Page 21 of I’d Never Date my Best Friend…Again

Chapter 9

Liam

“Are you there yet?” Sean asks. “Patrick wants to meet with you by nine.”

I glance at my wristwatch. “It’s ten minutes to nine,” I tell my brother, holding the phone to my ear as I scan the office through my windshield. Tex is breathing impatiently behind me, as excited as I am.

“Did you look at the time before you called me?” I tease him. I swear, he’s more nervous than I am.

“Oh, yeah. I guess I could’ve done that.” He laughs. “I’m just excited for you. Will you call me when you’re done?”

“Sure.”

“Good luck!”

“Thanks for this, brother. I’ll talk to you later.”

I hang up the phone, take a deep breath, and get out of the car. Since I returned home, I’ve had little to no interaction with people outside my family. I’m a little nervous because this is my first time directly interacting with multiple people at the same time outside of them.

Sean had spoken to Kieran as promised, and Kieran had spoken to a friend of his, Patrick. Patrick is the owner of Wilderness Warriors, a survival camp for kids. I spoke with him for a few minutes on the phone, and he invited me to his office.

I open the backseat and grab Tex’s leash before leading him out of the car and patting his head gently. “Be a good boy like always,” I murmur. “Now, let’s go get this job.”

We walk into the building and approach the reception, where there’s a smiling lady. “Hello,” I force a smile. “I’m here to see Patrick Sullivan?”

The receptionist arches her brows. “Okay. What’s your name?”

“Liam O’Connell.”

She picks up the phone and dials. “There’s a Liam O’Connell here to see you.” There’s a pause before I hear her say, “I’ll send him right in.” She hangs up the phone and gestures down the hall. “Go straight ahead. The office is at the end of the hall on your left.”

“Thank you. Can I go in with my emotional support dog?”

“Of course, all types of service dogs are always welcome.” She leans forward to catch a good glimpse of Tex.

I nod and smile, then pull Tex along. I head down the hallway, and by the time I reach the door, it’s five to nine. I knock on the partially open door.

“Come in,” comes a gruff voice moments later.

Patrick looks up from his screen and a smile spreads across his face as I walk in. “Liam?” He asks, rising slowly.

“Yes.” I walk briskly toward his desk, and I grab the hand he has extended toward me. His eyes rest on Tex and widen with excitement. “Is this a German Shepherd?”

“Yes, he is.”

“Such a brilliant breed. I got one for my daughter, and she’s been amazing.” He gestures for me to sit and waits until I’m seated before he does, too.

“We worked with BattleBron Tech to get him for me.” I respond.

Patrick’s eyebrows dip. “How’s life been after the military?” he asks, and the understanding in his eyes comforts me.

“It’s been hard,” I say honestly. “I didn’t realize it would be this challenging.”

“I know exactly how that feels,” He says looking down at his clasped hands. “It’s been fifteen years since I was deployed, and sometimes I still hear screams and gunshots in my head.”

“Does it ever go away?” I ask, as my stomach drops at his words.

Patrick sighs. “It gets better, but it never goes away completely. What helped me is this.” He raises his hand to encompass his office and building, a smile crossing his face. “At the peak of my frustration, I founded the Wilderness Warriors, and it’s the best thing I could’ve done for myself. It gave me an active outlet to work through my frustrations and allowed me to use my skills in a way that brings peace.”

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