Chapter 25
Danger
“Finally!”
His exclamation startled a few folks in the waiting room, but Danger couldn’t give a damn as he burst from the back, stitches having been removed, though he’d much rather Doc have done it.
Unfortunately, he’d been on his annual trek to visit family at Kill Devil Hills, meaning Danger had to come here to get them out.
Pope stood, shaking his head as people stared, but fuck them, he’d just been freed from his second accident-imposed water exile of the year, and he was more than ready to get back to the house, tuck the pups in their screened enclosure, and take to the waves.
While their paws were finally showing signs of improvement, right along with their coats, thanks to daily brushing and the good food they’d been packing away, the sand was growing hotter, so they’d be staying off it until shoes arrived to protect their feet.
Outside, he did a cartwheel and leapt into the air after he’d pulled off the slightly sloppy maneuver before dancing over to where they’d parked your bikes.
“I wouldn’t do that again if I were you,” Pope said.
“Not unless you want to split your head open in the parking lot and have me carry your ass back inside. I promise you, I will beat it until you can’t sit down, and it will not be fun for you either, especially not if they have to shave more hair to put another line of stitches in. ”
Cringing, he straddled the bike, making a mental note to tone it down before he fucked himself up again.
“Thank you,” Pope said. “I hate seeing you miserable. So let’s do our best to avoid any more hospital visits this year, please.”
“Yes sir,” Danger said. “That wasn’t very smart on my part.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Pope replied. “I get that you were excited, but cartwheels on concrete generally have a way of not ending well.”
“True.”
“Alright, ready to get wet?”
“More than ready,” Danger replied.
“Good, because Roan has a surprise for you.”
“Really? Then what are we waiting for?”
“Not one damned thing,” Pope replied before firing up his bike.
On the short ride back, all Danger could think about was getting into his new board shorts and going for a swim before breaking out his surfboard.
Just to feel the water close over his head was going to be amazing, and he couldn’t wait to roll over, float on his back, and stare at the sky.
Roan’s surprise had him curious too, as their boy was really coming into his own.
While Danger had been convalescing, Roan had visited all the club-run businesses, picked up the paperwork and the files from Danger’s office, and brought them all back so they could work on them.
Not only that, but he’d helped Pope organize his in-home office with the same careful efficacy as he’d displayed in the one at Jokers Wild, compiling all the files and printed notes into categories, while also learning how to track down books that Pope needed for research.
Proud of him didn’t begin to describe Danger’s feelings, though there was still the lingering regret over not seeing the truth behind Roan’s repeated bids for attention.
He still didn’t feel as if he’d made it up to him yet, though the down time had given him some ideas of how to make things right.
Just as soon as the order he’d placed arrived, he’d show his boy just how pleased he was to have a little in his life and how special Roan was as an individual, as well as a member of the Rollin’ Jokers.
Yeah, he had a lot to make up for.
At the house, they parked in the garage and headed in through the mudroom, laughter drifting from deeper in the house.
When they stepped into the den, they found Ocean and Roan with Diesel and Grunge, working on sit and stay.
They sat and happily accepted treats and pets, but when it came to staying, Diesel flat-out refused.
If Ocean took a step backward, Diesel scooted forward on his bottom, determined to keep up with him.
Each time, Ocean held his hand out, palm toward the dog, and repeated stay before inching away again, and each time Diesel let him get exactly three feet away before he started scooching after him with a whine if Ocean told him to stay again.
Before either Pope or Danger could do anything, Ocean shook his head and hugged the dog, giving him his treat anyway.
“It’s okay, boy,” Ocean said. “I know you’re just scared that you’re going to get left. I’d never do that to you. You’ll see. Trust is hard though, isn’t it?”
He kissed the big dog on the snout and held his face in his hands, rubbing noses and speaking to him until Diesel’s tail was wagging a mile a minute.
“He’ll get there,” Pope said. “Like you said, he just needs time.”
“Yup,” Ocean said. “And he let me get three feet that time. When we first started, he followed every time I moved. That’s so much progress. He’s such a good boy.”
“You’ll be pleased to know that we stopped by the vet’s office this morning and updated her on their feet while we picked up more ointment.
She apologized for not thinking about it when we were there, but they make shoes for dogs that they can wear in the water as well as on the beach, so I looked and ordered two pairs on the spot.
As soon as they arrive, the boys can join us on the beach. ”
“Yay!” Roan declared, while Grunge woofed.
“It’s not her fault,” Ocean said. “She’d just finished examining their feet and talking with us about their condition when those folks came in with that kitty who’d been attacked by a dog, so she had to run.
I’m glad they’ll be able to join us. As much as I love the water, it makes me sad to leave them behind. ”
“Well, I must say, I thought about leather boots to protect their feet and match their collars, but those wouldn’t have worked for them on the beach. It’s been so long since I’ve had a dog; I didn’t realize just how many accessories had been created, including raincoats, which I also ordered.”
“Sweet! I can’t wait to see them all dressed up for rainy-day walks,” Roan declared.
“For now, they will have to stay in their shady, screened-in spot,” Pope declared.
“But I did the two-day shipping and got the damned subscription to boot, since I foresee many more orders in our future. So, let’s get changed and get out there before Danger tries to cartwheel across the living room. ”
“Wait?” Ocean said, pausing mid-turn to stare at Danger. “You can do a cartwheel?”
“Poorly executed, but yes,” Danger admitted. “And I should not have done it on the way to the parking lot.”
“Dude!” Ocean said, eyes wide, “You’d have been pissed if you split your head open again.”
Groaning, Danger pinched the bridge of his nose, because yeah, it hadn’t been the world’s best idea.
“That’s what I said,” Pope replied, chuckling.
The boys disappeared into their room to change, the dogs glued to their hips.
While they hated being left behind, the dogs no longer barked for the first few minutes of being in their screened-in space and instead settled down on their pillows, with clean bowls of water to lap whenever they needed them, watching them closely through the mesh.
There was no doubt in Danger’s mind that they could tear that screen down if they really got it in their heads to join them, but they stayed, slowly learning to trust that they’d come check on them frequently and spend time with them.
“I hear you have a surprise for me,” Danger said when they reached the beach. Roan’s skin, once boasting a farmer’s tan, was now tanned all over from how many hours he’d spent out here with Ocean and Pope.
Pope had carried something out with him that he refused to allow any of them to see. Covered in blankets, he’d placed it on the sand like a colorful teaser and forbidden them all to peek.
“Yup,” Roan replied before racing into the water.
Danger waded in behind him, watching as Roan dove beneath the surface when it was high enough, emerging several feet away, strokes smooth when he began to swim further away from him.
He flipped over on his back, floating, then swam back to him, before rolling over again, showing off the frog stroke Ocean had taught him.
Where once he’d been afraid to go further than waist-deep, now he swam out until the water was well over his head and calmly treaded water with a confident smile on his face.
“Wow! Talk about a quick study,” Danger said when he reached his side. “Well done!”
“We practiced every morning there wasn’t a storm,” Roan declared proudly.
“You practiced,” Ocean said. “I just got the pleasure of watching you get better and better every day, but the effort was all you. You were determined to learn a new skill and look at you. That was fabulous. I’d say you’ve earned the surprise Pope and I have been cooking up for you.”
“Is it what’s under the blanket?” Roan asked, eyes lighting up at the praise.
Danger could practically feel his excitement carried through the current.
“Uh-huh,” Ocean said. “Wanna go see?”
“Hell yeah!” Roan said and took off with surprising speed.
Ocean kept pace with ease, but Danger, who hadn’t been in the water for over two weeks and sporadically before that, actually found that he had to push himself to catch up with them.
On the beach, Roan nearly faceplanted trying to scramble through the sand to get to the blanket, only to yank it off to reveal a brightly wrapped package underneath.
Squealing, he tore the wrapping paper off, revealing the brightly colored boogie board beneath.
“Oh my god it’s awesome!” Roan squealed, hugging it to his chest.
“We thought it might be easier for you to start with one of those and move up to a big board later, if you decided you like it and want to keep learning,” Ocean explained.
“I love it! Thank you! Will you teach me how to use it now!”
“Could I have that honor?” Danger offered before Ocean could respond.