Rescuing Ryder (Serenity Securities, Team Hawk #1)

Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

The next morning, Ryder woke to the sound of Tex making coffee and a smell drifted from the kitchen.

He threw his jeans on and went to join him. Tex opened a box on the counter and glanced up as he entered.

“Morning, sunshine. They sent over breakfast and some goodies. I’m taking mine outside to the deck if you want to join me,” he greeted Ryder as he grabbed his plate and cup to head toward the back.

Confused by his friend’s actions, he helped himself to a cup of coffee, a blueberry muffin, bacon, and a scoop of eggs. He followed the hallway down to the patio doors and opened them to the magnificent mountain view. Tex sat eating breakfast and enjoying the setting.

Ryder sat across from him, setting his plate on the table with his mug. “What’s the catch?”

“What do you mean?” Tex eyed him warily.

“They dropped us off last night and you haven’t started in on me about trying or giving this a real shot,” he stated as he scooped up a bite of the eggs.

“You gave me your word. This time, deciding if you want this comes down to you. This place feels special. But it’ll only work if you allow it to help you. I’ll take you up to the Winters Foundation and we’ll get you checked in before I leave for home.” He sipped his coffee.

“That’s it?”

“Ryder, you asked me to stop pestering. I don’t have an ulterior motive. I want you to receive the help you need to heal.”

They finished their meal in silence, gazing over the serene landscape. When Tex finished, he didn’t speak as he took his dishes inside. Ryder stuffed the last of the muffin in his mouth and chewed. Grabbing his items, he brought them to the dishwasher and went to shower and dress. Today started like one of many he experienced over the last eighteen months. Nothing rid him of the shame or guilt he felt inside. He let his team down.

Tex drove the golf cart along the path to the hospital. Neither spoke, and once they parked, Ryder followed him up the stairs and inside the building.

Ryder’s eyes widened as he gazed down at the halls and the homey living room in front of them. A teen walked up to his friend.

“Hi, Tex. Miss Kassie asked us to take you to the conference room. Can we get you anything to drink?” The teen bounced on her toes while she waited for his reply.

“Can I have a water? Ryder, meet Zuri. She helps run the front desk.”

“Hi, Ryder. Can I get you anything?”

“I’m fine,” he replied as he watched the young woman run back to the area and pull a bottle of water from a fridge. She handed it to Tex before leading them down the hall.

Zuri opened the door and stepped aside to let them in. The trio from the video call sat in chairs around the circular table. The irritating blonde doctor who raided his thoughts the evening before wrote on the whiteboard behind her.

“Good morning. Come in and have a seat, Ryder. Did you want Tex to stay a while before he meets with PT?” Dr. Meyers asked.

Yes. No. Maybe. Fuck, he didn’t know.

“No. I don’t need a babysitter, Doc,” he muttered to her as he sat at the table, leaving a seat empty on either side of him.

“I’m Claire. Doc refers to Chase. Are you ready to get started? I believe I have fifty-eight minutes to present you with a care plan. The clock is ticking.”

Wow, he’d give it to her. She held some spunk. “Bring it.”

“Ryder,” Tex growled in warning.

“What? Like she’ll take only sixty minutes, give me a fucking break,” he replied.

His friend sighed heavily. The frustration came off in vibes. The room stayed silent.

Sighing loudly, he turned to face his blonde nemesis. “You can go, Tex. I’ll even tack on an extra two minutes for her.”

Chase nodded to Tex who shut the door.

Claire turned to the whiteboard.

“I went over the list of all your medications. Can you tell me if anything on the board appears incorrect?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“Which ones?” she asked as she grabbed the eraser, prepared to change the list.

“All of them,” he admitted to her as he met her gaze.

“How long ago did you stop them?” She didn’t miss a beat.

“I stopped the day I returned from the last hospital stint,” he announced, expecting them to show surprise or shock. Instead, he was met with acceptance.

“What type of physical exercise do you participate in?” Dr. Meyers erased the medication list.

“None.”

“Is it due to your physical injuries?” she peered at her notes.

“No. I didn’t feel I needed to stay fit. I don’t intend to go back,” he bit out. No, I have an entirely different exit, which doesn’t require me to stay in shape.

“Can you tell us about your social life? Do you like to go out? Do noises, smells, or phrases bother you?”

“I’m not into socializing. All my friends died and I’m not interested in making new ones,” he sniped at her.

She waited for him to continue. When he didn’t, she asked him again.

“Do you have any triggers we need to know about? It seems your past physicians failed to note any in your records.” Claire flipped through her records and her nose squinched up in thought.

They didn’t note it because he didn’t talk about it. He didn’t think they wanted to hear about the smell of charred flesh, or how the thought of it brought him to his knees. He didn’t care for watching his brothers bleed out and die, either.

“No,” he answered curtly.

She put the eraser and marker down. “It’s important we know if you have any triggers. We recommend your placement depending on your sensitivity to sounds or other factors.”

“Sorry to disappoint you. I don’t suffer from any of those.” Ryder crossed his arms as he leaned back in his chair.

Kassie made a note on her pad. “How did you find your accommodations last night?”

“I rested. Thank you,” he said as he kept his eyes on the blonde. Claire flitted through her notes until she came upon something she searched for.

“Most of the physicians consider you suicidal. Kassie’s asking to place you in the cabin for your stay with us. I recommend you start in the hospital rooms and graduate to the subdivision,” Claire suggested.

Something in his gut tightened at her directness. She didn’t go around the words like everyone else did. They listed off his mental health issues as if they ordered from a menu. He turned to Kassie.

“I prefer the cabin. I like the space and view,” he said, before turning to Dr. Meyers. “I lost my entire team and my best friend. I believe anyone coming from such a traumatic experience might hold some of those feelings.”

“Tex shares the same concern,” Dr. Meyers stated as she tapped the capped end of her pen to her mouth. “But the cabins are nice, and I believe you’ll feel more comfortable there. We have a veteran who visits the residents by the name of Whiskey. I want him to mentor you while you’re here. Will you consent to work with him?”

“As long as we don’t have to hold hands and start singing,” Ryder smirked.

“I want an hour daily to start where you put in the work. We’ll adjust as you take on other roles. The cabins have a kitchen, but I prefer you to come to the hospital for meals for the next two weeks. I’ll discuss your meds once you decide to stay and put in the time. I want you to start PT outdoors and at least two weekly walk sign-ups for the remainder of your stay. Do you have any questions?” She wrote all her requests on the board.

“Nope,” Ryder answered curtly.

“I’ll want to run a thorough physical exam, and perform an x-ray on your thigh. The physicians noted some shrapnel damage. I agree with the PT assessment,” Chase advised him.

“Whiskey will update us on his concerns as you progress. I’ll pop in now and again to check in with you, or you can come to my office if you have concerns.” Kassie smiled at him. “I believe we’ve used up fifty-three and a half minutes. Do you have any questions?”

“What happens if I decide this isn’t for me?” he asked as he stared at the board and Dr. Meyers’ notes.

“You’re not held prisoner here. My offer to fly you home still stands. I hope you might like to tour the place before deciding. Of course, it’ll take longer than the time I promised you. You’ll find I keep my word.” She passed a card to him. “Ryder, if you decide you can’t do this now, the invitation is always open for you to join us. You can call us at any time.”

He picked up the card and stuck it in his pocket.

“Your friend Tex went to the floor below us. Follow the signs for the therapy room. We tentatively scheduled his flight to leave right after lunch. The question remains whether you’ll stay or run. It’s up to you. My time’s up. I hope I’ll see you again,” Claire challenged him as she gathered her paperwork and left the room.

Chase stood beside his wife. “If you have any questions or want to discuss what we’ve started for your care plan, don’t hesitate to find one of us.”

Kassie walked toward him and placed her hand on his arm. “Good luck, Ryder.”

“Thank you for the hospitality. I appreciated the pie and food you left,” Ryder thanked her, searching for something to say. It took him off guard. They kept their word, never pressured him, and accepted his decision.

“Oh, the baby started to fuss and I didn’t leave a meal for you. Claire must’ve dropped it off.” Kassie explained.

Dr. Winters held the door for his wife and they left him alone. There weren’t any guilt trips, the silent condemnation at his refusal to take meds or judgment. They informed him of what they expected. He walked over to the board and examined the handwriting of the sassy blonde. She didn’t think he’d stay. Yet she ensured he enjoyed a meal at his cabin.

Would it kill him to try it for a couple of weeks?

He laughed at the irony of his statement. Isn’t that what he planned to do? He sat down at the table and placed his head in his hands.

Gunner, what do I do?

The words echoed in his mind as if his best friend sat inside his chest, waiting for him to ask.

You live a life worthy of all of us .

Taking a deep breath, he glanced at the board and went to find his friend. He agreed. This place felt different, but was it enough to make his life worth living?