“He’s still got it,” Josh murmured to himself. If Brady could still do what he was trained for after all he’d been through, including retirement, maybe there was still hope for Josh. A week ago, standing this long without holding onto the fence would have sent the horizon tilting sideways. Today, the world remained mostly upright, though he kept his shoulder against the post, just in case. His attention remained mostly on the dog working a zigzag pattern across the open yard, ignoring thedistractions of hands working in the barn and the distant lowing of cattle. It was impressive.
The exercises had Josh’s mind drifting back to rehab at the hospital. Stepping off to the side, out of earshot from the folks on the porch, he dialed the hospital.
The phone in Boglioli’s room rang twice. “Hello.”
“Hey, man. How’s it going?” Josh tried to infuse his voice with positive energy.
Aiden sighed. “Besides feeling like a flipped turtle? Could be worse.”
Josh could almost see the guy shrugging on the other end of the line. “Flipped turtle?”
“You should see some of these floor exercises. It’s crazy. And the names! I mean, who thoughtdead bugswas a good name for a recovery exercise?”
He shouldn’t have laughed, but he couldn’t help it. “Dead bug? I’m going to agree with you on that one. The important thing is to be making progress.”
“That I am, Sarge. Off the crutches. I’m supposed to be set free soon.” His voice seemed to lift a bit.
“Good. Very good to hear. Where to next?”
“My case worker hasn’t told me yet. Honestly, I’m not sure she knows. How about you? How’s the ranch treating you? Got your balance back yet?”
“Getting there.” He was almost afraid to say he felt better for fear the universe would jinx him and throw something new at him. “A man can get used to the way they take care of you here.”
“Really?”
He could certainly get used to one particular person here at the ranch, but that wasn’t what Boglioli was asking. “Even Colonel Sanders can’t beat Mrs. Sweet’s fried chicken.”
“Oh man, don’t mention food. I swear whoever the chef is here, the guy graduated from the Garbage Collectors Culinary School.”
For the next few minutes they chatted about the other soldiers caught in the blast, about the hot Texas weather, and how there wasn’t a single place in the state to get a decent marinara sauce.
“Got to go. Atila the Hun is here for my next workout.”
Something in his tone told Josh this Atila was of a feminine nature. “Blonde or Brunette?”
“Redhead.” A smile came through in his voice. “See you later, Sarge.”
And with that, Josh grinned and returned his attention to the training session across the way. Brady was one heck of a dog.
Satisfied with the scent cone, Brady accelerated, heading straight for a large mound of loose hay and empty feed sacks stacked near the equipment shed. He circled it once, let out a sharp, confirming bark, and his stance stiff and royal like a pedigree dog on point.
“Good boy!” Kade beamed at his former K9 partner, hurrying to catch up to where the dog alerted.
A pile of burlap sacks shifted, dry leaves fluttered, and like a jack in the box, Cassie burst from her hiding spot, laughing at Brady’s enthusiastic tongue bath and playfully scratching the scruff of his neck. “Okay, okay! You found me! You’re the smartest boy in the whole world.”
Josh wasn’t sure if it was Brady or Cassie that had Kade beaming down at his wife and dog. Absurd. Of course he knew Kade loved his dog, but he adored his wife. Heaving a deep sigh, Josh’s gaze drifted naturally, inevitably, toward the ranch house porch and the two women enjoying the show.
Sitting in one of the dark green rockers with a bowl of garden fresh green beans in her lap, Kade’s mother smiled softly ather son and Brady. But the one who had him looking over his shoulder was Katie, sitting on the top step, her eyes twinkling, her smile, wide, and her cheers for the work dog worthy of a pro sports team.
When their gazes briefly collided, the unexpected expanse of that already wide grin made his heart do a little somersault. Had just a smile ever had him on high alert? Made him want to smile and not stop?
“Earth to Josh.”
He blinked, turning back to find Kade standing three feet away, Brady seated proudly at Kade’s heel, looking pleased with his morning’s work. “Good boy, Brady.” Ignoring the cheeky grin on his buddy’s face, Josh leaned over and scratched behind the German Shepherd’s ear.
“Doesn’t matter how gray the muzzle gets, the drive is still there.” Kade reached down to gently pet the top of his former partner’s head.
“He did good.”
