Chasing Amanda by Robin Patchen

In the tense months following 9/11, a chance encounter sparks an unlikely connection between two strangers—a young college student and a marine on his way to Afghanistan.
Mark has no interest in romance, especially just a week before he deploys. But when he sees a man follow a pretty waitress from a Providence hotspot, his gut tells him she’s in danger. He feels compelled to intervene.
Amanda hoped to learn the restaurant business when she took the waitressing job, but so far all she’s learned is how to fend off handsy guys. When she leaves work one night, she hears a patron following her and is beyond grateful when a man intervenes to protect her. As she and Mark spend time together, attraction grows between them.
The more Mark feels for Amanda, the more he worries for her safety. The guy who followed her was no drunken frat boy hoping to get her phone number. Mark’s instincts have never let him down, and his instincts tell him her stalker is still close—and he has sinister intentions.

Once Mark says goodbye, there’ll be nobody there to protect her. Nobody to keep their future from being shattered by violence.