Translation: this wasn’t for me.
Across the yard, Vance stood near the grill, laughing too loudly and networking like his career depended on it.
Beside him stood Chloe.
New dress.
Perfect hair.
Perfect makeup.
And an expensive designer watch on her wrist.
I looked at it half a second longer than necessary.
She noticed.
Her smile widened, and she lifted her wrist while adjusting her hair to make sure I saw it.
Message received.
I walked past her.
“Captain Harper.”
I turned.
Major Collins.
I had met him once during a logistics briefing.
“Sir,” I said with a nod.
“Welcome back,” he said. “Heard you had a rough deployment.”
“Nothing I couldn’t handle.”
Before he could continue, Evelyn appeared beside us.
“Oh, she’s being modest,” she said with a soft laugh. “It’s been difficult.”
I didn’t look at her.
“She’s had a lot of stress,” Evelyn continued. “We’re just trying to give her space to adjust.”
