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“You were memorable,” she admitted, climbing up beside Hero. Chad walked around t
he front, settled into the driver’s seat, and turned on the truck.
“I think your brother liked me,” he said, steering onto the road.
“Joe is a friendly guy.” She stared out the window as they turned onto the dark, country road. They’d driven past the motel on their way to the Red Dragon. Home for the night was a matter of retracing their steps for ten minutes. “He was like that before he deployed.”
“Did he have a hard time after he lost his leg?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “He was in the hospital for a while, first in Germany and then at Walter Reed. My mother flew over when they weren’t sure if he would make it.”
“Did she fly out to see you when you came back?”
She shook her head. “I wasn’t injured. And I went to Texas a couple of weeks after my last tour ended. It’s hard for them to travel. I had my first nightmare down there. My mom came into my room that night and held me.”
Staring out into the night, she could still remember the feeling of her mother’s arms around her, rocking her. She tried to push her away, but her mother had held on tight, softly signing the songs from her childhood.
“But you didn’t stay,” he said.
“I had a husband in Portland. I’d left the army expecting to start my civilian life, and then I just couldn’t.”
He nodded. “Do you want to wait here while I get our key?”
“Sure.” She held tight to Hero as he slipped into the reception area. A few minutes later, Chad returned, smiling.
“Let me guess, you charmed your way into an upgrade,” she said.
“Lena, this is the Roadside Motel. They don’t do high-end,” he said holding open her door. “But I confirmed that breakfast comes with the room.”
He led the way down the open-air corridor to the last door. Inside, she surveyed the accommodations. When trying to find a place that took dogs, even service dogs, the options were limited, especially in her price range. Their assigned room was clean, with a king-size bed on the left, and a dresser to the right with a television perched on top. Beyond the dresser was an open door leading to the bathroom. She poked her head in. Small, but serviceable. She turned as Chad set their overnight bags down on the bed.
“How’s the tub?” he asked. “Big enough for two?”
“It is, but . . .” She glanced at the hotel room, folding her arms across her chest. “I’m not sure we need to stay. I don’t think I can get up on that stage. I ran out of dinner with my family, Chad. Hero sat on my lap through the meal and the place was practically empty. Tomorrow there will be people everywhere. Any little sound or movement could trigger a massive panic attack. And the thought of lying on the ground with my dog across my chest, trying to calm me down, while my family and a bunch of strangers watch . . .”
Chad faced her, hands at his side. “The medal is yours either way. You earned it. Don’t think for a minute you’ve failed because you don’t want to stand up there. And running out on your family tonight? You stopped me from doing something stupid, like telling a man in wheelchair to shut the hell up.”
“He’s not a bad person,” she said. “My dad just had a plan for how our lives would be. But my dreams for the future are different now.”
“Lena, can I ask you something?” He twirled the hotel room key around his finger. “Do you regret going to West Point, joining the army? Following your dad’s dream?”
“Not for a minute,” she said, her voice strong and clear. “I’m proud of the time I spent serving my country. Just not of what happened when I returned home. Maybe if this ceremony was a year from now. But tomorrow? I’m not ready. I need more time to put myself back together.”
“OK. I’ve got to make a call.” He smiled, but it didn’t touch his brown eyes. She saw a laserlike focus in his gaze that looked foreign. But she knew, probably better than most people, that Chad was more than the party-hard, fun-loving guy.
“Stay here, take a shower, relax,” he said. “And when I come back, I want you to take everything you need to make you feel strong. You know I’m game for anything. Handcuff me to the bedpost if you want.”
“Handcuffs?” She raised an eyebrow, glancing at his bag.
“Whatever you want, beautiful.”
CHAD HEADED FOR the main office, and the friendly redhead receptionist at the front desk.
“Hi Annie.” He offered his best smile.
“Mr. Summers.” The college-age woman looked up from the LSAT prep book open on the reception desk and beamed at him. “Is your room OK?”
“Just fine. But I was wondering if you could help me locate a phone number. We’re in town for an event at the army base, but I forgot the paperwork at home. I’m not sure where to go in the morning and was hoping to call over there for some answers.”
