“Hey, you bet against me?” he asked incredulously.
“I never bet against a sister. It’s not my story to tell, but Sparky went through a few things here. The men wanted her to feel stronger and more confident. Thanks for being a good sport about it.”
“Saying I’m a good sport implies I knew what I signed up for. Let’s agree to say I have a soft spot for Sparky. She cheered me up after I attacked Ivan. Do you know how he’s doing?” he asked.
“Ivan’s up and terrorizing his men. We’re taking a small vacation over the weekend. It’s why I called you. I’ll need someone to check in on Hannah.”
“Really? If getting beat up by the blind chick means you feel sorry for me, it’s totally worth it,” Cole said gleefully.
“Actually, it’s you. When Brody came into Hannah’s room, she seemed…different. After the two of you left, she stared at the door as if wanting you to return,” Kassie explained. “Maybe you can reach her where we can’t. I want you to abide by the rules. I can’t discuss Hannah’s condition with you, but I expect you to respect her privacy. If she becomes irritated with you, I insist you leave her room immediately.”
“You have my word,” Cole promised.
“If you leave now, dinner will be done. She might like a visitor to keep her company. I don’t think she likes to stay alone all night.”
“Thanks, Kassie. Brody and I will run down and stay a while,” he said, rising.
“Take the ice pack with you and if you still have pain in the morning, have Patch give it a second glance,” she advised.
“I will,” he said, anxious to see Hannah.
Brody and he sprinted down the hall. As if the dog sensed where he planned to go, he ran slightly ahead and glanced behind him for his master.
When they got to her room, Cole paused and tapped the wall before walking in.
Hannah sat in the chair with her hands folded in her lap. Her head hung down and her long brown hair covered her face.
“Hi,” he said softly, not wanting to startle her.
Hannah slowly raised her gaze to meet his. Brody shoved Cole out of the way, heading straight for Hannah. He placed his paw on her knee and tapped it.
“Brody’s asking you to play ball with him. He got injured in Afghanistan and spent a lot of time in his crate while he healed. When he started to feel better, he started pawing at my knee to get me to play ball,” Cody explained patiently.
Hannah stared at Brody as if trying to tell him she didn’t have anything to give him. Recalling his afternoon with the new dogs,he reached into his pocket and pulled out one of the balls he used to demonstrate the commands to Archer and the two veterans.
He went behind Hannah and tossed the ball gently on the floor and Brody ran after it, bringing it back to her lap. Cole picked it up and threw it again. His furry friend dropped it on Hannah again. She didn’t say anything, but she watched, wholly engrossed in his dog.
“What do you like to do for fun?” he asked. “Did you hear three of my dogs arrived today? The youngest one doesn’t have a name. They called her Canine nine. What a stupid thing to call such a pretty dog. She’s brown and black with a bit of white on his chest. It sounds more like a robot than an animal. You’ll have to help me pick a good one for her.”
Her gaze never left his. Cole struggled with how to keep the one-way conversation going. His hand automatically went to his eye. “You’re probably wondering what happened to me. The team has taught Scarlett how to defend herself. She beat me up,” he whispered. “Don’t tell anyone. I’ll never live it down.”
Hannah’s mouth made a slight smirk, or at least he thought it did and he kept going.
“Patch and Kassie bet against me. Can you believe it? I’m sorry I haven’t come to visit you. I started volunteering at the community kitchen and Kassie’s friend, Ivan came in to introduce himself. Have you ever met him?” he asked. He stood and pushed out his chest. “He walked in like this and I saw he carried a gun. I ordered him to stop and he tried to take my weapon. I accidentally beat him up. Now that I think about it, did Kassie pay Scarlett to rough me up as payback?”
Brody whined and lay at Hannah’s feet as if offering her comfort. She watched the clock as Cole regarded her. Recalling Kassie’s statement, Hannah did appear different. She still didn’t speak, but her eyes grew larger and her hands moved anxiously. Hannah didn’t seem to notice.
“Tomorrow, after PT, I’m training the dogs. Maybe one day, you’ll feel good enough to watch us. I love working with them. My parents assumed I’d become a veterinarian when I grew up, but I wanted to serve my country. Working with the animals sometimes kept me sane over there. Mom always allowed us to keep pets as long as we cared for them. Did you ever have a dog?”
Hannah’s eyes never moved from the clock.
“When I finish with training, if you don’t mind, Brody and I will stop by,” he said, picking up the ball.
When she didn’t respond, Cole frowned. He didn’t expect her to speak but maybe give him some indication she wanted them to return. Reminding himself she didn’t know him, and coupled with Kassie’s warning, he needed to go slow.
“Goodnight, Hannah. We’ll see you tomorrow,” he said before he signaled to Brody to follow. His four-legged buddy stood on two paws and stared into Hannah’s eyes before kissing her cheek. Cole called to him and they left the room.
“We have to get her out of her shell,” he murmured to Brody. More determined than ever, Hannah became their mission.
