“What happened, Tanner? Is he going to be okay?”
“He…uh…”
“Come over here and sit down.” She guided him to one of the plastic chairs that lined the corridor, and when he felt resistance at the back of his knees, he sat, numbly.
“He…uh…the house, he was carrying the woman out. We couldn’t get a gurney inside because of the stairs. He got her out to the porch, and…it collapsed…”
Tears shimmered in Lily’s eyes. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
He shook his head. “I was heading for the rig. When we were inside the house, we smelled gas. We think she passed out from the fumes and—”
Someone called Lily’s name. “I have to go, but I’ll be back. You stay here, Tanner. I’ll be back.”
He nodded again, feeling like his head was disconnected from his body. He could still smell the natural gas that had permeated the house. There was a leak somewhere, probably in the basement. A spark must have ignited it, and the porch had just buckled underneath Quinn and the woman they’d gone to revive.
He dropped his head into his hands and rubbed his burning eyes. Damn, why was it always Quinn? The guy was a magnet for disaster, and it didn’t even bother him. He was proud of every scar he had, but this time…
“Tanner?”
He looked up into Evie’s brilliant eyes. How had she gotten here? She knelt in front of him. “Thank God you’re okay. Max told me an EMT was injured.”
“It’s Quinn.”
“Your partner? What happened?” She pulled up a chair next to him and pressed a paper cup of cold water into his hand. “Drink this and tell me what happened.”
He gulped the icy water, felt the cold burn in the middle of his chest. “Routine call. Someone reported finding a woman unconscious in her kitchen. Quinn and I took it. We went inside and found her slumped over at the table. The house reeked of natural gas. We carried her outside, and I headed for the rig. Quinn waited on the porch for a second because she was starting to come to. He yelled to me that she’d said there was someone else in the house—then…boom. The porch collapsed.”
Evie’s eyes rounded, just as Lily’s had. “It wasn’t her children in the house?”
Tanner shook his head. “Stanton Fire Department said no. They found a man upstairs…no kids.”
“Oh, thank God. So it was just the two of them, and they’re both out?”
“Yeah. The fire started in the basement. There must have been a major gas leak that knocked them both out. Quinn—”
“He’ll be okay.” She wrapped an arm around his bicep and twined her fingers with his. “I know he’ll be fine.”
Part of Tanner would have argued with her if he’d had the strength. Quinn had been out cold, but he hadn’t been burned or cut. The firefighters had pulled him and the woman up from the wreckage of the home’s old wooden porch. Miraculously, she’d been awake—groggy and incoherent, but talking at least. Quinn had been limp, his pupils unresponsive to light, his head lolling, his pulse thready.
He’d have no scar to wear like a badge of honor after they patched him up. He was seriously hurt this time.
“I’m going to be here as long as it takes. I’m not leaving until I know he’s okay,” Tanner forced the words out, defiant. No one would make him leave, and by sheer force of will he’d make his partner be all right.
“That’s fine. I’m right here with you. I’ll stay with you,” Evie said.
“You don’t have to.”
She met his gaze. “Of course I do. You’d stay if it was me, wouldn’t you? You’d sit here with me and wait?”
“Yeah…”
“Then it’s settled. Can I get you more water? Hot coffee?”
“I’m okay.” He squeezed her hand. “This is enough.”
She put her head on his shoulder and settled into her uncomfortable seat. “Then we wait. When I was coming into the ER, someone was talking about Quinn. Apparently he won an award for most ER visits since he started with the corps.”
Tanner laughed, though his throat was raw. That was Quinn. The guy most likely to need stitches. “Yeah, he loves making the papers. Maybe you could write a feature about him.”
“I’d love to. Tell me everything.”
Chapter Eight
Hours passed, and the hustle and bustle of the ER waxed and waned. Rumors floated around as to what had caused the gas leak and why the two people in the home hadn’t called for help sooner. Evie caught a glimpse of Max with a pretty brunette nurse. They whispered to each other, intimate but businesslike. He kissed her on the forehead before heading over to Evie and Tanner.
“Hey, I’m heading out. Can I talk to you for a second?”
Evie squeezed Tanner’s hand, and he nodded. She rose and stepped a few feet away. “Have you heard anything we haven’t?”
“Not about Quinn Preston. But listen, I’ve heard something else. Apparently, the man in the house was not the woman’s husband.”
Evie squinted. Max had never struck her the gossipy type. “So?”
“No, I mean…someone said they recognized him…from television.”
“He’s an actor?”
“A politician. A senator.”
“What was he doing alone in a house with a woman who…wasn’t his…wife. Right. Never mind. I suppose the tabloids will get a hold of this pretty quickly.”
Max shrugged.
“You’re not suggesting I try to get the story, are you?”
Max held her gaze. “I wouldn’t. But I’m not a reporter. Janet…well, this is something she’d jump all over. I’m just saying.”
“Max…”
He held up a hand. “I’m just telling what I heard. Audrey told me there are already a couple of news vans outside. They’re flocking to anyone leaving the building, so be prepared when you do go home, and warn Tanner. In that uniform, he’s prey for the big dogs out there.”
“You mean national news?”
“Senator.” Max repeated, tilting his head. “And newly elected…on a campaign of family values. This is fresh meat for them.”
Evie’s blood chilled a little. If the rumors Max had heard were true, this was just the type of thing that would be splashed all over the news and probably already was. “Thanks. If he does go home, I’ll try to steer him out the back.”
“Might not do any good, but maybe see if he can borrow a scrub shirt or something. They pretty much know they can’t get hospital personnel to talk on camera, but they’ll go after anyone else.”
Evie nodded. “Thanks, I will. Hey, one more favor?”
“Sure.”
“Audrey…can she find out anything about Quinn? Tanner is so worried. I know he’s not family, but they’ve been friends forever, and he told me Quinn’s parents live in California. There’s no one here for him but Tanner.”
“I’ll try. Be right back.”
Evie stretched her back and sighed. She’d tried to get Tanner to move to one of the more comfortable chairs in the waiting room, but he’d refused. He planned to sit in the hallway until someone gave him some good news.
She turned back to find him deep in conversation with a man in uniform and another man in a dark suit. Her heart sank. Had something happened to Quinn? Pulse thudding in her ears, she moved a few steps closer to the men, wanting to be nearby if things took a bad turn.
“Quinn and I never went upstairs. We didn’t know there was anyone else in the house until the woman woke up, and that was only seconds before—” Tanner’s voice rose in pitch as he spoke, and Evie wondered if these men were trying to pin the blame for Quinn’s injury on him. She wanted to step in and put a stop to the conversation, but she knew it wasn’t her place. She held back, glad at least they weren’t bringing bad news about Tanner’s partner.
“So you never saw the other party?” the man in the suit asked, a muscle in his jaw twitching.
“No, I told you. If you want to know something about the man upstairs, go ask Stanton FD. They’re the ones
who went inside after the explosion. I was out front pulling my partner out of the wreckage.”
The man in the suit nodded. He pulled the uniformed man farther down the corridor and whispered something to him, making tight slicing motions with one hand as if he were trying to drive home a point.
Evie slipped into the chair next to Tanner. “Everything all right?”
He shrugged. “I guess. That guy is some kind of publicist. He’s going around telling everyone not to talk about what happened tonight.”
“There are news vans outside,” she confessed. “Apparently something happened that’s got everyone talking.”
“Well, the only thing that happened, as far as I’m concerned, is my partner got hurt and it’s my fault.”
“How is it your fault? You didn’t know the house was going to explode.”
“I shouldn’t have walked away. I should have been there with him.”
“So both of you would have ended up in a pile of debris? Tanner, it’s a good thing you’d gone back to the rig, or none of you might have survived. You were able to help save Quinn and the people in the house.”
He shook his head half-heartedly, and Evie understood. He’d blame himself until Quinn told him otherwise.
She settled back into her plastic chair and watched the man in the suit make his way around the ER. She almost laughed when Max’s girlfriend appeared and skillfully managed to avoid the prowling “suit” on her way over to where Evie and Tanner sat.
Next to Evie, Tanner stiffened when Audrey approached. “Well?” he asked in a tone that told Evie he knew her well enough to skip the pleasantries.
“The boy has a really hard head,” she said with a smile.
Immediately, Tanner’s muscles relaxed. Evie breathed a sigh of relief and squeezed his hand tighter. “He’s going to be okay?” she asked.
“He’ll be seeing double for a few hours. He has a wicked concussion and a broken wrist. We’re keeping him overnight for observation.”
Tanner let out a rough sigh and scrubbed his hands over his face. “So he didn’t scramble that pea brain of his?”
“Not this time. He was very lucky.” Audrey patted Tanner’s shoulder. “You can see him for five minutes. He’s waiting to get a cast on his arm. Then I’m ordering you to go home and get some sleep.”
“Thanks. I promise I will.”
“Thank you,” Evie said. “You wouldn’t happen to know about the woman and the man from the house? Are they okay?”
Audrey looked over her shoulder, gauging where the man in the suit had gone. “We’ve been sternly reminded that hospital policy states we can’t share any information about patients with non-relatives. All I can tell you is, they’ll be okay. They were both very lucky too.”
Lightheaded with relief, Evie clung to Tanner’s arm as he rose. “See? You saved them both.”
Tanner dismissed her with a half-smile. “Stanton firefighters saved them. I’m going to go see Quinn for a second, will you wait for me?”
Evie smiled. “All night if you want me to. Take your time.”
“Take five minutes,” Audrey corrected with a wry grin. “I mean it. You look dead on your feet. If you’re still here six minutes from now, I’m admitting you for exhaustion. Got it?”
“Got it.” Tanner held up his hands in surrender.
“Max suggested we get him something to cover up his uniform so the press outside won’t bother him for a statement,” Evie said.
“Oh, good idea. I’ll dig something up while he’s in with Quinn.” Audrey led Tanner off to one of the more distant ER cubicles to see his partner, and Evie sank into her chair, muscles aching from the tension that had kept her upright during their long vigil.
Audrey returned shortly with a blue scrub shirt and handed it to Evie. “It was either this or a paper gown.”
Evie laughed. “I’m sure he’ll be grateful you went with this.”
“Are you his girlfriend?”
Evie’s face heated. “No. We just met—actually, last week. I happened to be in the hospital covering the dedication of the children’s wing, and Max told me an EMT had been hurt. I was afraid it was Tanner.”
Audrey’s eyes clouded with concern. “You’re a reporter?”
“Lifestyle section of the Herald,” Evie said quickly, not sure why she felt the need to qualify her position. For some reason she didn’t want Audrey to think she was here after a story. “I’m Evie Prentice. I work with Max…well, sort of. Today was the first time he’s covered one of my stories.”
“Nice to meet you, Evie. You have no idea how glad I am Max was here with you instead of out with that daredevil Chad. I heard the scene of the house fire was pretty intense. Max is sorry he wasn’t there to get pictures, but I’d rather have him covering a nice, safe dedication ceremony.”
Evie nodded. “I’m starting to think maybe I would too…rather cover the ceremony. I’m not sure I could handle some of the things they call hard news.”
“Especially when those things end up here in the ER.” Audrey glanced around again, but the man in the suit had disappeared. “We have more trouble with non-patients than patients around here. And speaking of non-patients, get him out of here and make sure he gets some sleep.” She pointed to Tanner as he emerged from Quinn’s cubicle right on schedule.
“How is he?” Evie asked Tanner after Audrey headed back to her station.
“Just like Audrey said. Seeing double…and cranky as hell, but he’ll be okay. The doctor told him he should be on his feet by tomorrow, but no driving for six weeks. That means he’s on medical leave, and not being able to do anything will make him insane.”
“Well, then he’ll be motivated to heal faster.” Evie handed Tanner the shirt Audrey had given her. “Put this on. Max said we should sneak out the back to try to avoid the reporters. My car is on the third level of the parking garage.”
Tanner took the shirt, his fingers brushing hers. “Thanks…you don’t have to take me home, you know. The man over there in the uniform is my commander. He came to pick up our rig, and he offered to drop me back at my apartment.”
Evie glanced at the man who was again in conversation with the government suit. “Audrey ordered me to take you home. I wouldn’t want to get caught not obeying her…unless you’d rather—”
His gaze met hers, and the intensity of it made her heart pound. “No…I’d like to go with you.”
*
The moment Tanner settled into the passenger seat of Evie’s car, he was grateful he’d taken her up on her offer. Every muscle in his body ached, and he could have sworn the worry over Quinn’s condition had aged him ten years. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes, allowing himself to drift for a moment on the soft sounds of classical music that played from her radio and the soothing apple scent of her car air freshener.
“Don’t fall asleep on me, you have to give me directions,” she said while maneuvering out of the hospital parking garage.
He roused himself and sat up. “I’m on Berkshire, four-twenty.”
“The three-story house?”
“Yeah, third floor. The way I feel right now, I don’t know if I’ll make it all the way up to my place. Maybe I’ll sleep on the porch swing.”
“Or you could come to my place. I…I’m on the ground floor.”
Something pinged in the middle of Tanner’s chest. His weariness eased a bit. He hid a smile as she steered around a corner.
“You should probably be in your own bed, though. You’ll rest better.”
Rest was no longer the first thing on his mind. “Whatever the nurse ordered. Did Audrey tell you to take care of me? She’s like that.”
Evie glanced at him then back to the road. “In fact, she did. I have a feeling she knows when her orders aren’t obeyed.”
“You got that right. We call her Iron Audrey.”
“That’s harsh. She seems very sweet.”
“If she’d ever given you stitches, you’d think differently. But, yeah,
and don’t think she won’t quiz me the next time she sees me.”
“It’s settled, then. Your place, your bed…”
Tanner watched her jaw working in a clear attempt to bite back the rest of her sentence. The bone-tired feeling that had swept over him as they left the hospital transformed into a fresh burst of energy. Knowing Quinn was going to be all right buoyed his spirits, and by the time she pulled up in front of his apartment, he felt like he could race up the stairs carrying her in his arms if she’d let him.
She parked in front of the house. “I’ll walk you up.”
“How about that coffee you were talking about earlier?” He hadn’t been able to down anything other than water in the hospital, but now he needed…well, he didn’t need coffee or particularly want it, but he needed an excuse to make sure she didn’t leave him too soon.
“I could go for a cup.”
“Good. I hope I have some. Let’s go look.”
The walk up the three flights to his small loft apartment was agony. Mentally he might have felt better, but he hadn’t shaken the physical strain of pulling Quinn and the injured woman from the collapsed porch. By the time he reached his door, he was aware of every bruise and scrape he’d sustained, but that didn’t stop him from wanting Evie, from needing her.
“Nice place,” she said when he turned on the lights. At least it was fairly neat.
“Living room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette—Taylor calls it a classic bachelor pad. I’m hardly ever here.”
She laughed. “That explains why it looks so nice.”
“It’s never looked better now that you’re in it.”
“Still have the energy to flirt, I see.”
Tanner gently closed his front door and took Evie’s hand in his. “I’m not trying to flirt. I want to thank you for staying with me tonight. You didn’t have to. I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to Quinn. We’ve been friends since fourth grade. He’s like…my other brother. He became an EMT because I did. I feel responsible for him.”
“He’s lucky to have someone like you.”
Tanner stepped closer, his eyes locked on hers. “And I’m lucky to have met someone like you.” In a heartbeat he was kissing her again, and the touch of her lips transported him back to the other night at Colette’s, the cool breeze at his back, the warm woman in his arms. He pressed her against the wall and deepened the kiss until she moaned and her arms went around his neck.
Spring River Valley: The Spring Collection (Boxed Set) Page 5
