Rescue Me (Hayes Brothers Book 4)

by Karen Kelley

  Layne grinned. For a moment, I was lost in his smile. I focused on his voice when he began to speak again.

  “I wanted to surprise her,” he continued.

  When they walked to the back of Brenda’s van, I followed. As soon as she opened the door, dogs began to bark, and cats meowed. Aww, how sweet. They were all different breeds, mostly mixed, and absolutely adorable. Yes, now I was baffled.

  “Once a month, I bring animals to the nursing home,” Brenda explained. “It’s a win-win situation for both sides. The shelter dogs get to be with people again, and the residents love them. Most of them had pets at one time, so it’s like a reconnection for them. At least, I like to think it is.” Brenda turned and handed me a little mixed breed puppy.

  This wasn’t good. Not good at all. I automatically brought the puppy up to my face. He was solid black with a white spot on top of his head. He was only a few months old, but he was a big ball of fur. I knew he was going to be a big dog because his paws were big. He licked my face, and I caught a whiff of his puppy smell. A lethal scent no human could resist.

  I’d always wanted a dog. One day, a stray came to the house, and I snuck him some food. I was around eleven years old. That dog became my lifeline, until my mother discovered him hanging around and called animal control. I never saw the dog again.

  Animals and men were strictly off-limits. I looked at Brenda, but she was juggling three dog leashes and a cat. I turned to Layne. He wasn’t much better off with four leashes and a cat. Brenda handed me a kitten. Retreat was not an option. I was stuck with the animals. It looked as if I had no choice except to take them inside.

  Knowing I was probably going to regret this, I decided to suck it up and hope this afternoon would go by fast. I didn’t want to connect with anyone or anything. I glanced down at the puppy and the kitten, brushing my cheek across the kitten’s fur. When I looked back up, I caught Layne’s gaze on me. I had an incredible urge to stick my tongue out at him, instead, I narrowed my eyes. He only smiled.

  If he thought to win me over with a few cute animals, he was going to be sorely mistaken. I wasn’t swayed that easily. But as I walked inside the nursing home, the excitement was palpable. I immediately saw how much the animals meant to the residents.

  Some of the aides hurried over to take an animal, and then began to introduce them to the residents. Something inside me melted. Abigail started to clap her hands with excitement, so I walked over to her.

  “No more chest pains?” I asked.

  She chuckled. “I’ll have to remember not to eat so many beans, but they were absolutely wonderful, and I got to see Layne again. He’s such a nice young fellow. Has he kissed you yet?”

  Since becoming a paramedic, I’d come to the conclusion that people came to a point in their life when it didn’t bother them to speak their mind. Abigail was one of those people, but it didn’t bother me either.

  “No, and he’s not going to,” I told her. “We work together, that’s all.”

  “He is good looking, though.”

  I glanced over to where Layne was sitting beside an elderly man whose hands shook. Tears were in the man’s eyes as he petted the small, brown-haired dog Layne had placed in his lap. Layne was talking to the man, and the man was nodding.

  I turned back to Abigail. “Yes, he’s very good looking. I have a feeling a lot of women think he’s good looking.”

  Abigail chuckled. “As pretty as you are, I bet you could give him a run for his money.”

  I laughed along with her. “I don’t think I want to give him a run for his money.” Now would be a good time to change the subject. “Did you have an animal when you were growing up?”

  “Oh my, yes,” she said and began to tell me about her life as a young girl and living on a farm.

  I patiently listened until she ran out of words. I noticed one of the aides was bringing in the man from yesterday. The man called John. His gaze stared straight ahead, looking neither to the right nor the left as he shuffled beside the aide. I couldn’t help feeling sorry for him. It looked as though life had chewed him up and spit him out. He had a long, deep scar running from his forehead, down the side of his face to his jawline. It made his left eye droop. He had other scars on his face and his hands. I wondered who had done this to him.

  “Abigail, are you okay with the kitten. I think I’ll take the puppy over to visit with John.”

  Her gaze raised, and she looked over at the other resident, her forehead wrinkling. “I’ll be fine. Watch when you’re with John, though. He’s a strange one. I remember when he first came here, he would scream sometimes. The screams stopped after a few months, probably the medicine they put him on, and sometimes we would just see him sit and cry. He’s never been violent, but that doesn’t mean he won’t start. Something is screwed up inside his head.”

  I patted her hand. “I’ll be careful.”

  I stood and walked over to John who was now seated. He didn’t focus on me as he looked off into the distance. I knelt down beside him and began to speak softly to him. “Hi John, my name is Fiera. I thought you might want to meet the puppy I brought with me.”

  His head slowly turned, and he made eye contact with me. John had the kindest eyes I’d ever seen on a man. They drew me in and held me. I set the puppy in his lap, making sure that I could quickly move it away if I needed to.

  “Fire,” he mumbled.

  He reached toward me and touched my hair. I didn’t move. His hand dropped to the puppy, and he began to pet him. I watched as tears welled in his eyes and then began to slide down his face.

  “It’s okay, John. Did you have a puppy when you were growing up?”

  He began to rock back and forth gently. One of the nurses came up and dried his tears. She was an older woman, probably in her sixties. I looked at her name tag and saw that her name was Lucy and that she was an LVN.

  “I’ve been here quite a few years, and this is the most I’ve ever seen him do. They said he screamed a lot when he first arrived, then just sort of went silent, and he’s been that way ever since. Of course, they’ve got him on behavior meds, so that keeps him pretty calm. He’s usually in his room when Layne stops by. I’ve never seen John act like this. I guess he must like puppies.”

  “How sad.”

  “Well, you seem to have brightened up his day. That’s always a good thing.” She smiled warmly before moving to some of the other residents.

  We stayed for a couple of hours. I met more of the elderly people. I’d never really interacted with any nursing home residents. I discovered I enjoyed being around them. Some of them told me about their life before the nursing home. What their hopes and dreams were. Most of them always mentioned the person they had married, but were now gone.

  They weren’t all elderly, either. Some were young, but their family couldn’t handle their illness for one reason or another. Like the young woman who was in a car accident that paralyzed her from the neck down. She was on a portable respirator, but she was bright and cheerful.

  I’d always thought long-term care facilities were dismal. A place to go to when there was nothing else left of your life, and you were getting close to the end. It didn’t take me long to find out that wasn’t the case. Most of them loved their life here. They’d made lasting friendships, and they loved all of the activities.

  “So, what did you think about the residents?” Layne asked as we headed back toward the apartment.

  “I liked them,” was my noncommittal answer. I looked out the window. It was late afternoon. I saw families, children, a store owner was sweeping his sidewalk. I knew Layne waited for me to say more. “What you’re doing for them is good.”

  “They’re good for me, too.”

  I glanced across the seat. “I’m still not going to date you.”

  “I don’t believe I’ve asked you out on a date.”

  I couldn’t help the smile from forming, so I quickly turned my face toward the window. As I stared out, a sudden thought occurred. �
��Why did you take me with you today?”

  He shrugged. “You looked as if you could use a friend.”

  “I told you that I like my privacy. I don’t need or want friends.”

  I dredged up memories as my armor. Even with foster families, it had only been short-term. When I turned eighteen, Ginny and Keith helped me to find an apartment. They hadn’t spoken the words, but I felt them hanging over my head, like an axe waiting to drop. It had been time for me to leave. It shouldn’t have hurt so much, but it did. Another foster kid was waiting to take my place.

  “Everyone needs a friend,” Layne told me as he pulled into the parking place next to mine.

  “You’re wrong. I don’t need anyone.”

  “Wow, someone must’ve really done a number on you.”

  “Don’t try to fix me. I’m not broken.”

  We got out of the truck and walked toward the elevator. We didn’t say anything, but he walked me to my door.

  I knew that I needed to make him understand. I turned and faced him. “Did you think today would change my mind? I hate to disappoint you. I did have a good time, but let’s not make a habit of it.”

  He stepped nearer, then brushed some loose tendrils of my hair behind my ear. “I’m sorry someone hurt you. I promise I’ll never do that to you.” He lowered his lips to mine.

  His kiss was gentle, not demanding, and it was almost over before it began. He turned and went to his apartment, then went inside without looking back. It was a moment before I could move.

  Dammit, why did he kiss me? I stomped my foot which did absolutely nothing on the carpeted hallway. Couldn’t he understand I didn’t want him in my life? I unlocked my door and went inside, tossing my keys on the table. I went to the sink and splashed cold water on my face, then pat it dry. It didn’t help. What I needed was to take a cold shower. One damn kiss, and he’d made my body feel as if it was on fire.

  My laugh was short and bitter. I knew his kind. He liked the chase, but once he caught whoever he was chasing, it ended. Then he would move on to the next woman. It was an adrenaline rush for them. Just like being a paramedic was an adrenaline rush. They were always searching for the next high—the next woman to fill their bed.

  Yeah, I’d been there searching for the adrenaline rush, too. That’s why I loved my job.

  But when I had sex, it was because I wanted sex. It wasn’t about sweet lies whispered in the dark of night. It was about self-gratification.

  Layne scared me. He made me feel things I didn’t want to feel. He was wrong. I didn’t need anyone in my life. No more nursing homes, unless I was on a call. No more puppies or kittens. And definitely no more kisses.

  My doorbell rang. My head whipped around. Maybe I wouldn’t answer it. It rang again. I marched over and flung it open. As soon as I saw Zoey, I relaxed.

  “You look wound up tighter than an eight-day clock,” she said as she came inside.

  My forehead creased. “Excuse me?”

  Zoey laughed. “That’s what my grandmother says when someone looks as if their head’s about to explode. What’s going on?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know. Yes, I do. Layne’s driving me crazy. I went with him to the nursing home. I thought it was going to be something to do with the ambulance service, but it wasn’t. Apparently, once a month he meets Brenda from the shelter to take animals to visit with the residents.”

  “And that upset you?” She still looked confused.

  “Yes. I don’t want to get close to anyone. I’ll probably only be here a few months.”

  She shook her head. “No, I think it’s more than that.”

  I clamped my lips together.

  She cocked an eyebrow.

  Okay, fine. “He kissed me.”

  She laughed lightly.

  “It’s not funny!”

  “Okay, I’m sorry.” She was thoughtful for a moment. “What kind of kiss was it?”

  I paced across the floor. “It was just a kiss.”

  “Did he stick his tongue down your throat?”

  I stopped pacing across the carpet and crossed my arms in front of me. “No, he just brushed his lips across mine.”

  She nodded. “I see.”

  I frowned. “What do you see?” I’d love to know exactly what she saw that I didn’t.

  She sat on the arm of the sofa and leaned against the back. “You’re pissed off because one touch from him made you come unglued.”

  I opened my mouth and then snapped it shut when no words came out. What could I say? She was right. That was exactly what was bothering me. “Well, he’d better keep his distance,” I finally managed to tell her.

  She laughed. “Or what? You gonna knock him on his ass?”

  I raised my chin. “I might.”

  “I think I know exactly what you need.”

  If she was going to say I needed to get laid, I was going to tell her that was the last thing I needed. “Please tell me, what do I need?”

  “A good workout. Go change clothes, and we’ll hit the gym.”

  Okay, I admit I didn’t expect her to say that. After being around Layne, working out did sound good.

  “The city pays for our gym membership,” Zoey told me after I’d changed into shorts and a tee and we were on our way. “I guess they want us to stay in pretty good shape.”

  I didn’t want to get close to Zoey, but I couldn’t help liking her. I’d just make sure I kept my distance to a certain extent. It paid to be cautious. As we pulled up to the gym, Darby arrived.

  “I’m glad I’m not late. I had to run some errands.”

  After working out for an hour, I had to admit, I did feel better. Since it was late afternoon, we pretty much had the gym to ourselves. We brought a change of clothes, so we showered before we left.

  “I’d say we’ve earned a glass of wine,” Darby said as we stopped off at her apartment.

  Zoey shook her head as she sank into the sofa. “Nope, a Margarita. Frozen, with a swirl of sangria or maybe a mango margarita.”

  “That sounds even better,” Darby agreed.

  I glanced around the apartment before I sat in the chair across from the sofa. It was the same layout as mine, except Darby’s reminded me of Ginny’s home. There were throw pillows on the sofa. Deep blue ones, and ones that were blue-and-white check. She had lots of knickknacks on shelves, and her kitchen table had a lacy tablecloth, and there were roosters and chickens everywhere.

  “What about you?” Zoey asked me.

  “What about me?”

  “Are you up for margaritas? We know this great place that serves the best margaritas and Mexican food. Actually, I guess you’d call it Tex-Mex, but it’s absolutely the best you’ll ever have.”

  I hadn’t eaten much today, and I had to admit margaritas and Mexican food did sound good. “Sure.” I mean really, what would it hurt? I could still keep a safe distance.

  We went to our apartments to change clothes before meeting back at Darby’s apartment. I changed into blue jeans, a short yellow top, and a pair of black heels. I put on a little brown eyeshadow and black eyeliner. I went light on the mascara, and chose a dark red lipstick. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. My shirt didn’t quite meet the top of my jeans, but only showed a little skin, so I was okay with it.

  I was more than ready for a girls’ night out. I rarely had them and had to admit, I usually enjoyed them. I knew a part of me always held back. Maybe I could just have fun tonight and not worry about anything else.

  I knocked on Darby’s door, and it was opened a moment later. Darby’s mouth dropped open.

  “Wow! Just wow!”

  I ran the palms of my hands over my jeans. “Do I look okay?”

  “Oh, I’d say you look better than okay. And tall. Really tall.”

  I smiled. “I’m only five feet, five inches without my heels. Not that tall.”

  “It is if you’re only five feet, four inches and wearing flats.”

  “But you’re pretty. And p
etite.”

  “True,” she said, then laughed.

  I hadn’t lied. Darby was pretty. I was thoughtful for a moment. Cute was a better description. She had soft brown hair and pale green eyes. If you were just meeting her, you’d probably say she had her head in the clouds, but when she was at work, she definitely knew her stuff. A good dispatcher kept her crews safe. They were the paramedics’ lifeline.

  “Are we ready?” Zoey said as she came up behind us.

  I turned, and I think my mouth dropped open. Her straight blonde hair just brushed her shoulders. Like me, she’d applied a little makeup, but the difference was amazing.

  “You’re stunning, and yes, we’re ready. I’m starved.”

  She grinned. “Then let’s party! Our ride is waiting out front.”

  We climbed into the Uber, I should’ve known what kind of night I was in for when we didn’t take one of our own cars. Not that I cared. I was ready to let off a little steam.

  And after one very large Margarita and some of the best food I’d ever had, I was feeling no pain as we caught another Uber to a bar called Hijinks. I was working on my second Margarita when Layne and some of the other guys came in.

  I knew it wasn’t good when I looked at Layne and immediately pictured him without his clothes on. Yep, the tequila in my margarita was definitely making his clothes fall off. Wasn’t that how the song went? Something like that.

  Nope, not good at all.

  Chapter 6

  Layne

  As I walked inside the bar, I was greeted by a blast of cool air. It was nice after being out in the heat. Even at eight o’clock, it was hot and muggy, and this was only the middle of June. I hoped that meant there was rain on the way and not how hot it was going to get in July and August.

  As soon as my eyes adjusted, I looked around.

  I met her gaze across the room. Very slowly, her eyes undressed me. I’d just thought it was cool inside the bar. It must’ve been my imagination, because right now, I was feeling really hot.

  The band struck up a slow song. I told Wes and Danny to find us a table and order me a Bud Light, then made my way toward Fiera. I stopped at her table. “Let’s dance.” I held my hand out, halfway expecting her to refuse. I was surprised when she stood and took it.