Sam started to get up, but Seaton was beside him, holding him in place.
"Don't get up."
He heard the panic in her voice and while he knew he could get up just fine, she didn't look like she could.
Even though it was mostly dark on the street, he could see enough with the light from the nearby lamp to know that Seaton was decidedly pale.
He'd have to offer her an arm and not the other way around.
"Sam?" Seaton’s voice was barely a whisper of sound.
"Caddo! Abe! I thought I recognized you two."
Sam looked up to see Sheriff's Deputy Hayden Hatcher stepping up on the sidewalk.
She crouched down beside him and gave him a once over. "Any injuries?"
"Probably to his ego."
Sam saw Lincoln come up beside Hayden.
Sam knew that his friend was trying to lighten the mood, but Lincoln's words had the opposite reaction on Seaton.
Her head snapped up to stare at Lincoln.
She wasn't angry so much as shocked. She stared wide-eyed at his fellow firefighter. "What did you say?"
Sam reached his free arm over to touch her arm. The movement made his tailbone roll over a nerve and he gnashed his teeth together to keep himself from hissing in pain. "Seaton?"
Her fingers gripped his arm, her breathing faster.
Harder.
"Seaton, hey."
He softened his voice and swept his thumb over the back of her arm.
"Seaton, look at me, please."
She turned her head toward him, but her eyes stayed on Lincoln until the very end.
She nodded when their gazes met. "Yes?"
"He's not being mean to me." Sam nodded slowly hoping that she'd listen to him. He managed a smile and her expression softened just a hint. "He's trying to ease the tension."
Seaton nodded once and then again. "Okay. Okay. He's your friend."
Lincoln cleared his throat. "Sorry, Seaton. My 'comic' timing is better saved for reading comics and not trying to be one."
She shook her head. "It's okay," Sam noticed that she barely met Lincoln's gaze, "you'd know better than I would."
Sam heard the ache in her voice.
She was struggling to read the 'room.'
He didn't fault her for it. He felt her pain. Her concern.
She was trying to protect him.
