He nods.“We all had them.Zane—you haven’t met him yet—is Cap, Sawyer is Cable Guy, Weston is Cowboy, and Ryker is Tank.”
I snort.“I can definitely see the last two.But Sawyer as Cable Guy?Like the movie?”
“Nah.Sawyer’s specialty is—was—communications.”
“Is it hard?Transitioning from the military to being a civilian?”
He piles some chips onto a plate, then spoons some taco meat over the top.“It is.We actually worked off-books for six years, which made the transition even harder if I’m honest.There was no final day for us.We worked, and then one day, they didn’t need us anymore.”
“That is hard.”
He shrugs.“I have the community center, Sawyer has his shop, Weston has the ranch, Zane’s got Tessa now, and Ryker’s been talking about becoming a cop.”
I can see his pain, though.The grief he must feel over such a rapid life change.“Still, when you get the rug pulled out from under you, sometimes it’s hard to get back on your feet.”
He glances over at me.“You’d know something about that.”
“Yeah, I guess I would.”I think of how happy I was when I graduated nursing school.It was all I wanted to do.Help people.Then, before I even had the chance to finish my first year, Victor happened.I was thrown into a gilded cage after that, only let up for air when it suited him.When I had a part to play.
“Here you go.”Garrison slides a large plate between us.A heaping pile of chips, meat, cheese, beans, sour cream, and a side of jalapenos.
Even though I ate what Anastasia and Jack brought out to the campsite earlier, my stomach growls.
“Can I?”He reaches out a hand, so I slide mine into his, trying to ignore the way his touch ignites a flame long gone cold.“Lord, we thank You for this meal.Please let it nourish our bodies, amen.”
“Amen.”
He releases my hand and starts eating.
“So, what does Demo stand for then?”
“Oh, sorry.I forgot you asked.”He laughs.“Demolition.”
“Demolition, as in blowing things up?”I stop, chip halfway to my mouth, and stare at him.Of all the words I would use to describe him, Demolition wouldn’t even come close to making the list.
“Yeah.The guys like to joke because I’m good at putting out fuses here, but in the field, I’m all about lighting them.”
“So you, like, actually blow stuff up?”
He nods.“Strategically, but yes.”
I finish chewing and swallow, then shake my head in awe.“Just know that, if Thomas finds out, he will pepper you with questions until you can’t take it anymore.”
Garrison laughs.“I can take a lot.”
I imagine there’s not much that rattles you.“I’m honestly surprised.”
“Why?”
“You don’t strike me as the kind of guy who likes to destroy things.”
“I don’t think of it as destruction.”He leans in, resting his forearms on the counter so he’s eye-level with me.“More like removing an obstacle so what’s really important stays standing.”He stands.“For example, our last mission had Zane, Sawyer, and Ryker trapped behind enemy lines.They’d gone in to rescue a teenage girl, and we had significantly underestimated the number of hostiles.I came in and strategically placed charges so I could drop the floor above where they were being held.”
“And the girl?”I question, hanging on his every word.
“She survived.”
I let out a breath, so grateful for the life of a girl I’ve never met and likely never will.“How many missions like that did you go on?”