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"No kiddin’--you talked to Tomaselli? I heard he was back in the States and that he was shot Didn’t hear where he was or what happened, though"
"His unit was cleaning out a nest of insurgents in the hills near the Khyber Pass in Afghanistan, and he took a bullet in his leg" Jake glanced doard "That’s where they got you, too, he toldor left?"
"Left" Dan shifted the lap robe to reveal a prosthetic attached just below his knee
"Da "To"
"Hell, Jake I didn’t lose it I know exactly where it went" Dan grinned and Jake laughed, shaking his head But before he could say anything, Dan looked past hiotta do some PR stuff I promised the doc--and I could use solanced over his shoulder, following Dan’s gaze The pretty brunette and the s in their direction They’d been joined by a uy with ca around his neck
"PR?" He looked back at Dan
"Yeah A newspaper reporter is doing a story on the equipuy with the caht "Who are the tomen with the doctor?"
"They roup that donated the equip"
"Sure, I’ll stay"
"Thanks," Danas Dan said hello to his doctor and was introduced to the older wohter, Chloe Abbott
"Hey, Sarge," a male voice called
Chloe looked over her shoulder A paja broadly at the tall, burly ht-blue cotton shirt tucked into belted jeans, black boots on his feet, the visitor seemed to dominate the room
"Our patient has arrived," Dr Jacobson said "Are you ready to talk to Dan?" he asked the reporter
"In a estured at thenext to the patient in the wheelchair "Tony, can you get a few candid shots first?" The photographer nodded, lifting his camera to focus on the trio
Dr Jacobson waited until the photographer lowered his camera "I think we’re ready Ladies, shall we…?" He waved the reporter ahead of hi with Winifred and Chloe
The ht at Chloe, his eyes narrowed She’d only seen his profile earlier; now she realized that her earlier i" hadn’t done hiedly handsoh cheekbones and a strong jaw coth and purpose
His eyes didn’t waver froroup was introduced to Dan West, the wheelchair-bound Marine
"I’d like you all totheir hands "Two years ago, he was ourmy first tour of duty in the Middle East"
Jake shook hands with the reporter and photographer, Dr Jacobson and the nurse, then Winifred, before he reached Chloe
"Chloe" His fingers and pal her much smaller hand "It’s a pleasure to meet you"
"Mr Morrissey," Chloe said politely He held her hand a few seconds too long until she tugged discreetly He i his aze sharpened, holding a glint of admiration
"Mr Morrissey" The reporter claimed his attention "Since you worked with Dan, I’d like to include you in the article Do you ave the reporter a half s as it’s all right with the ladies?"
"Whatever makes the article oal is to generate more donations to the medical center’s equipreeet so the equiproup photos" The reporter bustled off with the photographer, Dr Jacobson and Dan in tow
"It’s a terrible thing to lose a lie," Winifred said "He’s such a nice young ood soldier, too," Jake replied
"I believe Dan said you served together before you left the olf full-tihed, his teeth a flash of white in his tanned face "Not hardly I started my own coo--Morrissey Demolition We’re headquartered just south of Pioneer Square And two years ago, my reserve unit was called up and I was on active duty for twelve ain for the past year"
"How interesting What exactly do you des, mostly We also have a contract with the Colville Tribe’s construction co roads on their reservation in eastern Washington"
"Isn’t that dangerous?" Chloe tried to envision working with explosives on a daily basis
"Not if you knohat you’re doing" Jake shrugged "I specialized in explosives in the military, and my crew has years of experience in this kind of work"
"Chloe," the reporter called, "will you join us, please?"