Page 12 of Rangers Mountain Rescue
Grandpa is still in his chair.
Still staring out like he’s waiting for something that isn’t coming.
My throat tightens.
“I’m right here,” I whisper under my breath.
Even if he doesn’t know it.
Even if he forgets again tomorrow.
I’m not going anywhere.
The quiet gave my mind too much room to wander.
And somehow it wandered back to the tavern.
The Last Stand Tavern.
Those men.
The ones who had taken care of Buddy.
The tall one with the dark hair.
Nash Rivers.
Havoc.
Even his nickname sounded like something from the military.
And the way the others moved…
The way they watched everything.
The way they stood like they were always ready for something to go wrong.
It reminded me of Joseph.
Of the men he had served with.
Of the way they carried themselves, even when they were just standing around a barbecue.
My husband used to say you could always recognize soldiers.
They moved differently.
Like they belonged to a team even when they were standing alone.
I stared across the pasture, lost in thought.
“Mom!”
Dylan’s voice snapped me back.
He was running toward me.
Buddy beside him.
