Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 69468 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69468 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
“He’s a good horse,” I said evenly, as if my offer were as simple as that. Thanks to frugal living on base for years, I did have decent savings, but the urge to burn through a chunk on a horse I’d only known a few weeks was a bit novel. And it wasn’t simply jealousy or a desire to prove Scott wrong, although both those things were true. Rather, something about Linus himself called to me on a deeper level. “He deserves answers.”
“He does.” Jude’s gaze softened as if he understood all the things I couldn’t quite explain. “Despite Scott’s prickly attitude, Linus is in the best place for answers. The team will take good care of him.”
“Hmm.” I made a noncommittal noise. The students seemed bright enough, and the resident directing them appeared capable, but I didn’t trust Scott not to muck everything up. “Bad leadership equals bad morale.”
“Don’t I know that.” Jude blew out a harsh breath. “Hell, Scott’s starting to remind me of this one CO…” Trailing off, he shook his head in a similar fashion to how Linus did when he was frustrated. “Sorry. You don’t need my complaining.”
“Tell me.” I made my tone a command, not a request. “What happened?”
“With Scott or in the army?” Jude hedged.
“Either. Both.” I risked patting his upper arm again. He was clearly rattled, and getting him to talk seemed to be as good a way as any to settle him back down.
“Fine.” Jude shifted his weight from foot to foot. “With Scott, he wanted me to stay when I decided to return to take over my dad’s practice in Lovelorn. I’d thought we were casual. Friends. But apparently, he had different expectations, and that’s on me. It was a messy end to what had been a decent friendship.”
“I’m sorry.” I gave him the most sympathetic look I could muster, hoping my face muscles cooperated. “It’s not all on you.”
“Yeah, it kind of is.” Jude wrinkled his forehead, making deep creases appear. “He was understandably hurt.”
“He could have spoken up sooner.” I measured out each word, not wanting a stutter to interrupt my point.
“True.” Jude gestured vaguely. He wasn’t agreeing with me as much as trying to move the conversation along. “The CO I mentioned was a dick from the jump. As soon as I landed in his company, I knew we’d butt heads. I was right. But I was a new recruit and couldn’t exactly challenge him.”
“Hard.” I put as much commiseration into the single word as I could.
“Yeah.” Jude raked a hand through his short dark hair. “Long story made short: he gave an order I didn’t agree with. I didn’t want to risk a court-martial. The end result was a total shit show. Lost some good personnel on a mission gone fubar, and the CO went on to get a commendation. No consequence to him, but plenty to everyone else.”
“Ah.” A whole lot of pieces in the puzzle that made up Jude clicked into place. “That’s why you do the meetings.”
“Not exactly.” Jude made a noise of protest. “It’s more guilt than PTSD.”
“Could be both.” I kept my tone as soothing as when I talked to Linus. “You saw some shit.”
“I did.” Closing his eyes, Jude rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“And Scott reminded you.” I placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Sorry—”
“No apologies.” I squeezed his tightly knotted shoulder. “I get it.”
“I know you do.” Opening his eyes, Jude met my gaze with soft, grateful eyes. “Thanks.”
A man could easily get lost in those hazel depths, and I had to force myself to drop my hand and step aside. “No problem.”
“I’ll probably feel better after we eat. Let me figure out where.” Cheeks pink, Jude reached for his phone, but I held up a hand.
“I’ll handle dinner.” Finding a decent burger place nearby was the least I could do. “You take a minute.”
“Thanks.” Closing his eyes again, Jude leaned against a nearby post, breathing deeply. Taking care of him, even in small ways, felt better than earning a ribbon or commendation. Huh. Apparently, Linus wasn’t the only being slipping past my defenses.
Chapter Twelve
Jude
Letting Carson handle the little details like where to eat made the remainder of our time at the equine hospital more bearable. In a serendipitous bit of timing, Linus was able to get his MRI shortly after the blood work, and Dr. Song shooed us along to dinner. Back at my truck, we unhitched the empty trailer into a space designated by the attendant.
“Where are we eating?” I asked Carson as we finished situating the trailer.
“Found a place.” Carson held up his phone so I could see the address and add it to my GPS. “Close to hotel.”
“Thanks.” I put the truck in gear. I hadn’t heard of the brew pub he’d found, but I trusted his pick. The location was a bonus because I sorely needed a beer and was contemplating breaking my usual one-beer limit for when I was driving or on call. “I’ll park at the hotel, and then we can walk to the restaurant.”