.”

“I’m not a storyteller.”

“But you get the story. A soldier, a man dedicated to serving his country, falls in love with a woman who is also dedicated to serving her country.”

“Yes,” York said slowly.

“And sure, they love each other, but they each have a higher purpose. And they put that aside—at least for a moment, but then the war comes back, and suddenly, they have to choose between their hearts or their destiny.”

York took a breath.

“My guess is, after what RJ has told me, you get that conundrum.”

York stared at him, all his questions suddenly right there. “What has she told you?”

Win took a breath. “Um. Just…that you used to be in the military…Sorry. I didn’t mean to jump into something —”

Calm down, York. He took a breath, let the sunshine in. “It’s fine. And you’re right. As a former soldier, I get it. But RJ is both my heart and my destiny. No choice there.”

Win leaned back on the lounger. “Right. But what if you had to choose between saving her, and saving the people she loves?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, what if she asked you to save the people she loved—in Angelica’s case, her brother, even the Jews she was protecting, and that meant letting her die —”

“I wouldn’t let that happen.” York realized how ridiculous that sounded, but, “I would figure out a way to save them both.”