A smile flickered at the edges of his lips, and Riya knew she’d impressed him. He shook his head, raking his gaze over her, and she was suddenly conscious of how fitted her clothes were. She opened her mouth to explain when Dhillon spoke again.
“Shoes.”
“What?”
He looked at her face. “You need shoes.”
“Your mom’s in the hospital?” Schultz approached, as she opened her locker and grabbed her sneakers.
There really was not much privacy.
Dhillon answered. “Yes.”
Schultz’s face filled with concern. “Jeez. Go ahead, Desai. We’ll get the rig. I’ll tell Ambrose. Shift’s about over anyway.”
Her heart filled with gratitude for him, and she slipped on her sneakers and grabbed her backpack. “Thanks.”
“Come on. I’ll fill you in while we drive.” Dhillon was already on his way out. He was in a black T-shirt that fit tight around his back and very defined biceps. He must be doing more than just running.
Riya followed close behind. “I have my bike.”
As soon as they exited the firehouse, Dhillon’s body relaxed, and he inhaled deeply, as if there hadn’t been any oxygen inside the building. His voice no longer held anger and irritation but warmth and caring. “Come with me.” He took her hand, and against her will, Riya relaxed into its strength.
Blood drained from her head, and she was uncharacteristically light-headed as she squeezed his hand. Odd. Being a paramedic, she was used to dealing with this kind of thing.
As if reading her mind, he said, “It’s different when it’s your mom, Riya.” He tugged on her hand to get her moving. She nodded and followed.
“I’m taking water out of your vet-to-go bag,” she told him as she dug through the bag and found a water bottle.
“No problem. Just be careful,” Dhillon said, wincing, “of all the meds in there.”
“Yeah, okay.” She rolled her eyes and chugged the water. “Where’s my dad?” She pulled out her phone. She had ten missed calls from him and Dhillon and as many text messages.
“He’s already at the hospital. He sent me to get you when you didn’t answer your phone.” The air-conditioning was on in the car, and it felt good to be properly cool for a bit. Her phone buzzed. Roshni.
She held up a finger to Dhillon as she answered. “Hey, Rosh.”
“Oh my God, Riya, what the hell is going on?” Her cousin’s voice was filled with concern. “Dhillon called—”
“Rosh, I was at work. At the firehouse.” Riya paused. Roshni had been the only family member she’d been able to tell when she’d entered the academy. Their mothers were sisters, and though Riya and Roshni were cousins, they really were more like siblings. Roshni not only kept her secret but supported her unconditionally. “My mom had a heart attack.”
“Oh, shit. Okay. I’ll tell my mom and try to keep her home until we know more, so we don’t clog up the waiting room.” Roshni paused. “How about you? You’re with Dhillon?”
“Mmm-hmm,” Riya said, glancing at his profile as he drove. He was singularly focused on the road, his body tense, his movements calm and controlled. The only indication that something might be amiss was the slight furrow in his brow. She suddenly felt an overwhelming amount of gratitude for him and his calm under pressure.
“Lean on him, if you need to, Riya.” Roshni’s concern came through the phone.
“I’ll be fine.”
“You don’t have to be fine. Dhillon’s a great guy, and he cares—”
“I’m good, Rosh.” She didn’t want to hear how Dhillon cared about her.
“In any case,” Roshni sighed, “if you’re not alone, I’ll catch up with you tomorrow. Seb is at the restaurant, and I have Anand. Keep me posted.” Roshni hung up.
“Roshni says hi,” Riya said, sighing, and turned to Dhillon. “Tell me what happened.”
Dhillon shook his head. “I’m not sure. Your dad called me, saying your mom had collapsed. He had called 9-1-1.” He paused. “Your dad had been expecting you to show with the ambulance.”
