Page 1 of Operation: Discovery

Prologue

Connor sat behind his desk, his face cast in an all-knowing, smug grin. The woodgrain paneling on the lower half of the walls made the room feel dark, much like Brendon’s mood. That smirk could only mean one thing. Heather Rose, or Dee as he’d known her, would be coming to Wayside soon.

“You rang?” Brendon rolled his wheelchair in front of Connor’s desk and pulled his notebook from under his right leg. Even though his legs couldn’t be used for standing, they helped him to stay seated in his wheelchair and helped him ride a horse when he chose to. He had random, sometimes painful, phantom feelings in them that he couldn’t control with over-the-counter medications. Today, when his stress level was at its peak, a dull ache flowed up and down the extremities, which weren’t supposed to feel anything.

“I did.” Connor pulled his laptop in front of him. “Rebecca will be here in just a few minutes. Usually, I would do the entrance interview by myself, then Lacy would come in and deliver our new guest to her cabin.”

Rebecca was a guest who had been referred to Wayside, and she was the reason Connor had felt Dee was a necessary addition to the Wayside team. Brendon had suggested this wasn’t the place for her if Connor was going to bring in Dee Heather Rose as her nurse. Rebecca had challenges similar to his own, though her spinal injury was lower than his. Thankfully, the guys knew how to respect people with disabilities of all kinds, not that anyone could ever respond perfectly to someone. The biggest key was they never assumed they knew how anyone would feel.

“But our cabins will be an issue because they are not accessible for someone with a regular wheelchair. They are almost inaccessible for me, even with my all-terrain chair.”

Connor’s lip flattened. “I know. As an aside, when I took out the loan to update the Homeplace, I took out enough to update the cabins at Wayside. You should be able to go anywhere you want to on either of our grounds, without extra physical exertion. I know you’re fully capable of going wherever you want, but you should be able to do it as easily as anyone else.”

Brendon shrugged. There were times, mostly when he was in a hurry, when he wished he could get places without going out of the way or using his arm strength to maneuver his chair in places people didn’t expect. But usually, his mind was already figuring out a way to overcome an obstacle before it became an issue. His brain had become adept at telling him how to get from point A to point B without much hassle. He’d lived as he was for over ten years and was happy living in his skin.

“I get everywhere I want to go.”

Connor tapped away at his keyboard and glanced up from the screen for a moment. “Yes, but Rebecca is new to using her chair to get around. She doesn’t have the same strength you have, and she isn’t as comfortable about being in her chair as you are. To that end, I would like you to show her to her room. I had Lacy convert the storage room across from your office into a comfortable space for her.”

“I’d wondered what you were up to with that. I figured you’d tell me when you were good and ready.” He’d half wondered if Connor was making the room into an office for Dee. Having her right across the hall from him would be torture, especially since his feelings vacillated from excitement to wariness, often within the space of the same minute.

The fact was, plain and simple, he still loved her. The fact that she hadn’t accepted him for who he was hurt to this day. He was a man of many talents and strengths. He was respectful, honest, and even knew how to share his feelings—which he was well-aware was rare in men. But those things hadn’t been enough for Dee. She’d wanted him to walk again, to benormal.

“I usually share everything that happens around here with you. I couldn’t run this place without you. I don’t tell you guys often, but this place is nothing without you. I can’t help all these people on my own.”

“Then don’t drive me away.” The words slipped out before he could apply his usual filter. Stress made that harder to manage.

Connor spoke before he could correct himself. “Would I really drive you away by bringing Heather Rose to Wayside? I’ve looked at her credentials. She’s more than qualified to do this. She’s more qualified than anyone else doing in-home health care that we looked at. And, yes, I did look at others.”

“I don’t see why we need her. I’m here. Psychologically, I’m the one Rebecca will need.” And the fact that Connor thought he needed help was more than mildly insulting.

“You can’t help her with personal tasks. Like I said, Rebecca is still very new to this. She only got her chair a week ago. She’s still gaining strength in her arms and her chair is fairly basic. It’s what her caregiver could afford between her stay in the hospital and coming here. She cannot use a shower or bath yet all on her own.”

Brendon tried to recall the time when he first sat in his chair, but it was so long ago the feelings were all muted. Especially since that was the same timeframe as when he’d met and fallen in love with Dee.

“Fine, but I don’t have to be happy about this. Ifyoucan get out of the second chance mission by simply saying it’s not going to happen, then so can I. I will not be pushed into a relationship. I will not be pushed to do or say anything beyond what is professional with Dee.”

“Heather Rose,” Connor corrected. “That’s the name she prefers. If you’re going to be completely professional, then that’s her name.”

Heather Rose was her last name, though she’d gone by that professionally for years. No one ever knew that it was only her last name since most people didn’t have two. He’d always used Dee since that was her real first name. “Fine by me.” Though change would take time.

Someone knocked on the door behind him, and he turned as Sam wheeled in a very winded-looking woman in a wheelchair. Her face was bright red, and tears brightened her slate gray eyes, which looked much older than her twenty-eight years.

“I found Rebecca outside, struggling to push her chair up the ramp. I think these wheels might need a little adjustment or maybe some oil.” Sam grinned. “I’ll take a look at it later today.”

Rebecca glanced behind her, gripping her knees tightly. “You don’t have to do that. I’m sure it’s fine. The chair is only a week old. I’m sure the problem is me.”

Brendon had heard the telltale squeak of misbalanced tires as Sam had pushed her forward. Even a new chair needed monthly maintenance, since they were used so much. “Sam is my second pair of eyes for my chair as well. He’s knowledgeable and won’t damage it in any way.”

Rebecca gave a curt nod, obviously still not convinced.

“Welcome to Wayside. I’m Connor Kincade and this is Brendon Ruse. I manage Wayside and Brendon is our resident counselor. You’ll meet with a riding instructor later.”

“Riding?” Her eyes widened. “Is that really a possibility?”

While he wouldn’t force anyone to get on a horse the same way he did, the option was there if she wanted to take it and if she had the desire to do so. Riding took a lot of core strength for someone who couldn’t use their legs.

The device to help him mount wasn’t pretty, and it put a fair amount of strain on his midsection and arms, but he could mount with the use of the machine so he wouldn’t begrudge her the use of it if she wanted to ride. First, she’d have to get comfortable in her chair and she’d have to prove she really wanted to ride. Otherwise, she would be risking injury, which was the opposite of their goal.

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