“Friends are good.” Carson’s tone was maddeningly vague. “But friends can get messy.”
“Word.” I’d had a few friendships go south after benefits were added myself. “Speaking from experience?”
“A little.” Carson didn’t seem inclined to elaborate, but my body hummed with the need to know more.
“I won’t push, but I’ll admit to some curiosity,” I said after giving him a lengthy pause to say more. “You didn’t date while you served?”
“Not much time.” Carson kept right on being vague. He took a sip of his coffee before adding, “A few friends here and there.”
“I see.” I shot him a questioning look, hoping to encourage him to get specific. His cautious use of gender-neutral terms had me hopeful, but I didn’t want to assume. My brain buzzed, however, as my mind raced back to that night under the stars, the moment we’d almost had. Maybe he would have been more amenable to a move than I’d thought.
The silence dragged out, going from conversational pause to awkward, so I reached for the touch screen to flip on the radio. However, before I could settle on a station, Carson cleared his throat.
“Mainly guy friends.” Carson’s voice was a gravelly whisper. “Not out.”
“I get it. I won’t tell,” I assured him quickly. “Thanks for trusting me.”
“No problem.” Carson directed all his attention toward the stereo, predictably settling on a contemporary country station before he pulled out his phone. As we approached I-70, he started humming along to a ballad about a friend lost too soon.
“You have a nice voice.” I kept the compliment light and easy.
“Not bad.” Carson’s mouth twisted as he looked up from his phone. “Singing is easier than talking. Go figure.”
“Hey, I’ve got an undergrad degree in biology and still don’t understand the mysteries of the brain.” I found Carson’s recovery fascinating from a neurological perspective, but I hardly wanted him to feel like a lab rat. Instead, I shifted the topic. “Ready for breakfast?”
“Yep. Diner outside of Grand Junction.” He tapped his phone. “Decent reviews.”
“Thanks. It’s good to have a copilot.” The back of my neck heated as if touched by an invisible hand. I was so used to worrying about myself. Having someone else handle the little details was a welcome novelty.
“Glad to be useful.” Carson gave a self-conscious chuckle. “Passenger princess.”
“Hardly.” I grinned at him.
I couldn’t make not driving easier on him, but I could appreciate what he brought to the table. We made a good team, which meant there was that much more to lose if I pushed the invisible boundaries of our friendship.
Chapter Eleven
Carson
Jude wasa pleasure to road trip with, and the hours passed quickly until we arrived in Fort Collins in the early afternoon. Even with several stops to check on the horses and to eat ourselves, we’d managed to outrun the worst of the heat. Traffic had predictably thickened as soon as we’d hit the Denver suburbs. I’d done most of my rehab in more central Denver, and despite growing up in the state, I’d never spent much time in Fort Collins, a smaller college town right outside metro Denver. As Jude navigated traffic, I took in the sprawling college campus, which was in full gear-up mode for the fall term. The veterinary school was comprised of multiple buildings and centers, including the equine hospital where we were headed.
“Wow.” I whistled as we arrived at the huge, gleaming glass-and-metal complex.
Second Chance Ranch had a world-class reputation as horse breeders, and the horse facility was accordingly large and modern. However, the equine hospital dwarfed the ranch’s operation several times over with an almost futuristic feel. Rather than unloading outside as I’d expected, an attendant raised a huge door and waved us into a spacious, covered loading bay.
“Phew. We made it.” Jude let out a long sigh as he turned off the engine. “It’ll be a relief to get the horses situated.”
“Yep.” I followed him out of the truck and around to the back of the trailer. “Tell me what you need.”
Despite being plenty used to being in charge and giving orders, I was happy to follow Jude’s lead. He was far more affable than many commanding officers I’d served under. As much as I missed being able to help with the driving, I enjoyed how Jude made me feel useful for more than conversation.
“I need to talk to the stable manager first and find out which stalls they’ve assigned us to.” Jude gestured toward a nearby office area surrounded by the cleanest stalls I’d ever seen. “If you want to check on the horses in the meantime, I’ll be right back.”
Jude returned in short order, accompanied by a tall woman around our age with long dark-blonde hair and well-worn boots. She showed us to two neighboring stalls where the horses could wait until we were summoned to one of the exam rooms. I let Jude handle the bulk of the small talk with the manager while I led RC and Linus to their temporary homes. I settled them in with food and water. Linus stamped around and shook his head, more restless and anxious than usual.
Brushing often seemed to soothe him, so I set to making him more comfortable. As I was working him over with the curry comb, Jude returned to the stall, this time alone.
“The drive certainly didn’t do Linus any favors, but you’re awfully good with him.” Jude was generous as always with praise. I was getting used to his compliments, even if they did make my skin heat.
