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“Well, I’m going to do my best to keep you not bored with this training idea of yours. You may regret asking though.”
“Bring it on.” Rain gave him a cheeky grin. “I’m not afraid of a little hard work. Or getting sweaty.”
Garrick couldn’t tell whether it was Rain’s emphasis on the word or his own overheated imagination, but suddenly his brain was overtaken by images of Rain sweaty under far more interesting circumstances. Trying to outrun such thoughts, he picked up the pace but paused at the corner.
“After Cookie’s foot heals, we’ll see if she can run with you, but for now let’s head in the direction of the park. We’ll warm up on the way there and then I’ve got a list of things I want you to try.”
Rain blinked before laughing. “You weren’t kidding about bossy, were you?”
“Nope. Be glad you’re not a rookie prepping for a fixed-line parachute jump.”
“That’s the thing where you dangle from a rope below a plane?” Rain visibly shuddered.
“Little more complicated than that, but that’s the gist. It’s a training thing, getting the rookies used to practicing proper positioning and timing while still getting assistance from the trainers.”
“To be honest, I’m not sure about leaping out of perfectly good airplanes. The hotshot crew sounds more like my speed.”
“Not a daredevil?” Garrick had to laugh because smoke jumping certainly wasn’t for everyone.
“Not like that. Get me close to danger, with high drama and adrenaline but maybe without flinging myself out of a plane.”
“It’s the best feeling in the world.” Garrick led the way to the entrance for the park, passing out of their neighborhood with its modest older homes to the nicer, bigger ones that ringed the park. He had to breathe deep, trying not to let the memories swamp him. “There’s nothing like it. I’d done my time on engine and hotshot crews. Then I had the chance to skydive with this chick I was sorta seeing, and I just knew. Felt like coming home and brand new in the same instant. Like I was born to do it.”
“So you went out for smoke jumpers after that? Free jump experience?”
“Yeah. And don’t get me wrong. It’s not all fun. And I take the job seriously. It’s hard work. But those couple of seconds that start each jump... There’s nothing on earth that can compare to free fall. It’s addictive.”
“I bet. I hope...” Rain slowed, voice going softer, more uncertain. “I hope you get a chance to do it again someday.”
“Oh, I will.” Garrick refused to be anything other than confident about this. “I’m working every day. PT again tomorrow. My therapist will be happy to hear about Cookie and me getting out more.”
“I bet. Was it...” His mouth quirking, Rain licked his lips. “It’s okay if you can’t talk about it, but Grandma said you broke both legs? I’m sorry. I’m being nosy again.”
“It’s okay. And you don’t have to ask her. I can talk about it. Yes, it was a fall from a tree. Both legs broke, a bad concussion, and a spinal cord injury that didn’t lead to complete paralysis but has still had some lasting effects, and additional nerve issues from needing a tourniquet for a gash in my thigh.”
“Wow. That’s a lot. I’m amazed you survived.” Rain didn’t add that Garrick was lucky, which most people tended to tack on and he never knew how to respond to such sentiments.
“Honestly, me too.” And Garrick knew he was lucky. Another inch one direction or another, and his story would be completely different. Similar falls had killed friends of his, experienced firefighters who were good, cautious climbers. But knowing that didn’t make it easier to take when people handed out platitudes about luck or some greater purpose. And luck went both ways—it was seriously shitty luck to fall and decent luck to not die, and thinking too much about fortunes made his head swim. “At first, doctors said I wouldn’t walk again, but I proved them wrong. I’m going to skydive again too.”
“Hope so.”
Needing to change the subject, Garrick pointed at the paved trail that wove through the park. “If we follow this, we’ll hit various obstacles, including pull-up bars. I plan to make you do most of them.”
“At your command.” Rain’s dark eyes sparkled, almost like he knew precisely the effect his flirty tone would have on Garrick.
“Sit-ups.” Stopping at the first station, which had a low bench in front of a sign, Garrick tried for a stern no-more-flirting tone, but he wasn’t sure he succeeded. “Focus on form rather than quantity. Start with ten good ones, but five with good form is better than ten where you risk a core muscle injury. And I know you’re not sure about skydiving, but even on an engine crew, core strength is vital for being able to hold a position.”
