“I am so sorry for waking you guys up,” Lisa said. “You were the only person I wanted to call.”
“Don't apologize for waking us up,” Gavin said. “What happened?”
Lisa told them about being asleep and dreaming. She told them about being stuck, the smell, the blackness, the sounds, the voice, the helmet, the arms, how she couldn't open her eyes, and how she finally woke up in the ambulance. She could only remember bits and pieces of things. Lisa told them the doctor said she needed surgery on her ankle. She tried to remember things to tell them, but everything was so confusing to her.
“You'll have a private room while you are here,” Gavin said. “I am going to go and talk to your doctor. We will make sure you have a good surgeon. Everything will be okay. Don't apologize for calling us. We care about you.”
“They told me that I can't work for probably twelve weeks,” she sniffled out. “The doctor said that I won't be able to walk while the plane is moving like that. I don't know what I'm going to do.”
“We'll figure that out,” Becky said. “The most important thing is that you're okay. What happened? How big was the fire?”
“I don't know. I can't remember much,” Lisa said.
“I'm going to call Josh,” Gavin said. “Maybe he knows something about it.”
Becky sat on the bed and hugged Lisa.
Chapter 4
Josh was exhausted. He was finally home. The night had been long. It was the first time in a long time that a fire had such an effect on him. He took off his clothes and turned the shower on full blast. Josh stood under the steaming, hot water and let it roll over his face and down his body. He was so tired and stressed. Seeing that woman trapped under the wood had really bothered him. He knew he wanted to save lives. That was important to him. If he wouldn't have talked to that woman outside, they never would have known there was someone inside. She would have died in that fire. He remembered running through the burning building, trying to get out with her in time. Josh heard his cell phone ring and jumped. He hurried to wash off, turned off the shower, grabbed a towel to dry off, and put it around his waist.
It was four o'clock in the morning. Who would call him at that time of night? All he wanted was to go to sleep and try to forget about the fire. He was so glad that he had gotten her out and knew he would end up checking to make sure she was okay. Josh turned his phone on and saw that the call he just missed was from Gavin. What the hell was he calling me in the middle of the night for? He hurried to call him back.
“Hey Josh,” Gavin said. “I hope I didn't wake you up.”
“I was just getting ready for bed,” Josh responded. “Is everything okay?”
“There was an apartment building on fire tonight. Do you know anything about it?”
“I just got home from there,” Josh said. “It was really bad.”
“What happened?” Gavin asked.
“There was an empty apartment. They had some electrical done in it today. A fire started in the wall and spread to the next apartment,” Josh said. “We didn't know anyone was still inside. A woman outside told me she thought there was someone in there, but was not positive. There was a woman trapped. If I wouldn't have gotten to her, she would have died. Something fell on her leg and she couldn't move. I think she broke her leg. She was out of it and couldn't really hear me talking to her. It messed me up. I don't know. I got her to the ambulance and then went back to the fire. They took her to the hospital before I was done. I hope she's okay. This was the first fire in a long time to mess me up. I can't stop thinking about it.”
“What shape is the apartment in?” Gavin asked.
“It's bad. I doubt anything will be salvageable. There was so much smoke and fire. I don't think she would have made it much longer. How do you know about the fire?” Josh asked.
Josh could hear talking on the other side of Gavin's phone.
“Where are you?” Josh asked.
“I'm at the hospital.”
“Why are you at the hospital?” Josh asked, as he cut him off. “Is everything okay? I'm on my way.”
“No, don't come right now. You need to sleep. It sounds like you've had a rough night,” Gavin said.
“Gavin, what's going on?” Josh asked, with his voice shaky.
“The woman in the fire,” Gavin said. “You were the one that found her?”
“Yes,” he answered. “There was a woman outside crying. I asked her what was wrong. She said she thought her neighbor might be home, but she wasn't sure. I took off running after I told one of the guys I was going in. Why?”
“Was the fire that close to the woman you saved?” Gavin asked.
“Yes, it was one apartment from her. I could see the flames getting closer as I was trying to get her out. It was awful. She had on a tiny short and shirt thing and she was covered in black. She couldn't even breathe. Gavin, why are you calling me at four in the morning from a hospital, asking me about the fire?” Josh demanded.
“Do you remember Lisa?” Gavin asked.
“Becky's friend?” Josh asked. “Of course. There is no way I could forget her. I remember her from when she was in grade school. Why?”
Gavin did not answer right away. He was quiet.
“Why?” Josh asked again.
“Josh, Lisa was the woman in the fire.”
Josh sat down on the edge of his bed. He stared at the wall and a tear ran from his eye.
“Josh, are you there?” Gavin said.
“Yes.”
“Are you okay?” Gavin asked.
“No,” he answered. “What if I wouldn't have gotten to her in time?”
“You did, that's what matters. You did what you should have, and you saved her. She is okay. Everything is going to be fine,” Gavin said. “You can't think about the past Josh. She is going to be okay, because of you.”
“How is she?” Josh asked.
“Scared,” Gavin replied. “They ran tests on her. Everything is fine with her breathing. They are keeping here in the hospital. She broke her ankle pretty badly. They are going to do surgery tomorrow.”
“Shit, I'm getting dressed. I will be there as soon as I can. Are you sure they checked her lungs?” Josh asked, as he jumped up to grab clothes.
“She's a mess,” Gavin said. “Don't come tonight. Get sleep and come tomorrow. Becky is going to stay the night with her. I'm making sure she has a private room. She is going to have surgery tomorrow afternoon. I already talked to her doctor to see who would be doing it. Just rest tonight.”
“Did you call her family?” Josh asked.
“She doesn't want us to,” Gavin said. “They moved away a few years back and she does not have a relationship with them.”
“Who is going to help her and take care of her?” Josh asked. “She needs family. She could have died.”
“Becky will,” Gavin replied. “I will too. We are the closest she has to family.”
“Shit,” Josh let out a huge sigh. “I'll help you guys in any way I can. She needs people who care about her. It has to be hard on her. You didn't see her trapped.”
“Get some sleep,” Gavin said. “We are here with her now. She's going to be okay. I have to go.”
Josh hung up the phone. He got ready and went to bed. All he could think about was Lisa. He remembered the little girl, sitting on his neighbor's porch, watching him wash the car. She sat out there all the time and watched him. If he played ball or cut the lawn, she was there. She would sit for hours, with a smile on her face, and watch him. She was four years younger than him. His neighbor, Heath, was the same age as her. Josh remembered Heath getting mad at her for not wanting to play. They would argue and I would shake my head and laugh. She was so cute.
Josh could not sleep. He tossed and turned. He woke up with his sheets wrapped around him. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her on the ground lifeless and trapped. He finally got back out of bed around eight o'clock and got dressed.
Chapter 5
Lisa yawned
and stretched, so glad that she was waking up from her horrible dream. She wanted to make a pot of coffee and relax. That dream was awful, she thought. It felt so real. Lisa knew she would always appreciate every moment of her life. It had scared her so badly. She opened her eyes as she sat up. Lisa looked around the room and began to cry.
“Are you okay?” Becky sat up. She was in the bed next to Lisa's.
“It's real. It wasn't a dream,” Lisa said.
Becky got out of the bed and walked over to sit with Lisa.
“Yes, it was real,” Becky said. “Everything is going to be okay. You are having surgery later today. They said you should only have to stay one more night.”
Becky brushed her hand across Lisa's cheek to dry her tears.
“You're alive,” Becky said. “Nothing else matters.”
“I know,” Lisa said. “How bad was it? How is my apartment?”
“It was bad. You were trapped. Do you remember that?” Becky asked.
“I remember some things. It feels like it was a foggy dream,” Lisa said.
“We aren't sure about your things. They said the apartment was pretty bad. They have to investigate what happened. It will be a bit before you can go there. It will all be fine. We're just glad you're okay.”
A nurse came into the room to check on Lisa. She made sure everything was okay and gave her some medicine. Lisa was still so tired.
“You should go home Becky,” Lisa said. “I know Gavin needs you at work. I will be fine here by myself.”
“I'm not leaving you alone,” Becky said. “Everything is fine. Gavin's at work and I will go in later. He is going to come here before your surgery. We were worried about you. We all love you.”
“You are so good to me,” Lisa said, as she yawned. “I'm sorry I woke you guys up in the middle of the night.”
“I'm glad you woke us up,” Becky laughed. “We need to get you better. We have a wedding to plan. You have to be able to walk down the aisle without one of us holding you up.”
They both laughed. Lisa leaned back against her pillow. Becky got some washcloths, soap, water, and towels. She helped wash Lisa's face, arms, and legs. They were able to get the black yuck off as much as they could. One of the nurses helped Becky with Lisa's hair. Becky knew she would want to look as good as she could. Lisa felt a little better when they were finished.
Lisa had her foot up so that they could keep the swelling down as much as possible. She was in a lot of pain and asked the nurse for some more medicine. Lisa didn't want to bother them, but she couldn't stand the pain. Not long after, she drifted off to sleep.
Lisa heard Becky talking to someone in her dream. It was a man. She could hear him talking. His voice was so calm and so caring. She knew that voice. Why did she know his voice? Who was the man in her dream? She tried to see him, but everything was black. Why couldn't she see him? His voice was so wonderful and familiar. Lisa opened her eyes slowly. She saw Becky hugging a man and crying. It was bright. She looked around and realized she was in her hospital room. Who was Becky hugging? He was facing away from Lisa. Becky held him tight and kept telling him thank you. Then he spoke again. Lisa could feel her eyes widen as she listened to his voice. It was so familiar. She felt a connection to him. Who was he? Becky looked into her eyes and jumped.
“Hey,” Becky said, “how are you feeling?”
“Good,” Lisa answered.
The man turned around to face her. It was Josh. That was where she knew him from. He smiled at her. She thought for a moment about him. In grade school, Lisa used to go over to her friend Heath's house so she could watch his neighbor from the porch. His name was Josh. He was four years older than her. She thought he was the cutest boy she had ever seen. It didn't matter what he was doing. She watched him with a huge smile on her face. He was her first crush. She had run into him a couple of times the last several months. Lisa remembered looking at him, not able to speak. She laughed when she thought about her silly crush she used to have on him.
“What's so funny?” Becky asked.
Lisa snapped back to reality.
“Nothing,” Lisa said. “Hi Josh. What are you doing here?”
“Becky told me what happened,” he said. “I just came to see how you were doing?”
He was so sexy. She loved his voice. He had on tight jeans and a t-shirt. His arms were so muscular. She still thought he was the cutest man she had ever met.
“That was nice of you,” she said.
He walked over to her, leaned down, and hugged her. Lisa sat for a second. The fire popped into her mind. She could hear the man talking to her as he picked her up in his arms. When he was walking with her, she remembered holding him tight. She did not know what was going to happen and grabbed onto his arms. She remembered opening her eyes and seeing his eyes through his helmet. Lisa pulled back slightly and looked at Josh for a second, before hugging him tight. Tears streamed from her eyes. They flowed so fast, she could not stop them. Her arms tightened around him. She jumped back and let go of him. He looked down at her. Her eyes connected with his as the tears ran down her face. He sat on the bed and looked at her.
“It was you,” she said. “I know it was you.”
“What?” he asked. “Are you okay?”
“Stop, I know it was you,” she said, as he reached up and brushed the tears from her face. “Your voice, your arms, and your eyes. It was you. You saved my life, Josh.”
He sat still as he continued to look into her eyes.
“I couldn't see you, but I heard your voice. You kept telling me that I was going to be okay. Your arms and chest felt so strong. I remember barely seeing your eyes through your helmet. Was it really you? Did you save my life?” she asked, as she grabbed his hand.
“Yes,” he said.
“They said I was trapped,” she said. “Was I trapped?”
“Yes,” he replied. “Something fell on your leg and you couldn't get out. I didn't know it was you. I never really got a good enough look at you. It was dark and you were covered in black. I didn't know until Gavin called me to ask me about a fire. He told me it was you. I couldn't believe it.”
“How embarrassing,” she said.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“I had on a tiny pair of shorts and a tiny shirt,” she said, as she covered her face.
“Yes you did,” he said, as he smiled.
She smacked him in the arm, and they both laughed.
“Thank you,” she said. “I don't know what to say. What do you say to someone who saved your life? If you wouldn't have come in there, I would have been dead. How did you know I was in there?”
“The lady that lived on the other side of you was crying. I asked her what was wrong. She said she wasn't sure if you were home or not,” he said. “I never even thought about it and went running in. I almost didn't see you on the ground. I was so glad that I saw you before I turned around.”
“I can't believe it was you. Thank you. I can't believe you risked your life like that. What if you wouldn't have gotten out? It would have been my fault. If anything happened to you, it would have been my fault,” Lisa said, as tears ran from her eyes again.
Josh grabbed her and hugged her tight.
“You can't talk like that. That is my job. I fight fires and do everything I can to keep everyone safe. It would not have been your fault. I know the risks when I go in. It is very important to me. I love my job. I'm just glad you were okay. I wasn't sure. You couldn't talk or open your eyes. I was scared. I'm just glad you're okay.”
“How is my apartment?” she asked.
“I'm not sure. They have to investigate and make sure everything is safe. Then they will find out how bad the place is. The fire started in Becky's old apartment. It was really bad.”
Josh turned to Becky and handed her keys.
“What are these for?” Becky asked.
“Go home and take a nap,” Josh said. “I will stay here and call you when the doctors come in to get her
ready for surgery.”
“Nope,” Lisa said. “You're not staying here with me. You guys can both go. I'll be fine here by myself for a while. You have already done enough.”
“I'm staying,” Josh said. “Becky, go get some sleep and take a shower. I promise I'll call you. I am taking a couple days off. Take my truck and go home.”
Becky hugged Lisa and Josh before she left. Lisa turned on the television and asked what he liked to watch. They found a game show that they both liked. He sat in the chair next to her bed while they watched television and talked. Lisa could see him move around in his chair a lot. He looked uneasy and his leg kept shaking. She wondered if he was upset or if he was just uncomfortable.
“Are you okay?” she asked. “What are you thinking about?”
Josh looked at her and shook his head.
“I'm fine.” he replied. “I don't really like hospitals. When I have to be in one, it brings back bad memories.”
“You don't have to stay here. I'll be fine if you leave”
“No, I want to be here. I'll be fine,” he said.
They went back to watching television. Lisa could not help notice how gorgeous he was. She liked him when she was younger, but he was different now, much different. He was all man. She could see his chiseled chest and amazing arms through his tight t-shirt. His ass was perfect in his dark jeans. Josh kept asking her if she needed anything. He would get up and adjust her pillow or make sure her leg was like it should be. She could not believe he was there. He had never noticed her as a child. She wondered if it was because she was the one from the fire, or if it was because she was Becky's friend. He got up again to check on her ankle and she laughed.
“What's so funny?” he asked, with a smirk.
“You,” she said. “It's cute how your being so protective and worried.”
He shook his head and laughed.
“I know, sorry about that.”
Josh sat back down in the chair. She reached over and grabbed his hand.
“Thank you for everything. I can't say it enough. I hope you don't feel obligated to be here. I will be fine, honest. I will figure everything out. I don't want you to feel you need to be there for the girl from the fire,” she said.
Hot for Love (Bachelor Billionaire #2) Page 2
