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?”
“I was wrong. I thought I could watch her leave, but this shit isn’t working for me. You were right—she’s it. She’s everything. And we can’t let her leave. Not without us.” He held out his radio. “Tell Ty to stall them at the gate. I need to grab my stuff.”
Zach looked incredulous. “Are you fucking kidding me? Now? You decide now that you can’t live without her? You wait until she breaks my fucking heart? What the hell is wrong with you?” Graham didn’t even try to dodge Zach’s fist as it connected with his jaw. He staggered back a step and stared at his friend.
“You done? Or you need another?”
“You’re such a prick, G. If I had more time, I’d beat you into the fucking ground.”
“So, we good?” Graham held out a hand.
Zach clasped it. “Yeah, fucker. We’re good. Now get your shit so we can go get our girl. I’m not letting her get away. No matter what she thinks is the right choice.”
Graham took off running toward their cabin as Zach radioed Ty with instructions to stall the Callahans. He spotted Beau leaving the clinic, a black civilian backpack slung over one shoulder.
“Where you headed?”
“Going after our girl.”
“Shit. They already leave?”
“Yeah, but we’re holding them up at the gate. They’re missing a couple passengers.”
Beau looked confused. “Little Rambo Girl miss the train?”
“No, man. Me and Zach.”
“But I thought—”
“Can’t explain. Gotta hurry.”
“Well, then just give this to Ro.” Beau tossed him the backpack. Graham slipped it over his shoulder without asking about the contents. He was already running down the list of things he needed.
Ro stared out the window. The farther away they got from the walls, the harder the tears fell. Her fingers tangled in her hair as she silently promised herself that once they'd crossed through the gate, she'd stop crying. It made her feel better to believe her own lie.
The main gate was in sight, and Ty appeared to be fiddling with the lock. Her dad braked and cranked down the window.
“What’s the problem, son?”
Ty rounded the hood and poked his head in the window. “Grabbed the wrong set of keys for the padlock. But don’t you worry, one of the guys is bringing ‘em out. It’ll just be a few minutes.”
They waited. And waited. Ten minutes later, Ro’s dad said, “We’ll just go back and get the keys.”
“No need,” replied Ty. “Here they come.”
They? Ro’s head snapped around, and she saw Graham and Zach stalking toward the truck, loaded down with gear, determined looks on their faces.
What the hell?
“Now what’s this about?”
“Not my place to say.”
As if synchronized, Graham and Zach threw open the back doors of the cab. Ro looked from one man to the other, dumbfounded.
Zach leaned on the doorframe closest to Ro, and said, “Move over, babe. You ain’t leavin’ without me. No way, no how. Don’t care what you say.”
Mouth hanging open, Ro looked to where Graham was shoving gear under the bench seat.
“What … what are you doing?” Ro asked him.
Graham looked up. “You were right. It’s all or nothing for us. And nothing isn’t something we can live with.” He’d heard that?
“But the ranch … your team … I thought—”
“I was dead wrong to think I could let you go. You’re more important than the ranch. They’ll be fine. It’s Zach and me who won’t be fine if we let you leave without us.”
Ro was still processing his statement when he tossed her an unfamiliar black backpack. “That’s from Beau.”
“What is it?”
“No clue, babe. Didn’t take the time to check. Was in a little bit of a hurry.”
Erica leaned over the seat and snatched the bag from Ro before she could unzip it. Rowan didn’t argue, because Graham and Zach had finished stowing their gear and were climbing into the back seat, sandwiching her between them. Where she belonged. The warmth of that thought chased away any lingering confusion.
Ty smiled. “Sorry for the hold up, folks. It turns out I do have the right key. It’ll be just a minute.”
“What the hell is all this?” Erica said. She held up two white rectangular boxes and a fat pill bottle. “Is there something you aren’t telling us?”