Perhaps she should just leave all the station apparel Colton had given her. Or that stupid dress she’d spent way more money on than she should have, together with those skyscraper heels. It had been a dumb idea to dress up like a mannequin for Colton. Perhaps it was Amy’s crazy attempt to look like Theresa that prompted him to kiss her in the first place. If he had at least gone through with it.
Amy’s hand flew to her mouth. No and no. She wasn’t going to go back to this miserable state of mind. She would never again think about the way Colton’s breath felt on her lips. Such thoughts were off limits from here on out. She was angry at Colton anyways, wasn’t she? He’d spoken to her so rudely on the phone. He’d called her stupid.
And you? You lied to him.
Amy chased away the annoying little voice that was always taking Colton’s side. She didn’t need to hear her judgy comments. Of course she’d lied to Colton. She had to find a way to convince him that what happened between them at the hotel didn’t mean anything to her. He’d been acting weird around her ever since, and Amy was afraid that sooner or later he would speak to Zach. She knew her brother was the only one—besides Amy—with whom Colton might discuss personal matters. Zach was already suspicious of Amy’s feelings. If her brother told Colton about Amy’s true feelings for him … no, Amy couldn’t have that.
So yes, the lie had been necessary. Amy did feel a smidge guilty about using Mark like that, but it was Colton who’d brought him into their argument in the first place. Amy’s original plan was just to tell him about a new apartment. But after Colton’s pigheaded “I’d buy you champagne for your housewarming party,” she didn’t feel like correcting his wrong assumption.
Her cell phone beeped. Amy grabbed it from the table. Oh no, Poppy again. It had been a mistake to call her friend and tell her about her arguing with Colton. She should have just waited till she got to Poppy’s place and spilled the beans then. Now Poppy was worried and checking in with her every five minutes.
Amy sighed and answered the call. “I’m on my way to you, Poppy. It’ll take ten minutes and I’m there.”
Poppy’s voice was, as Amy expected, strained. “You sure you can drive, Ames? I can come and pick you up if you want.”
“Nonsense. I have my car here. Just because I’m upset doesn’t mean I can’t drive. But if you want, you could pick a movie and order some pizza. I need a distraction from my hamster wheel for sure.”
“Okay, fine. But drive slowly.”
“Will do,” Amy muttered, and she put away her phone.
She was done packing, so all that remained was to carry her belongings to the car. She shouldered her backpack and grabbed the two suitcases. The stupid jeans slipped from her shoulders, making her almost fall to the floor as she stumbled.
Okay, maybe she should take the bags one by one.
After two trips, she assembled all her things in front of her red Ford. It took a while to arrange her trunk until she managed to close it, but in the end the lock clicked.
Amy went to the driver's seat and hopped in. Before sticking the key into the ignition, her gaze moved to Colton’s house for one last time. Was she a coward for disappearing while he was at work? No. Colton had no right to preach to her about what she should do in her love life. After all, wasn’t Colton the one who was drooling over a woman who didn’t appreciate him for what he truly was?
If he could be upset about his breakup with Theresa, then Amy could very well return to Mark. At least in her made-up reality.
Also, if she stayed until he ended his shift, then she would have another dose of his intoxicating presence, and she didn’t need that. Poppy was right. Amy needed to keep her distance from Colton for a while, and even though Jackson wasn’t an enormous town, she could probably still make it happen. Especially now that Colton believed she was moving in with Mark.
Amy’s lips trembled as she kicked over the engine. This was the only possible way out of this disheartening situation. She'd never meant to fall in love with Colton. But she had. She’d been so stupid to hope that Colton could reciprocate her feelings. But he didn’t. And he never would. So, Amy needed to go.
She sighed and pressed the gas. The car sped out of the driveway with screeching tires. In no time, she would be with Poppy. Then she could let her guard down. Just a few more minutes and all would be better.
19
Colton listened to the heated exchange between Rhett and Gage, while gazing at the dark sky from a window. Normally his first reaction would have been to chime in and take Rhett’s side. Gage was acting like a big shot again, and Rhett was trying to rein in his classmate from training camp. Theirs was a tight-knit group, almost a family. Hearing someone disturb the equilibrium with his pointless bravado, especially a new guy, didn’t sit well with Colton.
But somehow, not even the prospect of teaching the newbie an important lesson could shake him out of his stoniness. His thoughts didn’t want to abandon the conversation he’d had with Amy on the phone. Even if she had hung up on him at least five hours ago.
Why did he have to be such a jerk? He'd known that Amy's stay with him would be a temporary arrangement. Yes, but I didn’t expect her to move out and in with her ex. Why was Amy going back to Mark? What did Mark have that Colton didn’t? Was it because Mark was a surgeon and not a fireman? Or did Colton lack all the qualities that Amy looked for in a man?
Drew and Ian stepped into the kitchen, discussing the results of yesterday’s games. “Did you see it, Colt? When Peterson scored, I almost dropped my glass. It was such a tight pass from Harrison.” Ian’s voice brewed with enthusiasm. Then his glance met Colton’s, and he furrowed his brows. “Why do you look like you’re biting on a bullet?”
“Maybe he’s fed up with all the attitude flying around here.” Rhett turned to them while throwing a knowing look at Gage.
Drew chuckled. “Eh, Gage, didn’t I tell you? Don’t show off. Impress first.”
Gage made a face that probably meant to say that he had everything under control, but it only looked like a lopsided smirk.
Colton sighed. At least he would still have the guys, even if Amy moved out. He could pick up some extra shifts. He was already answering almost ninety percent of the calls from his pager, so there wasn’t a real margin there, but he desperately needed to keep himself busy. His thoughts, when left unattended, were returning to Amy all too often. He had known that only his vocation could make him feel fulfilled in the long run. It was foolish to even imagine that he needed a partner like Amy to feel complete.
Colton’s cell phone beeped in his jacket pocket. He took it and glared at the screen. He didn’t know the number that flashed on the screen, so he stood up and walked down the hall to have some privacy.
On his way out of the kitchen, he could still hear Ian explaining to Gage that when the captain told him to take a nap, it wasn’t a joke or a trick. Cap just wanted him to be worth something at three a.m., even if that wasn't how they did it in Redding.
Colton lifted the phone to his ear and answered. “Colton Myers speaking.”
“Hey, Colt.” The melodic soprano sounded familiar.
“Hey.” He racked his memory, but since he couldn’t come up with anything, he added, “I’m sorry who is this?”
“Oh, sorry. My bad. It’s Poppy. I changed my number last month. I guess we haven’t spoken since then, right?”
Poppy? Why was Amy’s friend calling him? “What’s up, Poppy? I’m at work.”
“I know. Sorry.” Poppy’s voice was even more apologetic than before. “But I was wondering if you knew where Amy was.”
“Amy?” Colton’s heart skipped a beat. He forced his tone to remain even. The mere mention of her name made him act like a hot mess. “Nope. I guess she’s at home, packing. Didn’t you hear the good news? She’s moving in with Mark.”
There was silence on Poppy’s end. “Yes, yeah. Sure. Did she tell you that?”
“Yeah, she called around lunchtime. Said she would get he
r stuff out while I’m at the station.” As Colton repeated Amy’s words, his chest grew as heavy as when he’d first heard them. It was clear that Amy wanted to avoid seeing him after what had happened at the hotel.
Poppy cleared her throat. “Right. I see. Well, she asked me to help her unpack when she got here. But I’ve been waiting for more than an hour now, and she’s nowhere to be seen.”
Colton shrugged. “Women take a long time packing. I’m sure—”
“No, you don’t get it.” Poppy’s reply was now almost shrill. “She called me and said she was in the car. Like, fifty minutes ago.”
Colton jerked. “Wait, what? Isn’t her new place close to the hospital?”
“Yes, it is.”
“But that’s less than a ten-minute drive from my place. Did you try her cell?”
“Of course. Like, a hundred times. It goes straight to voicemail.” Poppy sounded beyond distressed.
“Isn’t Mark with her?” Colton didn’t want to hear an affirmative answer. He hated the idea that Amy and that man were happily reunited and packing her luggage in Colton’s apartment while exchanging sweet words and caresses. But if he was there, they could try to contact him.
Poppy sucked in a breath. “No, he’s not.”
“What a … He lets Amy do all the packing alone? Her suitcases are heavy.”
Poppy coughed twice shortly. “Colt, do you think something happened to Amy?”
An icy fist gripped Colton’s guts. The idea had occurred to him, but he didn’t want to consciously acknowledge it. “No, I’m sure she’s fine. Maybe her battery died, and she stopped for coffee or a donut at Sweet Caroline’s Bakery.”
“At ten at night? And not answering her phone? No. Something must've happened. I feel it.” A donut this late was indeed unlikely. Amy paid attention to nutrition way more than Colton did. Especially since she’d lived in Portland.
Why was Poppy’s voice so high-pitched? Colton recalled Zach telling him that Poppy would jump an octave when she was hiding something. That was how Zach used to discover his sister’s secrets when he dated Poppy. Was there something Amy’s friend wasn’t telling him?
“Poppy.” He tried to sound calm but persuasive at the same time. “There's something else. Did she and Mark have a fight?” Colton’s insides twitched with the flicker of hope, but he kicked himself for it.
Poppy breathed loudly. “Yes … no. I mean, Amy was in a strange mood. She was upset when I spoke to her. It might not have been safe for her to drive.”
Amy had gotten into her car while she wasn’t calm. Why wasn’t she calm? Had Colton made her upset? Moron, that’s not important. You need to hang up and check for any news about an …
The tones sounded from the speaker above him, and even before the dispatcher gave details, Colton got a sick feeling.
“Engine One, Medic One. Heavy Rescue Three. Battalion One. Twenty-nine delta. 1500 North Sixteenth Street.”
15th and 16th? That was two blocks from his house. On the way to the … NO!
“Poppy, I gotta run.” He ended the call as he ran for the fire pole. Twenty-nine was the code for a traffic accident, and delta meant it was a bad one. His heart pounded in his throat.
Please, Lord, please. Don’t let it be Amy. Don’t let it be her.
20
Colton had already released his seat belt when he popped the parking brake as the engine came to a stop on the corner of 15th and 16th. His eyes flitted to the smashed hood of the red Ford. It looked like a pathetically folded origami against the giant utility pole it had crashed into. His heart skipped a beat. It was Amy’s car. There could be no mistaking that.
“Gage, secure the perimeter while we do the size-up and set up stabilization,” Adam called over his shoulder, but he watched Colton from the corner of his eye. “Colton, you want to …”
Colton didn’t hear the rest. He jumped out and bolted toward the wreck that he knew held Amy. He had performed more extrications than he cared to remember. He knew the rules, and he was breaking them by not waiting for the rest of his crew. In accidents, there were steps to be followed by each member of the crew to ensure safety for not only the victims but also the onlookers and the rescue personnel.
Colton had to get to Amy and see where her chances stood. What if she was already bleeding to death like his mother had? Even a second of hesitation could be fatal. No, Colton couldn’t bear to stand still and adhere to protocol. This wasn’t just work now; this was as personal as it could get.
He pushed the bystanders to the side and screamed for them to back up. He hoped that for once, Gage would do a thorough job of securing the perimeter, because they needed their best focus to get the victim out of the car.
The victim … Amy. His Amy.
He heard Drew call from behind, but the meaning of his words didn’t reach him.
Colton’s pulse slammed in his jugular so ferociously that he had a hard time swallowing. As he sprinted forward, fragmented images from his parents’ accident flooded his mind despite his best effort to keep them out. The stench of burnt flesh was back, and so were the screams.
As the panic rose in his chest, he pressed his feet into the ground to increase his speed. He gritted his teeth as if the gesture could force the ghosts of his past back into hiding and help him regain some of his cool.
He had to get a grip on himself. He couldn’t think about how the only woman he’d ever really cared for was trapped inside the vehicle. Nor could he let the burnt chemical smell make him relive his parents’ death. Anything emotional had to be compartmentalized if he wanted this extrication to go quickly and smoothly. That was the only way to save Amy.
An icy shiver ran down his spine, but he ignored it. He might have let himself slip and disregard protocol when he'd left his colleagues behind, but now he needed to gather his wits.
Colton slowed his step as he came close to the wreck. Instead of racing to Amy like he’d planned, he paused and let his experienced eyes perform a quick size-up. All four wheels stable on the ground, so probably no need for struts or other stabilizing measures. Good. It would save them some time.
He hurried to the driver’s side. Airbags deployed. This meant that even if they needed to disconnect the battery before they proceeded with opening the door, they wouldn’t have to wait for it to deactivate and they could get Amy out faster.
The intense scent of coolant made his nostrils flare. Okay, so the radiator must be cracked. Did the fuel tank also perforate? There was a weak cloud of smoke emanating from beneath the hood. It could be nothing. But it could also mean serious danger. They needed to act fast.
Finally, Colton let his glance drift to Amy. While he had checked the airbags, he kept his eyes focused only on the mechanical components, knowing that once he caught sight of her fragile body, he might not be able to hold on to his forced calm.
Amy looked like a doll that a naughty child had decided to play a cruel joke on and then dropped to the floor. Her face was pale, her eyelids loosely closed. A deep red tainted her forehead, pointing to an injury somewhere on her skull. But the smudge was contained, which meant that she was probably not bleeding at the moment.
Colton tried the car door. Why wouldn’t it open? He tried once more, this time giving it all the power he could muster. A loud growl escaped from his lips as he put all his strength into tearing off the car door with his bare hands. It had to give in … it just had to …
But it didn’t. No, it would have been too easy. He released the handle, not even blinking at the blood blisters forming on his fingers from the effort.
He spotted the red LifeHammer just beneath the passenger airbag. His throat closed. He'd never thought the day would come when Amy would need his gift for real.
“Just a second, Amy. I’m getting you out of here,” he murmured. But how? Colton now regretted his hasty exit from his fire engine. He didn’t even bring the Glass Master along. He jerked his head up to check how far away his buddies were.
The ca
ptain and Rhett were on their way with their tool bags. Ian and Drew were right behind them, pulling the gurney and their medical gear.
They were moving too slowly.
Colton’s eyes darted back to Amy’s colorless lips. He had to do something. He couldn’t just stand here waiting. Maybe he had misjudged Amy’s wound. It could be more severe. Perhaps the fresh blood was dripping to her back so Colton couldn’t see it. A tidal wave of despair crashed down on him. Before he realized or rethought what he was doing, his body sprang into action. Racing around the back of the car to the passenger side, he pointed his bent elbow at the glass and slammed it with all his force against the window.
The spasm of pain didn’t register in his brain, nor did the sound of the breaking glass. The only thing that mattered was that he could now reach forward to Amy’s door and—
A strong hand gripped Colton’s shoulder. “Colton, stop.”
Colton jerked back and found himself face-to-face with Adam.
“Enough of the Hulk act.” Though Cap’s words were scolding, he said them in a kind tone without a grain of teasing. His boss had every right to yell at Colton for his unprofessional behavior, but his voice was calm and steady. This unexpected warmth managed to jar Colton out of his frenzy.
Adam raised his brows. “Quick assessment, Colt. How is she?”
Colton sucked in a breath and shook his head slightly. It was a hard task to step back into EMT mode, given that every cell of his body screamed at him to continue with his desperate attempts to free Amy. “We need to get her out to see her injuries, but she appears to be unconscious. Looks like a head wound. I’ve already made an entry through the glass to …” Colton's voice trailed off as his eyes wandered to his own arm.
“Yes, we all saw that.” Cap stepped closer and slipped his hand carefully through the opening, but the lock on Amy’s side was jammed, as was the lock on the back door was jammed. He straightened back, shaking his hand. “We need another entry point.”
Saving His Heart Page 13
