Chapter 18 – Epilogue
“Man, those two look happy.” Sitting in a seat by Aiden’s bed in the rehab facility, Kade Sweet flipped through another photo on his phone.
“You sure about that?” Aiden Boglioli couldn’t believe that his love ’em and leave ’em staff sergeant had been bitten by the happily ever after bug.
“See for yourself.” Staff Sergeant Kade Sweet handed Aiden his phone.
Studying the first photo, Aiden let out a long whistle. “Wow, she’s a looker.”
“Careful,” Kade chuckled, “Josh is very protective of Katie.”
“Can’t say that I blame him. If a woman like that loved me, I’d be pretty darn protective of her too.
” He swiped at the screen, glancing at one picture after the other, studying some longer than others.
Whether the couple was posing for the photo or caught in a candid shot, these two people oozed love.
Aiden wasn’t what people would call lucky in love, but he knew it when he saw it in other people.
And these two had that look down pat. The sparkle in their eyes.
The grins on their faces. The way in every photo, no matter who was the centerpiece, Josh and Katie could be seen staring at each other from across the room, or across the table. As if they couldn’t stand to be apart.
Actually, as he took his time going from one photo after another, he noticed that a lot of the couples in these pictures seemed to have that same gleam in their eyes. Maybe it was a Texas thing.
“So,” Kade leaned back in the sleek chair, “how’s the therapy going?”
“Fine.” Aiden continued to swipe. He was fascinated by all the couples in all the photos, especially the staff sergeant and his new girl. Though from the looks of it all, Aiden was pretty sure this lady would become a more permanent fixture in his sergeant’s life sooner than later.
“Just fine?”
Aiden shrugged. “Doctors are happy. Nurses too. Therapists, it’s hard to read.” He was supposed to be released days ago, but there had been some glitches with his paperwork.
“Any word on what’s next after they let you out of this place?”
That was a good question. So far his rehab had gone well, at least that’s what the docs were saying.
He just wished he felt more like himself.
He didn’t like being broken, even if the doctor only called it a fracture.
Anything that required hospitals, rehab, and PT should be called something stronger than a fracture in his mind.
Especially when it left him with such a pronounced limp.
“I suppose as soon as they figure out who dropped the ball with the paperwork.”
He swiped through more photos. Pictures of Josh and his lady in front of cows, and horses, and gardens, and fixing what Aiden was pretty sure were fence posts. After all, even a New York City boy like himself should be able to recognize what fence repair looked like.
“Have they at least given you options?”
He wanted to respond, but the problem was, no one had yet to give him a straight answer.
There were always different things to consider, contemplate, and just plain fudge around.
So the fast and easy answer was that he didn’t have a clue where he was going next, but he was sure of one thing, if his gait didn’t improve, finding a new home in the army didn’t appear to be very likely.
At that moment, Kade’s phone rang.
Retrieving his phone, Kade glanced down at the Caller ID, and pushing to his feet, he lifted a finger at Aiden. “I’ll take this in the hall. Regulations.”
“Hey there, buddy. How are the love birds doing?”
Assuming Josh and Katie were the only lovebirds Kade knew, Aiden had to shake his head. Who’d have thunk his staff sergeant would fall head over boot heels in love. Wouldn’t that be nice.
So glad you could join Josh and Katie on their adventure in the Honeysuckle, Texas Series.