“Well, we’ve got training this afternoon, and I thought you were working on your EMT Basic certification online work, so—”
“So, I’ll be getting out of your hair.” Peter stepped into the hall and then stuck his head back inside. “Oh, one more thing, Chief.”
Mick rolled his eyes. “What’s that?”
“Rachel Hoffman and her girls are waiting for you in the day room.” He grinned as he added, “They’ve been waiting there a while.”
* * *
Mick was still grumbling when he made it to the front of the station though he probably could have competed for a medal with the time he took getting there. He found Rachel and the twins sitting in the recliners in the day room, some cartoon kids’ show on the seventy-two-inch TV screen.
“He’s here,” Carissa called out as she leaped up from her chair and held out a rectangular box of chocolates.
“Hi, Mr. Mick.” Carly popped up like her sister had, only she had a cellophane-wrapped bouquet of daisies in her hands.
Rachel was slower than the other two, but she carefully stood and held out a pizza box, the scent already filling the room. “Hi. What took you so long?”
“I was waylaid.” He frowned at Peter, who grinned back, unrepentant.
Mick turned back to his three guests and held his hands wide. “What is all this?”
He glanced to his left and right and then looked all the way behind him to the kitchen. Sure enough, every crew member on the shift had taken a few minutes from other assignments or gym time to get to watch this show, and that included Scott Ingram, who was back on dinner duty cooking up something else that smelled amazing. Why did they have to be slow on calls today?
“It’s just that you make it tough for someone trying to organize a grand gesture.”
“Grand gesture?” He took in the candy, the flowers, the pizza, his gaze narrowing as his thoughts took on a life of their own. Was Rachel—? Could this mean—?
“You have sort of single-handedly created a new position for my brother.”
Mick nodded and looked at the floor. He would have tried to say that he’d only done it for Riley, but it would be hard to lie in front of all these people. Part of it was for her. Maybe most of it.
“He deserves the benefit of the doubt,” he said, though he no longer had any questions about Riley’s innocence. “And a second chance.”
“Don’t we all?”
Her grin reminded him when he’d said the same thing about her father.
“Though our gesture will never compete with something like that, the girls and I would like to ask you a question.”
Mick folded his hands in front of him and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Okay. So ask.”
“We would like to know if you would go on a first date with us,” Rachel said with a grin.
“Yes, will you, Mr. Mick?” Carissa called out, bouncing on her toes.
“Will you?” Carly chimed.
He lowered his hands to his sides, his chest feeling full. “Just a first date?”
Rachel set the pizza on the table next to one of the recliners, crossed her arms and gave him a warning look. “Now, don’t get ahead of yourself, but if you’re nice, and the girls approve, there could possibly be a second. And a third.”
“Well, thank you for your kind invitation. But I’ll have to think about it.” He’d never seen three prettier or sadder faces. There was no way he could hold back that grin. “Are you kidding? I accept.”
Rachel swiped at her forehead with the back of her sleeve. “Glad to hear it because this next part wouldn’t have worked if you’d said no.”
She took about five steps forward until she had to look up at him. “I know this is supposed to come at the end of a date, but let’s not get lost on technicalities.”
Then she did the thing he’d been dying for her to do from the moment he’d seen her in the station. She lifted up on her toes, rested her hands on his shoulders and touched her lips to his. Mick didn’t give her a chance to step back. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, kissing her the way she deserved to be kissed. And would be regularly, if she gave him the chance.
