And his stomach growled.
Whoa.
“That was intense.”
He glanced at the EMT. “I haven’t eaten since a protein bar two days ago. I had an omega in trouble.”
“Well, then you need more than a muffin.” Laird took his arm and led him to a big pick-up with really good snow tires.
He was unceremoniously hauled up in the cab without so much as a by your leave, and he would fuss, but it was easier than climbing up.
Then Laird closed the door and went around to the driver’s side.
Devon woke up at the truck stop when Laird parked in front of the diner section. “Come on, Devon. Let’s go eat.”
“All right.” He yawned. He needed a vat of coffee.
“Careful now.” Laird came around and kind of walked him in, half holding him up. “I rode with your patient to Montrose.”
“I wanted to go with him, but Kaleb insisted I stay here. Said I was worn out and he wanted me to rest too.” He hated leaving Charlie in the lurch, but it would’ve been a very long drive back, and honestly he didn’t believe that Charlie was in any real danger. He just wanted to make absolutely sure.
“It has to suck, though, to have a patient have to leave before the job is done.” He got a surprisingly sympathetic smile. “Happens to all of us.”
They walked into the cafe, and Devon smiled at the waitress on duty. “Hi, Millie.”
“Hey, Dev. You look wore out.”
“Yeah, there’s a baby coming and he ended up in Montrose. Always makes me feel a little bit like I messed something up,” he confessed.
Millie grinned at him, “Oh honey, you and I both know that you’re the most careful of all. Everybody wants you to be the one who delivers their baby, but it doesn’t happen every time.”
“No.” He had to be exhausted, because tears stung his eyes. “But Charlie is my friend, and I feel awful.”
“He needs some pancakes, Millie.”
“You’re a smart one, Laird McCallum. You sit. I’ll get decaf. And don’t argue with me. You both need to go home and sleep after this.”
“I think I need a cup of coffee as big as my head, Mill, just to get me up the stairs.” His house had a littleflight of stairs leading up to the living room. But it was his house, three stories, long and thin, old and a little drafty, but basically perfect.
“I’ll get you home, okay?” Laird steered him to a booth and kind of plopped him down on one side. “Decaf is fine.”
He grimaced. “Are you always this pushy?”
“Yes.” Laird grinned, and his bright blue eyes twinkled, and suddenly he was very pretty. In a manly, pushy way.
Devon still wasn’t going to like him, no matter what, because…of reasons.
“Well, fine.” He crossed his arms over his chest and slumped back in his seat.
“So, what do you like for early morning breakfast, man?”
“Pancakes. I am a carb loader. Pancakes for days.”
“See, I knew it.”
“Are you an egg white omelet?” Devon asked, knowing it was a little mean.
“Lumberjack breakfast. I can burn two thousand calories in a shift.”
