“Good morning.”
Paul Jeffers walked into his office with a stack of papers tucked under one arm and his trademark cup of coffee—always cold—in his other hand. Director Cane followed behind.
“Good morning.” She stood, but Chief waved her back into her seat.
The men were silent as they sat. She wondered if Luke would be joining them to have that talk about yesterday’s call. Hopefully, her superiors would make it quick, and she could get out of here without having to relive it any more than she had this morning. She just wanted her new shift assignment and that was it.
“You doing okay?” Jeffers took a sip from his mug, made a face, and took another.
Shit, here it goes. She shifted a little in her chair and clasped her hands in front of her.
“Yes, sir.”
Chief flipped through some letters on his desk, the white streak in his hair and round glasses giving him a middle-aged Harry Potter look. He wore a perpetually kind expression, a trait that reminded her of her late father. No matter what amount of stress he might be under, her father had always had a smile and minute to listen. He’d been such a direct contrast to her mother, who never smiled and expected to be listened to.
Director Cane cleared his throat. Something about his expression made her nervous.
“Let’s get right to it,” Cane said. “At this time, we don’t have a permanent position for you. You’ve been given a temporary assignment alongside Coss Becker on day shift, effective immediately, until otherwise notified.”
She looked between both men, certain she’d heard him wrong. “But, sir. I was told I’d be given a permanent assignment if I successfully completed orientation.
“That is correct. However, I’ve been advised that we’re in a hiring freeze until further notice. There is one full-time, permanent position for transfer crew in House 115. You’re welcome to apply if you like.”
Hiring freeze? The city, like most of the country, had a shortage of paramedics. Southampton’s fire and ambulance stations were city owned, and partly dependent on city funding. House 115 paramedics didn’t respond to 911 calls. They only transferred patients from one hospital to another. It was mundane, routine, and the last thing she wanted to do.
“What caused the budget cuts?”
Chief Jeffers sat back in his chair and pulled his glasses off. “The city wasn’t able to collect federal monies normally handed down for operations. Some legal bullshit in Washington. It’s a trickle effect. Until it’s straightened out, we’re on cutback.”
His lips pulled into a sympathetic line. “As soon as Bridges gets back from maternity leave in two months, she’ll be taking over your spot with Coss, at which time you’ll go reserve if you choose to. We’ll be interviewing soon for 115, so if you’d like to apply, please do. I’m sorry.”
She bit back a response. She’d put her law career on hold to give paramedicine a shot. Everyone thought she was crazy for giving up a legal salary and the prestige of her family’s law firm to do it. After years of listening to Luke regale her with stories of his job, she’d felt a connection. A purpose, maybe. He was doing important work, and she’d been fascinated by it. Law had its place in helping people, but not like this. She never felt the raw, heart-pounding thrill in law that she got when the 911 pager went off. Now she might not get a chance to give it a fair shot after all.
A knock sounded on the door right before it opened and Luke stepped in. He nodded to Chief and Cane and gave Greer a cursory glance. Her skin heated as he took a seat beside her. She snuck a peek, taking in the pull of his uniform shirt across his chest, and the way his severely tousled hair looked as if he’d been repeatedly running his hand through it. If he’d just stayed in her bed, her hands would have been running through it.
“Sorry I’m late.”
She focused her attention to Chief’s desk. Keep it cool! Her insides were a jumpy mess, and Luke’s scent wafting by wasn’t helping.
“I was just updating Greer on the status of her new assignment.”
She noticed him looking at her from the corner of her eye, but kept staring ahead. He’d obviously known about her assignment, since he’d mentioned it yesterday. No wonder he’d wanted a beer before opening that can of worms. Still, how could he wait so long to tell her? He was her friend, and bad news like this wasn’t something you kept to yourself. He was her training officer, her superior. It was his job to keep her up-to-date.
There was an uncomfortable silence before Luke cleared his throat.
“About the accident yesterday, Chief. I’ve gotten the paperwork started, and we’ll both write our statements and turn them in.”
“Very good. Do either of you feel the need to talk about what happened? Greer, I know something like this can be especially difficult for new—”
She looked pointedly at her friend. “No, sir. I worked through it last night. I’m good.”
Luke’s eyes burned into her, but she didn’t care.
“Okay, then.” Chief stood. “If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”
Greer stood, headed to the door, and was down the hall before Luke had a chance to get out of his chair. Her gut churned with a flare of the same anger she’d experienced yesterday. It was potent and demanding. She wasn’t a stranger to anger. Between law school and dealing with her difficult mother, her blood had been boiling a time or two. She prided herself on remaining calm, and not being able to do so now was foreign and confusing, especially when it was about Luke. Rarely was she upset or flat-out angry with him, yet the heat and bitter emotion churning inside was pointed right his way. Last night, his touch had taken it all away, yet here it was back in force.
“Greer!”
She didn’t pause at the sound of his voice.
“We probably shouldn’t be seen together today,” she said as he came up beside her. She had some misdirected anger at him, yes, but she still wanted to shove her hand down his pants and pick up where they left off last night.
“Wait.”
She didn’t realize she was walking so fast as she headed toward the commons for some coffee until he snagged her sleeve and gave a pull.
“Please, wait.”
She looked up at the ceiling and swung to face him. God, why the hell was he so hot? Those stunning blue eyes had been so full of passion when they’d looked down at her last night.
“What? More bad news you forgot to tell me about?”
“That’s not fair.”
He was right, but it didn’t stop her anger. She pulled away from his grip and crossed her arms.
“I mean, how long did you know my job was going to be temporary?”
“I only found out yesterday. I was trying to tell you, but we didn’t get that far. I’m sorry.”
She shook her head and turned away. She was being unreasonable, but couldn’t seem to stop herself. “You didn’t think to make it a priority to let me know that my only option is transfer crew?”
She tried to walk off, but he grabbed her again. “Damn it, Greer. I didn’t tell you right away because I put in a recommendation to keep you on day shift permanently, to see if they could somehow squeeze you into the permanent schedule. I wanted to see what the outcome was first.”
“You did?”
“Will and I both went to bat for you. Chief did everything he could to make it work, but in the end, the money just isn’t there.” He took her upper arms and guided her out of the hallway and around the corner. He searched her face, his expression punched with disappointment. Regret softened her anger. She’d never doubted him before. Luke had always been on her side, looking out for her in an annoying, overbearing-big-brother way when they were younger. She shouldn’t have been so quick to doubt him.
“I wanted you to have the best possible shot at staying on. I’m sorry.”
Throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a hug was almost too much to resist. She took a small step back to lessen the temptation, quietly glad he w
as still looking out for her, even now.
“I’m sorry for being a jerk,” she said.
His fingers drew down her arm before he pulled away. “I’m usually saying that to you.”
Her chest expanded with the first full breath she’d taken all morning. Everything had happened so quickly between them at Score the night before, and the morning had been so busy, they’d skipped over the awkward, what-did-we-do stage. Funny. She didn’t have a lick of regret, standing here with him in the empty hall. They were back on solid ground, things centered between them like always. Except that place in her heart that carried extra affection for him seemed fuller, bigger.
She’d ignored that spot in her heart for so many years there was no reason to open it up now. Luke had offered one night, and she’d agreed. Done deal.
She crossed her arms. “Okay, so now that we cleared the air, can I say how unexcited I am about my temporary assignment?”
His jaw tightened. “Agreed. If you have any problems with that—with Coss—you let me know.”
She raised a brow. She’d never witnessed bad blood between Coss and Luke, aside from quips here and there. There was an edge to his tone that blatantly revealed tension between the men.
“Sure.” She nodded. “So, my options are to ride out this temporary job and apply for transfer crew if I want to stay on, or apply for a position at another station.” None of those sat well with her. Working for another house wouldn’t be the same without her bestie. And the idea of transferring patients back and forth for twelve hours a day bored her to tears.
His lips pressed together in a thin, tight line. Her brow furrowed as she surveyed his expression.
“Are you trying not to say something?”
He gave a small grin and glanced to both sides before leaning in closer to her. Little sparks lit on her skin at his proximity, his scent kicking up desire and the longing for a repeat of last night.
“You know me too damn well. There…there is another position that will be open at some point. But they aren’t talking about it with the staff yet.”
A flicker of hope jumped in her heart. “Really? What’s going on?”
His voice dropped low so only they could hear. “Cane is stepping down and moving out of state. They’re interviewing now to replace him. If someone in-house gets the job, their position will have to be filled.”
The corners of his eyes crinkled, a flicker of excitement passing over his features.
“Did you apply?” Director of Operations was a big deal. Luke was a natural leader. He’d be a good director, fair and levelheaded.
He broke into a smile. “Yeah. I did. I had a preliminary interview, and I have a second and final in a couple days.”
Grabbing his hand, she gave it a hard squeeze. “Oh my God! That’s great!”
He leaned in as if he was going to embrace her, but they both pulled back at the same time. Releasing his hand, she took a step back with a heavy disappointment that she couldn’t take him into her arms. They needed to be careful…but now that he was in the running for the director’s job, they had to be extra careful.
Really careful. Any inkling of fraternization between them could cost him this opportunity. The realization was hurtful in its truth.
“About last night,” she breathed. “Is…our friendship going to be too risky for you?” She usually excelled at speaking her meaning with clarity, but right now, words didn’t want to come out the way she planned. Maybe because if she actually asked him if he needed to take a break from their friendship, he’d say yes. In her mind, she was feeling like a liability to his future, and to hear him say outright it was true would be crushing.
Especially after last night.
“Greer, no.” He splayed his hands, his brow falling. “Last night was…it was fucking incredible.”
She had a few words to add to that—amazing, mind-blowing, all-consuming. The most fulfilling connection her heart and body had ever experienced.
His eyes took on a pleading look as he skimmed his fingers over her arm. “If I get this job, I’ll be the youngest person to ever hold the position. And it will be a game changer for me.”
He didn’t need to elaborate.
His parents had been blue-collar to the bone and had worked damn hard for every cent they had. He followed his father’s strong work ethic but had always wanted more for himself than living paycheck to paycheck. A part of him probably wanted to show her mother how wrong she’d always been, too. Marvelene’s opinion that Luke never quite lived up to her standards wasn’t likely to change easily. Whatever his reasons for wanting this promotion, she was proud of him, and she wanted to see him succeed.
Even if she couldn’t shake the feeling that things were about to change between them for the worse.
“Last night can never happen again. Trust me, it’s hard for me to say that and mean it, because if I could get you back into bed right now, I would.”
The inside of her chest grew heavy. He dipped his head as if waiting for her to say she understood, but again, her brain forgot how to articulate.
“Are we on the same page?”
Clearing her throat, she put on a smile. “Yes, of course. I know last night was a one-off.”
Why were her eyes prickling? And why the hell did he look like his favorite NFL team had lost the Super Bowl?
Her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. She grabbed it, and groaned when she saw her mother’s name on the screen. Normally, she’d ignore it, but her finger slid the accept button seemingly of its own accord. The weight hanging on her shoulders made the hallway stuffy. She couldn’t stand here and talk about this anymore. The more she looked into Luke’s eyes, the worse the sensation of change became.
“Excuse me,” she said, turning and striding down the hall. When had she ever willingly chosen to speak to her mother over Luke?
Never.
The solid ground she’d thought they were on didn’t seem that secure anymore.
Chapter Seven
Greer stood in line at the Icy Whip as a hot breeze wafted over her skin. The evening was beautiful, still warm enough to make your skin damp, with sunlight that stubbornly, slowly, died over the banks of the Eddison river.
The Icy Whip was a local mainstay, the hottest ice cream place in town for over fifty years. She and Luke had spent their fair share of time here as teens. She, for the ice cream, of course. Him, for the opportunity to make out with his date at one of the scenic overlooks along the riverbank nearby. When they came here together, they’d walk the steep trail to the river and sit on the sandy shore and talk. Or not. It never really mattered, as long as they were together.
The treat shop was closing at the end of the month, having been bought out by a burger chain that couldn’t pass up the steady teenage crowd and passersby that dumped money on this place like crazy. She hadn’t been here since leaving for law school. Even though the paramedic program had brought her home after she’d graduated with her law degree, she hadn’t been able to come here.
Probably because this had always been her and Luke’s spot. But they were adults now, and some things from your teenage years were better left in the past.
A local band played country music covers from a grassy spot alongside the Icy Whip. People had come out in droves, the line of customers twenty long in front of her and probably as long behind, with cars still pulling in. She wasn’t sure why she’d come here tonight. Ice cream had sounded delicious after a long, hot day. After her discontent with Luke this morning, maybe she wanted to get a taste of their old relationship.
Ice cream solved everything.
She was a sucker for nostalgia and even a little romance, even though she tried to ignore that part of herself. A criminal defense attorney didn’t have room for soft spots, as her mother had drilled into her for years. The lectures had been effective at forcing her to cover up emotions and longings that could be considered weak.
Instead, she was a hardened shell with a gooey center that no o
ne could know about because it wasn’t allowed. Luke knew the real her. He always had.
The line began to move forward. She watched people milling about around the band, finding seats on the grassy space to eat their treats and enjoy the show. She smiled. This was nice, being on the edge of town, away from the fast pace of the city and the ambulance. She needed this calmness today.
Her phone buzzed.
Can I buy you a double strawberry swirl sundae with extra whip cream, pecans and shaved chocolate?
She looked up from the message and scanned the crowd. There, at the end of the line, she spotted a familiar blond head and broad shoulders. Warmth fluttered through her as she typed back.
Get up here, Almeda.
Luke sauntered up to her with that confident walk of his. He wore black board shorts, showing off strong, toned calves, and a T-shirt that did nothing to hide the spectacular cut of his torso. Her already hot skin warmed even more. His hair was messy, and she itched to run her fingers through it.
“It’s a great night to have ice cream for dinner.” His light tone helped her relax. She didn’t want things strained between them, and the more “normal” they could be together, the better. She’d been feeling bad all day about how she’d left him during their conversation about the promotion.
She tipped her chin up to look at him. “You hate ice cream.”
His lack of a sweet tooth was an anomaly of nature, one she’d made up for over the years by eating his share of sweets while he stuck to fried food and salt.
“Right. But the fries here are the best. How about it? Want to share an order with me?”
She laughed and patted his belly—his warm, rock hard belly. “It’s a good thing you run every day.”
Shocking the Medic (Pulse series) Page 5
