“Were you hurt?”

“Not really.” The bullet she’d taken in her hip had been so meaningless in comparison.

“Was he the only one who died?”

“No,” she whispered. “Several others.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Me too.”

He let her go, a crooked smile tilting his lips. “So this is where I exit stage right, huh?”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

He laid a finger over her lips. “I get it. I don’t like it for a lot of reasons, obviously, because I like you a lot. I think we could have been good together.”

She swallowed hard, saying nothing. What could she say? It’s unlikely we’d ever have been good together, because I can’t seem to get over my seven-year crush on my best friend.

That was too much truth.

He sighed. “Well, if I have to bow out gracefully, at least it’s because of a combat hero and not a basketball star.”

Liza blinked. “What?”

“Your neighbor Tom. I thought it might have been because of him.”

Her eyes burned. “No. We’re just—”

“Just friends,” Mike finished. “I hear you. Not sure he does. He nearly bit my head off when I wouldn’t let him in earlier.”

Liza could only stare. What if Mike was right?

You are stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. She’d already gotten her hopes up, and it would hurt worse the next time.

“He knows about your husband?”

She shook her head. “No. It was too painful to tell anyone when I got back, and then . . .” She shrugged. “You’re the first person I’ve told.”

The crooked smile reappeared. “Well, that’s something, I guess.” He leaned in to kiss her forehead. “You call me when you’re ready, okay?”

She somehow found a smile of her own. “Okay. But I hope you’re happily with someone wonderful before then. You’re too nice a guy to be alone.”

“I’d say ditto, but I think we’ve covered that.” He rose and stumbled over Pebbles, who’d been lying at their feet.

Pebbles lifted her head to stare at him, then went back to sleep. Mike reached down to scratch behind her ears. “Walk me out so I know you’ve locked your door.”

Liza did as he asked, then slumped against her front door. She was not going over to see Tom. She was not. She’d keep busy.

Step one was checking the want ads to see if anyone wanted to hire an ex–army medic for a month. The decision to take a break before she started nursing school had been based on dreams anyway. She’d had hopes that things would be different once she and Tom were in the same city. Living next to each other. Tory was gone. Fritz was gone. They were both single and . . . together. Except they weren’t.

She’d hoped this month’s break would be spent with him. That they’d both ended up in Sacramento had seemed like fate was finally smiling her way.

She sighed. “I am so damn stupid.”

Pebbles lifted her head, then tilted it curiously. Tom usually came to get the dog when he got home from work, but after the conversation in her bedroom, either he must have figured she needed Pebbles for comfort or he was giving her a wide berth. Maybe both. Whatever the reason, she was glad for the company.