Page 106 of Cowboy's Last Stand
“Really?”
“All this week.”
“How are the nightmares?”
“Not as bad as they were,” he said after a pause.“It’s bearable.”
“I’m glad.”
Jason cleared his throat.“Do you think I have a chance with her?”
Tyler took his time to answer.He was a good friend, but he wasn’t going to lie to Jason to make him feel better.“If you’re serious about her, you have to be honest and hope for the best.Apologize for everything you said.Get her flowers, take her out to dinner, and tell her the truth.She might forgive you.”
“What if she doesn’t?”
“Then you cut your losses and come back to San Diego.”
Jason’s heart clenched at the thought.
“It’s not the worst place to heal,” Tyler said.“You can surf and cry at the same time, and no one can tell.”
“Is that what you do?”
“Yep.”
Jason chuckled at the response, though he doubted Tyler was joking.There was a reason the soul surfer had retired from combat duty.His overseas experiences had been traumatic.“What were you going to say before?About why I came here?”
“I’ve seen pictures of her.”
“Where?”
“Online.The media took photos at his funeral.”
Jason hadn’t seen them, but he could imagine the invasion of privacy.It disturbed him.“So?”
“She’s a beautiful woman.”
“Are you saying I came to seduce her?”
“Did you?”
Jason swore under his breath.His fingertips clenched around the phone so tight he thought it might break.
“I’m not judging you either way,” Tyler said.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m asking you to be careful—and cognizant.”
“Cognizant,” Jason muttered.
“Self-awareness is the enemy of self-destruction.”
“Are you quoting Yoda?”
“Very funny.Did you find your sense of humor in the woods?”
Jason felt some of his tension ebb away.Although the conversation was serious, Tyler’s tone was jovial.They could still joke around with each other.“That reminds me.I read an article about the health benefits of surfing the other day.”
