“You’re definitely a planner.”

“If I didn’t know you were a planner for a living, I’d think you sounded disapproving,” he accused.

She shook her head. “Just trying to figure you out.”

He paused in his cutting. “Why?”

“Do you always have to ask the reason for things?”

He shrugged. “Asking is the best way of learning the answer.”

“You have to have an answer for everything?” she pressed, though her tone was teasing.

“Not really.” In the military, he’d followed orders without questioning most of them. It was his job, and he’d done it whole-heartedly—right up to that last mission.

He should be overseas, not cutting out plastic snowflakes at a kitchen counter. He’d dealt in life and death for so long that sitting there felt foolish. He should be doing something more...something that mattered more.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice was soft, sad almost.

Closing his mind to the past, he looked at the woman across from him cutting plastic, letting her fill his mind and light up the threatening shadows. “For?”

“For whatever put that look on your face.”

He winced. “You didn’t do that.”

“I’m the only one here.”

As if he understood everything being said, Harry whimpered, and Sarah glanced over at where he lay in the floor, his head resting on his paws as he watched them work.

“Sorry, Harry,” she apologized. “No offense meant.” She met Bodie’s gaze. “Sometimes I wonder about that dog. He’s either quite brilliant or has really good timing.”

“Probably both.” He nodded toward the piece she was cutting. “Hate to tell you, but you just cut one square too many.”

Staring at the piece, she frowned.

“I’m supposed to be the one teaching you to do this.” She put down her scissors. “I need a break from cutting. Want to decorate?”

Sticking to cutting might be a better idea. But her smile slipping from her face did funny things to his insides and he went against his better judgment.

“Only if I get to use the glue gun.”

When her eyes met his, her smile was back and Bodie was glad he’d agreed.

“Typical man,” she accused, pulling glitter, sequins, yarn, and a bunch of other shiny things from a box, “wanting to use the tools.”

“Stick with what you know. That’s my motto.”

“What you know is impressive.” She threaded a large needle with white yarn and picked up one of the plastic pieces.

“Don’t let first impressions fool you.”

She looked up from where she was sewing the yarn into the canvas. “I shouldn’t be impressed?”

He hesitated a moment before answering, “Not by me.”

“We have a problem then, because I am impressed. I’ve never known someone to cut out that many canvas pieces without messing up a single one.”

She’d meant the ornaments. He’d meant…what had he meant? That he’d thought he was a good soldier, but if he’d really been that good his comrades would still be alive?

As if sensing Bodie’s mind was going where it shouldn’t, Harry raised his head from his paws and made a sound that was somewhere between a whimper and a bark.