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“Anyway, they thanked him and tried to pay him, but he refused and pushed that cart to the other side of the road and then up the sidewalk. He took it straight to their front door. You could tell from the way they fluttered around him; they were grateful and maybe even had a little hero worship.
“Anyway, when he returned to the truck, I expected to head home, but instead he pulled a U-turn, returned to the store, and bought every item in their cart that was broken or damaged. I don’t know how he remembered it all, but he did.
“You should have seen those women when they came to the door and saw him standing there. One of them cried. It was something.”
“And obviously impressed you.” Charli gestured toward the barn, and they turned to lead the horse inside.
“You’re damn skippy. There aren’t many men like Gunner, you know.”
“I agree. And if you lived around here, you’d get to spend more time with him.”
“Not now, okay?” She followed Charli into the barn.
Once they had the horses clipped in, Oakley pulled the saddle from her mount. “That was good,” she said around a grin as she turned toward Charli, wanting to focus on something other than how she felt about Gunner, or the job offer.
“You say that every time.”
“And I mean it every time.”
“Well, you know, you could have it anytime you want if you took that job offer.” Charli fell in step with Oakley as they made their way to the tack room.
It was clear from her expression that Oakley didn’t want to talk about the offer. “Look, I know you—”
“No. Nope,” Charli wagged a finger in Oakley’s direction. “None of that, I know you meant well stuff. You know this is a perfect fit, and you know that if you’re honest with yourself, you’d love to say yes.”
Oakley pointedly ignored those words. “I appreciate you putting in a good word for me, but I don’t… no, wait. It’s not that I’m disinterested, I’m just happy where I am.”
“Wanna say that again? “ Charli cut her a look that matched the sarcasm in her tone.
Oakley blew out a short puff from the left side of her mouth, an affectation Charli recognized. Oakley hated being called out when she was covering, hiding, or outright lying. It wasn’t often she was guilty of any of those offensives. Not unless a mission demanded it.
Charli knew that all too well from the time they spent serving in special ops missions together. It was on one of those missions they met, and before they parted ways, they formed a bond that would last a lifetime. Charli had no doubt of that. She and Oakley were warriors, swords forged in fire and blood, tested on the battlefield, and hardened until they were unbreakable.
At least that’s how Charli saw it. Oakley’s next words confirmed her belief still rang true. “Okay, you got me. At least partly. But I love what I do. And it’s a guaranteed thing with the military. What you’re talking about is speculation. What if Grady and Mason did this thing? What if they got the various branches of the military to sign on using it as an adjunct treatment and training center? What if they added training canines for use in combat and for medical needs? That’s a lot of ifs,sister and you know me. I don’t gamble on long shots unless I believe through and through, I’m on the right track.”
“And you’re not willing to bet on us? Is that what you’re saying?” Charli tried not to feel offended, but heard annoyance in her own voice.
“Yes. And don’t get your thong in a twist. You’d do the same. Where I am now, I’ve got job security, still a lot of chance for advancement, and that means a nicer retirement. And one, I don’t have to wait to be so old that I can’t enjoy my retirement years.
“What you propose has appeal, but right now that’s all it has, and be mad if you want. But this is my life, Charli and I only have me, so until you come to me with something concrete, something I’ll be willing to gamble my retirement on, the answer is no.”
Charli couldn’t argue. She’d do the same in Oakley’s place. “What it is about those dogs that get to you so strongly?”
Oakley frowned briefly. “Training them is—” she paused, and the way her eyes searched the air before her for a second, Charli knew Oakley was searching for words.
Action came naturally to Oakley. In an ironic twist, so did stillness. But only the stillness of a watcher, a protector or guardian. The soldier who walks the perimeter, the dog who waits in silent alert. That was Oakley, and it was what made her almost legendary in the canine training world.
Oakley’s voice yanked Charli’s focus to the moment at hand. “The dogs get me. I can talk to them without a lot of words. They don’t need all the words we use. A look or gesture, one word or three. When you break it down,you’re just communicating on a level that isn’t dependent on vocabulary or grammar.
“Dogs can smell your intent. Did you know that?”
Charli was surprised. “No, I didn’t, but I’m curious. How?”
Oakley heaved her saddle onto the rack and moved aside for Charli. “Let’s see—okay. We, and I mean humans, depend primarily on our vision. Tell me if you agree with that.”
“Primarily, yes. But don’t dogs, as well?” Charli placed her saddle on the rack.
“Yes and no. Dogs use both sight and smell to access and understand their surroundings, and also to communicate.
