“Seems?” Finn barked. “I’m not going onseems. She’s going to the fucking hospital.”
“Finn—” Lori tried again, but his name was the only thing she uttered before her eyes glazed over.
I knew what someone looked like when they were about to pass out, so I’d already pushed off my seat on the ambulance’s bumper. But I was much too slow.
She didn’t hit the ground. Because this officer—the man who was clearly pissed off and in love with her—caught her. He didn’t even blink before hauling her into the ambulance and shouting orders at the paramedics to get her to the hospital.
I watched them drive away, standing in the middle of the street, realizing I didn’t have a ride.
It wasn’t that far to Beau’s house. I briefly considered walking, but it was cold, and my boots were not suited for half-mile walks. I also considered ordering a rideshare, but then I remembered Beau’s ire at me taking one the other night.
Not that his fury should factor into my decisions. But the memory of his fury, how close he’d stood to me, the thundering of my heart, had me rethinking things.
Beau had mentioned Elliot was coming over for dinner tonight, so I figured that even if Clara was in bed, Elliot wouldlikely still be there. He’dbe the one to come pick me up. That was the kind of thing Elliot would do.
Hopefully. I could handle small talk with Elliot because he made it easy. An enclosed space with Beau, alone, even for a short ride… Just the thought had me almost reconsider walking.
Almost.
“Are you okay?” was how he greeted me.
“It’s customary to say hello,” I shot back, rubbing my arms against the chill in the air. My cheap coat was not equipped for this weather, and it wasn’t even technically winter yet.
“Are you okay, Hannah?” he repeated, this time more harshly. It was almost a growl.
Okay, he was not in the mood for jokes. Was he ever? I bit my lip. “Physically, I’m fine.” My finger reached up to my tender head. “Well, just a little scratch. We got in a small car accident on the way home, and Finn whisked Lori away in the ambulance. I could walk?—”
“Where the fuck are you?” he shouted.
I winced, holding the phone from my ear. I’d never heard Beau shout before. Not once. His low, deep voice could carry on its own. A little shaken by his abrupt change in tone, I hurriedly gave him the details of where I was.
“Don’t fucking move,” he ordered.
Then he hung up.
“Rude,” I muttered. And needlessly dramatic. Rude, I could work with. The dramatics, I could not.
“Hey! Are you okay?”
A police officer jogged over to me. Younger than Finn. And handsome. What was in the water in this place? It was as if Jupiter was unable to produce average-looking people.
“Were you in the accident?” He motioned to Lori’s car.
I nodded.
The police officer looked at my head, covered in a simple butterfly bandage. No stitches needed, maybe a mild concussion, the paramedics had said.
“Do you need me to take you to the hospital?” He offered politely, sounding friendly, concerned.
I shook my head. “No, I don’t think that’s necessary. I’m okay.”
“I’m Oscar.” He held out his hand.
“Hannah,” I replied, clasping his hand in mine. It was only the polite thing to do.
“Nice to meet you, Hannah,” he said with a smile. “Though I wish it weren’t under these circumstances. If I’m going to come to the rescue of an attractive woman, I prefer it be before she gets her blood drawn.” He indicated my head.
If I wasn’t mistaken, he was almost … flirting with me? I was sure that wasn’t entirely professional, but it seemed harmless enough. I had a finely tuned asshole meter. And this, I reasoned, was a handsome, small-town cop being friendly.
