The firefighter guy seems to give up arguing with me—already knowing he’s lost—and sighs.
“Alright,” he mutters, then shrugs off his heavy jacket. Without another word, he drapes it over my shoulders.
“Hey,” I start to protest, shifting under the weight. “You really don’t—”
“At least let me do this,” he says firmly, his voice calm but unwavering. “You’re soaked.”
I bite my lip and let him. Immediately, I’m warmer, though the jacket feels like it weighs fifty pounds. It’s probably the most waterproof thing I’ve ever worn.
He steps closer to me, peering at the seal pup with a careful, practiced eye. “What can I do to help?” he asks, voice low and serious.
I exhale slowly, glancing down at the little one trembling on the rocks. “There’s nothing to be done until proper help arrives,”I tell him. “It looks like it’s bleeding from the right hind flipper—probably from an attack. All I’m trying to do is keep an eye on it. We need to make sure it doesn’t get back in the water.”
He nods, his expression thoughtful. “Okay. I can do that.”
From a few feet back, Finn calls out, “Can I help?”
I turn my head, hissing under my breath, “No! Keep your voice down. We don’t want to scare the pup into the water.”
He lifts his hands in surrender, though his grin says he’s enjoying the show.
The firefighter, now close enough that I can see the raindrops clinging to his lashes, leans in a bit more. His presence is steady, calming in a way I hadn’t expected. He’s tall, broad-shouldered, with short blonde hair and the brightest blue eyes I’ve ever seen. Handsome in every way possible.
“I’m Aiden,” he says, his voice low, sincere.
“May,” I reply, my breath catching a little at the way his name fits him so perfectly.
At that moment, a man in a khaki uniform makes his way down the rocks, his face serious but calm.
“Hi there,” he says, voice professional but kind. “I’m Gavin.”
“May,” I say, nodding.
He crouches down, studying the pup. “Can you tell me what you’ve observed so far?”
I quickly fill him in on everything—the bleeding, the possible attack, the lack of other seals nearby, and the rising tide. Gavin nods, listening intently, then glances at Aiden and me.
“Okay,” he says. “Let’s make a plan. We want to avoid touching the seal as much as possible, but we need to transport her immediately if we want her to survive.
I nod, adrenaline mixing with relief. We’re in this together now.
The seal is finally secured in the rescue vehicle, its tiny body swaddled gently, and I watch as they drive away to get her the care she needs. My shoulders slump with relief, but also exhaustion—the adrenaline fading, leaving me shaky.
Gavin steps over to me, his khaki uniform damp and his smile kind. “Hey, May. Just wanted to let you know I will be your guide during your first week at work. I’m really looking forward to having you on board.”
I smile, genuinely. “Thank you. I’m looking forward to working with you too. And thanks for showing up so fast.”
“Of course,” he says, giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze before heading back toward his vehicle.
A group of firefighters is gathered near the road, laughing and talking about the “huge rescue” they all just witnessed, like they’d actually been the ones crawling over wet rocks with the rain lashing their faces. I catch snippets of jokes at Aiden’s expense, something about the hero who did nothing but share his jacket.
Finn’s there too, surrounded by his search-and-rescue team. He jumps right in, a grin splitting his face as he teases, “Aiden, the knight in shining armor—who saved the day with his…jacket.”
Aiden rolls his eyes, his jaw tightening.
I cross my arms and raise an eyebrow, unimpressed. “You know,” I say, loud enough for the group to hear, “some heroes show up and know exactly when to help, and when to step back and let someone else do the work. Aiden did that. And I’m grateful.” I pause, letting my eyes sweep over the group. “Unlikea bunch of assholes standing around patting themselves on the back for nothing.”
The group goes quiet for a second. Aiden’s eyes meet mine, and a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.
