Page 8

Chapter Eight

P hysical therapy sucked giant hairy donkey dicks.

Luke did it because he had every intention of getting out of the wheelchair, no matter what he told Matt about giving up. He really did.

Still, the cheerful chirp of Avery the therapist’s voice as Luke pushed his newly changed body to do things that used to come easy as breathing… Well, it made him want to hit something.

So he’d let Matt in the house when they got home and gone to the yearling barn. He needed some horse time.

The babies nickered and tossed their heads, calling to him.

He loved that, loved that they knew him and that they weren’t scared.

They had been, that first bit, but he didn’t mind.

He’d been afraid of them, too, and he’d been raised with them.

Everything was different in the chair. The whole world looked huge, and everything seemed designed to tip a man over.

Now, he knew they wouldn’t hurt him unless he did something stupid. “Hey, guys. Guess who brought apples.”

Tom-Tom peeked over the gate, chin banging on the wood .

“Me, that’s who.” He cut off a bit of apple with his pocketknife, then held it out, palm flat.

The yearling’s lips were soft as satin, tickling the shit out of his palm. He managed not to laugh or slap, then he rubbed Tom-Tom’s nose.

He could feel the tension of the day letting go, simply lifting off him like he was shaking off a mood. Like a dog coming in from the rain. He chuckled, and more long noses appeared, Lula and Fayla and Robbie.

One by one, he visited with them, getting them used to human touch and letting himself enjoy the simple act of taking care of something. They didn’t care if he was oddly shaped or awkward. They listened to his voice, nibbled at his shirt. This. This was therapy.

“I keep telling Avery that this is the way to go. I’m so tired of the wires and pulleys and weights and shit, guys. I swear.”

Fayla nipped at his ear, but he didn’t scold her. She deserved her apple. “I know, right? All you guys need is what you need.”

He reached up and rubbed Fayla’s ears, feeling the muscles in his lower back creak and protest. The stretch made him want to cry out, but he held it back. The horses made Luke hyperaware that he wasn’t the only one there.

She bobbed her head, pulling at him, helping him move and stretch.

“Such a sweet girl,” Luke murmured, laughing when she nibbled his chin.

God, it felt so good to laugh. Luke did it so rarely. This was a good place. A place a veteran like him could find a balm for his soul.

Maybe Matt would let a couple of Avery’s other PT patients come by.

Oh, wouldn’t that be something? Was that stupid? Maybe it was, but it couldn’t hurt to talk to his twin. Matt wanted to help him, for sure.

Matt came into the barn, searching the dark corners for him. “You okay, Lu?”

Sensitive fuck.

“I’m better. Therapy sucked today. This is good, though.”

“This is good a lot of the time.”

“It is.” Luke hesitated. “Do you think I could have a couple guys over? Maybe with my therapist?”

“Of course.” Matt blinked at him, owlish as all get out. “This is your home, Luke. You bring whoever you’d like.”

“Well, I meant to work with the horses, and those are yours. I think it would be good for Jake. Maybe Robbie.”

Matt shot him a curious look. “You can, sure. I mean, I trust you not to let the babies get hurt.”

“Cool. I would want you around to supervise, but Avery grew up on a ranch, too. I think—Well, maybe it’s stupid, but it’s calming. Working with the horses.”

“You think? I remember when you were a kid, you hated it, hated being here.” Matt headed into the stables, loving on one horse after another. “I’m tickled to hear you don’t hate it now.”

“I don’t.” Luke shrugged, wheeling down the line with relative ease now that his arms weren’t screaming at him. “I guess I thought I wanted something else back then.”

“Well, sure. You… I mean, I’m just a broke-dick cowboy running horses and trying to keep Momma and Preacher on their land.”

“Bullshit.” Luke reached over to pinch Matt’s leg. “You’re my hero.”

“No pinching, asshat.” Matt’s cheeks went all pink.

God, Luke was proud of him for working so hard to make this ranch a good, solid place. “You asked for it. ”

“I just… I wanted you to know that I’m glad you’re here. I missed you something fierce.”

“You getting all maudlin on me?” That was Luke’s way of saying ‘I love you, too’. “I’m starving, man. What are we having?”

“I was thinking we could have chicken and veggies on the grill. There’s a cherry pie from Brookshires in the freezer.”

“That sounds like a plan. I’ll chop and thaw, you make fire.” This was the best part of being here with Matt, these little things that they’d never gotten to do together as adults. Normal things.

“Man make fire.” Matt thumped his chest. “Momma wants us to drive up for supper Sunday. Asked us to bring rolls.”

“We can do that.” Time with Momma and Preacher could be…exhausting. They worried so. But Luke did love them.

“Yeah. I need to get out there and work on the barn roof before it gets too hot.”

Matt worked harder than any man he’d ever seen. “Be careful,” he murmured. He’d go make himself a sandwich to tide him over ’til supper.

“Eh. Let’s go have a beer. It’ll wait ’til tomorrow.”

“Yeah?” He grinned hugely. Beer was better than a pain pill any day.

“You know it. All work and no play, blah, blah, blah.”

“I do.” He’d humped his load in the military for long enough, for sure.

“Let’s go have a sit.” Matt gave him a grin, one that was more familiar than the one he saw in the mirror. “Maybe I’ll pull out the dominoes.”

“Oh, Christ. You’ve become one of those old cowboys who plays Mexican Train on the porch.”

“I will beat your ass down, man.”

“Never happen.” Luke grinned, feeling better every moment. He wheeled up toward the house and didn’t even protest when Matt gave him some help on the hill.

“Harder, Matty! Work those hamstrings!”

“Fuck off, you dipshit.” Matt cackled, though, the laughter ringing out.

Days like this, Luke thought he might just make it through the recovery, no matter what it took. These kinds of moments were worth all the pain in the world.

Now, he just needed more of these days.