Page 35 of Jenny
CHAPTER NINE
A few days later, the sun beat down on Dare’s face. The temperature felt more like August than September, but he had no complaints. He tilted his head back to smile at Jenny as she pushed his wheelchair toward a bench at the edge of a grassy area.
He inhaled, taking in the scents of the outdoors. Just what he needed. “It’s a gorgeous afternoon. Thanks for getting me outside.”
“The fresh air is good for you.”
Shewas good for him.
Grateful didn’t begin to describe how he felt for finding that bottle on the beach or to Staff Sergeant Hamilton for telling Dare to reply or to his mom for calling Jenny. Dare had never believed in fate before, but something extra seemed to be in play here.
“You deserve a change in scenery,” she added. “What you’re going through can’t be easy.”
It wasn’t. “Having you here helps.”
“And your guys.”
“It’s only Carlos and me now.”
Humphreys had been shipped to Columbus yesterday, even though he’d asked to stay with Dare and Garcia. An order was an order, but Dare understood why Ethan felt that way and reminded him that Yang was back at Fort Benning and might want to see him.
Jenny set the brakes on the wheelchair before coming around to sit on the bench. “You’ve been doing a great job to make the best of your situation, which has helped your mom. But I know you’ve been worried about your squad, especially Carlos. Please don’t feel the need to pretend in front of me.”
“Why would you think I’m pretending?”
“Because even though you seem like a superhero, you’re very much human.”
That was something he’d been reminded of every single day since the crash. He’d been in firefights and raids. Yeah, he’d been shot at and grazed by bullets. But he’d never really thought about dying until now.
“There’s no reason to tell everyone how I feel.”
Especially her. She might not like seeing him that way. He didn’t want her thinking he was less of a man.
Dare blew out a breath.
“You can’t hold it all in,” she said. “At some point, it’ll come out. Please, talk to me.”
He wanted to say no. That nothing was wrong. But he’d be lying to her if he did that. His father had done nothing but lie and withhold information before he’d deserted the family. Dare tried hard not to have anything in common with him except his gender and last name.
“I haven’t been pretending. I just haven’t shared everything I’m thinking,” Dare admitted. “They brought in a head doctor for me to talk with after I got upset during one of my therapy sessions.”
Jenny held his hand. “I’m glad you’ve had someone to talk to, but I’m here also. Don’t forget that.”
“I can’t forget you.”
“Except for asking me to come see you.” She brushed her lips across his. “Joking.”
In the distance, laughter sounded.
Dare looked across the grass. A pretty, pregnant brunette held the hand of a toddler. The little girl skipped and bounced on the sidewalk. Next to them was a man with no legs in an electric wheelchair. He was smiling and saying something to the little girl, who was giggling.
Dare shook his head. “I don’t mean to shut you out. It’s just others have it worse than me.”
“Maybe you weren’t injured as badly as others have been, but you’re still affected by this. Physically and emotionally. You can’t downplay how you feel because you don’t want to worry people or believe you have to act strong all the time.”
He stared at the grass. “My mom’s been through so much. My dad’s no longer in the picture. Hasn’t been since I was thirteen. But even before then, he wasn’t around much. She’s done so much for my sisters and me, and now she’s put her life on hold to be here. You have, too.”
“We’re here because we care about you, Dare. There’s no place I’d rather be, and your mom feels the same way. We want to help you, but you have to let us do that.”
