Wilde Christmas: A Candlewood Falls Novel by Fawcett K.M. & Falls Candlewood

Author:Fawcett, K.M. & Falls, Candlewood
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-12-06T00:00:00+00:00

Dean accompanied Lacey and Remi to each hospital floor and visited the rooms for which the nurses gave permission. Most of the patients agreed to a visit and enjoyed the canine companionship.

Remi basked in the love and attention. Her tail wagged like crazy. She obeyed Lacey’s commands and behaved well around the medical equipment, patient food trays, and loud noises. She remained calm and affectionate.

And Lacey did a fantastic job as her handler. The confidence she portrayed while giving Remi commands made his heart swell…and yet a piece of it ached.

Dean had been responsible for Remi’s injury while Lacey was responsible for Remi’s happiness.

Dean may have adopted Remi first, but was he really the best pet parent for her?

What if living with Dean triggered bad memories of Afghanistan or sniffing out IEDs?

Dean mostly hung back, allowing Remi and Lacey to do their thing. He didn’t want to get in the way. Anyone could see the pride and love Lacey held for the shepherd. It warmed his heart at the same time it chilled his veins.

Maybe he shouldn’t remove Remi from her stable home in Candlewood Falls.

His gut churned.

The rest of the visit went well, with an occasional unsettling emotion that hit him hard and brought him back to painful memories pre- and post-surgery. Once, he had to excuse himself from a patient’s room to regroup.

The highlight of the visit came when he met Steve, a patient three-years younger than himself, who just underwent a below the knee amputation. The guy expressed his apprehension and fears, which included questions on how to navigate a normal day with one leg, what was it like walking on a prosthetic, and, of course, concerns about girls.

Would they look at him differently?

Would anyone want to be with him?

All questions that had run through Dean’s mind may times in the past year.

Dean glanced over at Lacey only to realize she had left. “When did Lacey leave?”

Steve shrugged. “Fifteen minutes ago, maybe?”

“Oh. Where were we?”

“Girls.”

“Right. Don’t worry about it. You’ll get girls. Have confidence. Be yourself. Treat them right. Just because you lose a limb, doesn’t mean you get to be a dick to anyone. Don’t be a victim, either. Learn to do as much as you can on your own, but ask for help when you need it. Be a decent guy. Have a sense of humor. You can be a little cocky just as long as you don’t cross the line into arrogance.”

“Aren’t they the same thing?”

“No. What separates cockiness from arrogance is a little bit of humility.”

“But what about sex?” Steve inquired.

Remi picked her head up.

Footsteps approached.

Lacey returned to Steve’s room, informing Dean it was time to go. He checked his watch. They had talked for a little over a half hour. Damn. He didn’t notice how quickly the time flew by. At least he was saved from the sex questions.

He didn’t have answers for those, but hoped to soon.

He and Steve exchanged phone numbers. “Call me any time,” Dean said. “I’m still new at all this, but will help where I can.

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