Passion Point Firefighters: Extended Collection
Page 19
I release his hand and pull the covers almost to my chin. He already knows what I have under here, but I still feel undressed in his presence.
“Umm…” He grabs the bar on the side of the bed. “Umm…I…hey…”
“Wow, Keegan, I don’t remember you having this much trouble spitting out words.” I reach for the cup of water and he grabs it before me and hands it off. “Thanks.”
“Bryar, who can I call for you?” he asks, sincerely.
“No one.” That’s the plain truth.
“There has to be—”
“No. There’s doesn’t have to be anyone.”
I roll over, my back to him. Maybe he’ll get the hint.
“Roommate?”
“No.”
“Friend?”
“No.”
“How about your boss, Reese?”
I roll onto my back and purse my lips. “Crap. I’m…I’m supposed to work tonight.”
“Let me take care of it.” He stands and pulls out his phone.
I shake my head. “No, I need my phone. I’m supposed to be there in an hour. She’s going to have to scramble.” My heart beats fast. “I shouldn’t have gone on that run!”
“Hey, it’s okay.” His face tightens. “Your phone was broken in your fall,” he says quickly.
“Of course it was.” I shake my head.
He holds out his phone and dials Season 617. It’s in his favorites, which is a little weird, but I’m not questioning much more than my sanity at this moment. He seems to understand how I’m weirded out. “The station gets meals from there about twice a week,” he justifies with a shrug.
The line clicks through. “Season 617.”
“Reese Dynas, please.” He takes control and I feel a modicum of relief.
“Reese speaking.”
“Reese, this is Keegan Zraa, I work with—”
“Hey, Keegan! I know you. You want to put in an order for the station?” We can hear movement of papers on the other side of the phone.
“No, I’m calling about Bryar Dennings. She’s in the hospital.”
“Oh, my God. Where? I’ll be right there.”
“I’m here with her.”
There’s a long pause.
She clears her throat. “O-kay. Is she okay?”
“Hi Reese, I’m here. I’m doing better. But I’m going to need the night off. I’m so…so…sorry.” My chest hiccups. I hate disappointing her. She’s my biggest cheerleader. And at twenty-five, a successful business owner, and found love—she’s my biggest inspiration.
“Bryar, honey, it’s okay. Hey, please don’t cry.” Reese’s normally soft voice softens more.
Keegan lowers the side of the bed and wraps an arm around my shoulders as I cry into my hands. He grabs a couple tissues and holds them out.
“Hey Reese, Keegan again. Her phone was broken, so if you need to get ahold of her, my number is (617)222-1101.”
“Got it. Thanks, Keegan. Bryar, if you need anything, please let me know. You take a couple days off and then let me know when you’re ready to come back. We’ll be fine. We just want you to be okay.”
I pause and look up at him. At this moment, I feel an inkling of change. Something bigger than me is happening here.
“I’ll be okay.”
We give send offs and he shoves the phone back in his holder on his arm.
He returns to the chair and leans forward, his elbows on his knees. Muscles I never knew a man could have pop from his arms, sinewy and hard. “You okay?”
“I’ll be okay.”
“I have a feeling you say that a lot.” He stands and runs a hand over his head, the dark tight strands almost sparkling as he moves over it. “That was really scary seeing you on the ground like that.”
“What happened?” I don’t know where to start.
He rounds the bed to my right side. He bends over and rests his arms on the rail and my eyes stay attached to his forearms. “All I know is I was running along and there you were. I jumped over you, fell onto the path, and then started assessing you.”
I reach out and my fingers skim his arm. “You’re hurt.”
He lifts his arm and a long abrasion mottles his skin. “That’s nothing. It’ll be okay.”
My fingers move down his arm. “I wasn’t feeling good this morning. And a few other mornings.” I shake my head. “How stupid could I be?”
I can’t say I regret the night we spent together. Hell, it was more like the two hours. But it’s just not the right time…
“Hey, we were both there.”
My fingers slip into his, just to feel the warmth. Keegan reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. I lick my lips as his head lowers.
I remember back to that first kiss on the hood of his SUV under the stars. I swore it was the moonlight, and maybe the couple drinks we’d had. I was excited that the cake I’d made for Reese’s party had turned out so well and that’s how I’d met him. Teasing him that he was taking a second piece. But it wasn’t any of that. It was more.
“We need a sample…” the nurse says as she pushes open the curtain and he straightens, dropping my hand.
“From me?” he asks and the nurse stills.
I giggle. I think he’s as freaked out about this as I am.
She rolls her big coffee-colored eyes and shakes her head. “No, sir… from Ms. Dennings.”
It’s time…
Keegan
“Oh, right…sorry.” I move back quickly. “I’ll just…wait…out here.” I skim around the nurse and the curtain. I buy a bottle of water from the machines in the waiting room while she does her thing. I don’t know how long this takes, but I don’t want to be in the way. I’m thinking about how the answer might change us. How complicated one night can make things.
The nurse steps in front of me in the hallway. “What’s your name, young man?” she asks, her eyes staring into mine like my mother’s would when I was in trouble.
“Keegan…Keegan Zraa.”
“Well, Keegan, here’s the deal. Either you want to be here for Bryar for all of the good and the bad, or you need to leave. That young woman is petrified to be alone, but she doesn’t need to be deserted after finding out you’re not a hundred percent in. Don’t be that guy.”
“I…I barely know her. It was one night. I guess—”
“No. There’s no guessing. This shit is serious. I realize you thought that one night would be fun and maybe it was nice and enjoyable, but now it’s the real world. This cup holds the reality of your world. But there’s really only one question you need to answer.”
“What’s that?”
I’m figuring it’s if I want to be a father or not. And that’s not something I can answer right now. My father left us when I was five. He was never heard from again. My mother was a hardass. Making me her project. She was heartbroken when I decided to leave Colorado. Followed my first girlfriend out here only to have her dump me two weeks later. I knew what that felt like.
I had to be sure.
“Are you in or are you out?” she asks.
I glance inside the curtains and she’s leaning back, shaking her head with a brush of fear. “I’m in.”
“Good to hear. So, get in there and act like it.”
She’s definitely like my mother.
I step back into the room. “Can I get you anything?”
Bryar breathes out a long breath. “A time machine?”
“If you are, I want you to know—”
“No. If I’m pregnant, I can do this on my own.” She stares blankly at the curtains. The distance is self-protective, and I understand, I’d just done the same thing.
“But what if—”
“No. There’s no but and no what ifs in this scenario. We were only a moment, Keegan. Please, just leave.” A dribble of tears trails down her cheek.
I hand her a tissue and she rolls over to her side away from me after accepting it.
“Please don’t do this, Bryar
. I’m here for you.” There’s no “want to be” in that sentence. I just am. I’m here. And regardless of the results. I’m in.
“Please…leave…” Her back hiccups.
I separate the curtains before looking back. She’s sobbing and my heart reaches out to her. But she’s blocking me from coming into hers.
I meet the doctor in the hallway. “You leaving?” he asks.
“I’ll be back.”
“Don’t you want to know the results?”
“They don’t matter. She’s mine either way.”
He nods. “Good to hear.”
Bryar, just let me in.
Please.
Chapter Three
Bryar
I move the adjustable bed to sit up when the doctor comes in. She seems to be oblivious to my tears, but I suppose they see a lot of those in here.
“Miss Dennings, your results are in. You’re pregnant.”
Figures. First time without protection and I would get pregnant. It’s my fault. I couldn’t afford my prescription for birth control after the stupid car incident. I made an appointment at the clinic, but they couldn’t get me in for two months. There was no one to blame but me.
Well, and the one who helped create this unexpected moment. But I won’t think about him. When he left, I realized I wasn’t crying because I was scared about the results. I was crying because I couldn’t accept Keegan’s help. I’ve always relied on me and only me. And now there was someone who wanted to be here and I sent him away. I taught him a lesson. I couldn’t blame him.
She sets the paper on the rolling medical table. “You’re only about five weeks. You have time to think about it. And when it comes to your health, we’re very concerned about the fainting. It’s not uncommon, but it increases your possibility of injury from falling.” She checks some of the readouts. “Your body is getting used to the bursts of hormones. The progesterone dilates blood vessels, so blood tends to pool in your legs. More blood is in your abdomen as well. This can cause a drop in blood pressure when you move. And that can make you lightheaded, and if your blood sugar levels get too low that can exacerbate the situation and cause fainting. We need you to eat small meals more often for one. Refrain from exercising until you know you’re adjusting, and we need you not to be alone for at least the next week.”
Great. Mac and cheese more often. Yay. Not. Maybe Evan and Jacque can check on me.
I say nothing because I can barely think right now.
She picks up the paper. “We’re keeping you overnight.” She stops at the door. “Miss. Dennings, do you want us to keep that young man out?”
I purse my lips. “I don’t know.”
“Well, if you do, you let us know.”
I roll over and nuzzle into the pillow. I’m going to be a mom. I’m going to have someone to love more than anything else.
I’m scared. But I’ve been through this before. My grandmother died, I had to go it alone. I can do this, too. I might have to find a new job because not a lot of evening day cares out there.
I can’t think about it all right now.
I need to sleep.
But I know when I close my eyes, I will only dream of one thing.
Him.
Keegan
I shower and get dressed in something a little more suitable for a hospital, than my running T-shirt and shorts.
My roommate comes back from his excursion to get more food. It smells good, but right now I want to get back to the hospital.
“That was a really long run dude. What happened?” he shoves fries in his mouth.
“I ended up in the hospital.”
“Fuck. What happened? You okay?” he drops his food on the coffee table.
“Not me. I…I found a girl…I mean…woman. Fuck.” I shake my head like it will all make sense. “I came upon a woman on the trail passed out. I realized I know her.”
“Oh, she okay?”
I still. “I don’t know. It’s kinda messed up.” I shove my wallet into the back pocket of my jeans. “I have the next four days off, so I’m going to make them count.”
“You sound like you’re going back to the hospital.”
“I am. This woman…she’s different. She’s special. I can’t explain it right now.” I’m out the door.
My stomach feels hollow and it’s not just that I haven’t eaten anything today. I grab a protein drink at the grocery store and some flowers.
I walk into the Emergency Department and the nurse watches as I go to the curtain. “Knock, knock?”
There’s no answer. I pull the curtain back and the room is empty.
I spin back to the nurse and rush to the desk. “Where is she? What happened? Where’s Bryar?”
Her eyebrows raise with every one of my questions. “Keegan, deep breath before you faint.”
I inhale deep and shake my head to get my thoughts back.
The nurse moves some paperwork. “Bryar was moved to the observation floor. She’s okay.”
The relief that floods me is like walking into A/C after a long call in the dead heat of summer.
“What room?”
“Um…let me call that floor.” She picks up the phone. “I have a Keegan Zraa here to see Miss Dennings.” She listens. “I understand. Very good. Thanks.” She turns back to me. “She’s resting. You should come back tomorrow.”
“No. I’ll…I’ll just wait.”
She sighs. “Floor five, she’s room 521, but she’s sleepin’. Now, don’t you disturb her, Mr. Zraa. She needs to rest!”
“Understood. I’ll wait.”
“Not here. Go to the waiting room on that floor…” she motions me off.
And I go.
Bryar
I stretch and yawn. That was the best sleep. I didn’t know how tired I actually was. I’ve been feeling a little run down, but I love my work and took an extra shift last week to help out. That’s probably not going to happen much anymore.
“Well, hello.” A new nurse pushes through door, her smile like sunshine after rain. “I’m Dorianne. Just doin’ my seven o’clock rounds. You’ve been out for a few hours. How are you feelin’?”
“Better.” I adjust the bed. “Can I leave soon?”
“I’ll chat with the doctor on call. Not all of your bloodwork is back yet.” She sets a full pitcher of ice water on the bed table. “Can I get you anything else?”
“I’m kinda hungry.”
“Good to hear. What would you like?”
I think about what sounds good. Everything greasy. “Maybe a…salad?”
She makes adjustment on one of the machines, but stills, her head tipping with suspicion. “Bryar, after what you’ve been through, you need to dream a little bigger than salad.” Her nose twitches with disgust. “What would be your ultimate meal right now?”
I feel like this is a set up to disappointment, but I start a roll of food in my mind. “I work at a restaurant and I normally would say some dish there, but right now…” My stomach growls. “Right now, a burger with a giant fries with lots of ketchup and a chocolate malt sounds like heaven.”
“Oooh, malts. Haven’t had one of those in years. It does sound heavenly. You know how has the best malts in town?”
“Lola’s,” we say together.
The nurse laughs. “Exactly. Dang, that sounds good. Gimme a little time. I’ll see what I can do. To tide you over, you want a cherry or orange popsicle?” She throws another blanket on the end of the bed.
“Cherry, please.”
“Good choice. Now you just lay back. Relax and let the day float away for now.”
She pushes on the door.
“Umm…Dorianne?” I swallow.
She looks back. “Yes, honey?”
“Did Keegan go home?”
“He did.”
“Oh.” I try to hide my disappointment with a smile. “Okay.”
“I’ll get you that popsicle and work on more.”
“Thanks.”
I didn’
t expect him to stick around. I didn’t even think that I hoped he would.
But I did.
Chapter Four
Keegan
The nurse beelines to me and I sit up straight in the hard chair.
“You hungry?” she asks.
“Yeah. Haven’t really eaten all day.” I left the protein drink in my SUV. It just didn’t sound good.
She holds out a piece of paper. “Okay, here’s what you’re gonna do. Go get this list, and whatever you want to eat, and then bring it back here.”
“I just want to see Bryar.”
“And she wants to eat and she said this would be her ultimate meal, so…”
I stand and I’m out the door.
But not before I hear, “And don’t forget lots of ketchup!”
In thirty minutes, I’m back and I set a cup on the counter. “Large chocolate malt for you.”
The nurse’s lips perk a little. “She’s in Room 521. Now, you take it easy on her. She’s tired and hungry. That can be a nasty combination in any woman.”
I swallow. “Is she pregnant?”
The nurse picks up the phone even though it didn’t ring. “Yeah, I have it right here.” She searches and picks up a pencil. “I’ll be right there.” Standing, she looks back as she heads down the hall. “Good luck, Keegan.”
“I have a feeling I’ll need it.”
I stand at the door and it feel like a forcefield is keeping me out. But I know it only exists in my mind. I knock.
“Come in,” she calls out and I steady my nerves.
Inside that door is a woman who needs me.
And maybe even more.
I need her.
Bryar
The door creaks open and a head pokes around. “Can I come in?”
My heart jumps like a frog on hot concrete in my chest.
He pushes a bag with Lola’s name on it through. “Can I come in now?”
My stomach rumbles, but I’m not sure I’m hungry for just food.
“Yes, you can come in.”
In one hand there’s the food and in the other there’s a beautiful arrangement of daisies, roses, and baby’s breath. He sets it on the desk, in my direct line of sight.