Once we cross the gas station, there isn’t much further to go. We get to Sophia’s charming cottage-style home with about three or four more minutes of walking. My leg is killing me . I know I need to get off my feet. Sooner than later. If not, I’ll pay the price for a week.

Sophia unlocks the door and sets the children free of the stroller. Ramona and the kids wanders into the house, while I help get the stroller up onto the porch.

"Thank you for walking us back,” Sophia says reluctantly as she stands in the doorway, stroking the head of the baby strapped to her chest.

"It's no problem," I say barely resisting the urge to brush back the dark curtain of wind-blown hair covering her eyes. I open and close my tingling fingers as a static electric burn dances beneath the skin.

I want to ask her out. I want to spend some time with her before I leave town. The invitation is sitting on the tip of my tongue despite all the reasons why I should walk away. For once, I listen to the voice of reason instead of the reckless devil on my shoulder who’s always looking for trouble. I turn, dragging my broken body back toward the street.

I hear her call after me. “Archie?”

My heart spasms with stupid, goddamned hope at the sound of my name on her lips. “Yeah?” Slowing down, I spin around to face her.

She closes the door behind her and then, she’s coming down the cobblestone path toward me. Her cheeks are pink and there’s this shy, girlish look on her face. “How are you?” There’s a softness in her voice. A hesitation. But beneath it, there’s kindness. That same kindness that had my heart trying to beat its way out of its cage the night I met her.

Something in my chest unclenches. With her standing in front of me, staring up at me like this. It’s like someone sets free a hummingbird in my chest.

Sophia sticks out a hand appeasingly. “I mean, I don’t want to pry but…you’re limping…”

That hope deflates inside of me. She’s noticed the goddamned limp. I paste on a fake smile and knock my knee with knuckles. “Ah, that limp? It’s nothing.”

She swallows and locks her fingers around my wrist. “And why do you keep closing your fingers? You got hurt…” She lifts my hand and examines the ugly, jagged scar running between my thumb and pointer. Her eyes lift to mine and her voice goes so soft I can barely hear it. “What happened to you out there?”

I want to hide. I want to fucking disappear. If this were anyone else touching me like this, asking me questions, I’d push them away. I’d tell them to mind their own goddamned business. But this is my Daisy. And for some reason, it feels like she has a right to know.

I clear my throat and stick my tongue into the flesh of my cheek. “An explosive,” I tell her, my throat closing with shame. “Was on foot patrol. Stepped on it. Everything went boom!”

There’s so much more to say to give her the adequate explanation she deserves but I’m having a hard time stringing words together. It’s tearing me down, having to admit to her that I’m a broken man. Having to see that look of sheer horror on her face.

I glance down at my fingers and try to make light of the situation. “It’s not that bad now. At one point, it my thumb was literally dangling off my hand. Guess a piece of shrapnel sawed it off.” I exhale roughly. “The doctors stitched me back together. But I think they got some of the wires crossed,” I joke. “That’s why the nerves still bother me now and then.”

That’s the understatement of the day. The nerve pain is agony and I live with it every single day.

She chases tears from her eyes with her knuckles. “And what about your leg?” she forces out.

I draw my tongue across my lips and then purse them for a second. My forehead wrinkles. Shame. Regret. Anger.

“Oh my god…” she whispers.

I can’t say the words but she knows. She knows my leg is gone, half of it blown out right below the knee.

My mortification strangles me, lodging itself into my throat. My eyes hit the cracked pavement in front of me.

She steps closer and I smell her. That gorgeous floral scent makes my head light.

I wanna be with her.

But I can’t. I cut the thought off in its tracks. “I caused some real drama at work the other day. I can’t be doing that sort of thing, y’know? I can’t just stomp into town and start causing trouble for Charlie and Leo. They went through a lot of shit to get to their lives in order. I can’t just come here and flip everything upside down.” Finally, I look up at her sorrow-soaked face. “So, I’m gonna leave.”

Her arms fold tighter around the dozing baby on her chest. “Leave? As in leave town?”

I rock back onto my heels. “Yes…”

Her chin trembles slightly. Her dark eyes well with tears.

I reach out and softly pinch her chin between my fingers. “Hey…Don’t you fucking cry.”

The tears come, anyway. They flow faster than I can push them away.

“God—I don’t…” Her words trail off but her eyes tell me she has so much to say.

She checks over her shoulder, glimpsing the children playing inside through the front window. Then slowly, she comes closer. Her tongue pokes out and wets her lips. One soft, small hand comes up, tenderly clasping my cheek. She rises onto her toes and presses our lips together.

My inhale is sharp and her scent overwhelms me with longing. Wildflowers. A field of wildflowers. My hand slowly slides down her hip. I squeeze softly and she hums low in her chest. She responds by running her hands down my shoulders and arms as I suck her bottom lip into my mouth.

My mind takes off, toying with possibilities. I could stay. I could just stay in Copper Heights. And claim this woman. Make her mine the way I should have the very first night we met. Because heaven knows, she’s the first woman who’s ever made me consider putting down roots. She’s the only woman’s who’s ever made it seem worth it to fight my demons, just so I could come out on the other side and see the smile on her face.

But the truth is, while I might act tough on the outside, I’m no match for the bully inside my head who keeps telling me that a woman like Sophia would never settle for me. Especially now that she knows the whole truth about my mangled body.

When she pulls back from the kiss, I know this is goodbye. This can’t end any other way.

My eyes move over her features one last time, memorizing every inch of her face as if they aren’t already indelibly tattooed on my brain. The wisps of hair falling over her face. Her fair skin, so smooth and perfect. Her full lips and trembling chin. Her dark eyes swimming in tears.

Fuck…

A stuttered breath works its way out of Sophia’s lungs when I stoke the head of the beautiful, dark-haired child sleeping on her chest. So much innocence. I remind myself that it was all worth it. Yes, I suffered. I lost parts of myself that I’ll never be able to get back. But all the things I endured during and after my last overseas mission were worth it if it means that a precious, little kid like this can live in a safe neighborhood.

Despite what it cost me, it was worth it.

I nod slightly and bring two fingers to my temple in salute.

“Take care, Daisy.” I turn toward the sidewalk to limp away from the person who forever holds my heart.

There’s a stutter in her breath when she says, “Take care, Tony.”

And then, I jog off before my heart explodes right here on her front lawn.