A cloud slips over the sun, sending a shadow in front of me as Emily slams the ambulance door shut. Her shoulders slump like she has the weight of the world on her shoulders before she slips around the other side of the vehicle. And just like that, she’s gone.
Like she was never there at all.
I slide into the cruiser and report to the station that the boy is on his way to the hospital for an evaluation.
“There’s an animal rescue needed at the corner of Cedar Ridge and Main. Kitten in a tree.”
“I’m on my way.” I yank the gearshift into drive and pull onto the street.
Some people might not see the importance of retrieving a kitten from a tree, but to the little girl crying on the sidewalk, and to the desperate animal in the tree, I’m a superhero.
Emily isn’t the girl I remember. Which is a problem. Because apparently, I still want her. I shake my head at my own stupidity. I should’ve never come back to Brookhaven.
Chapter Seven
Emily
Later that Afternoon
“Hello?” I balance my cell phone between my shoulder and ear while retrieving a mug of coffee. As I blow on the steaming contents, the sweet, nutty aroma swirls through the room. I’m not a huge fan of coffee, but the long days on shift require some heavy reinforcements.
“Hey, Emily. It’s Iris Salisbury.”
“Iris, I’m sorry. I was distracted and didn’t look to see who was calling.” Iris is the supervisor for our county’s children’s division. As paramedics, we work closely with them. Not as closely as we work with the hospital of course, or the police, but we know all the workers by name.
“It’s fine.”
“Is there something we can help you with?” During the last call with the Children’s Division, we triaged three children at their office.
“Josiphine needs respite tonight for Steven.” Steven is an adorable but rambunctious three-year-old with an infectious grin and a never-ending battery. “I realize it’s the last minute, but Ramona is at capacity and Josephine needs to go to the city. Her father is in the hospital. Her mom stayed with Jonathan last night, but she needs to go home and get some sleep.”
“Is Jonathan okay?” I take a sip of coffee and sigh. I needed that.
“He had heart surgery last night and made it through with no issues.”
“That’s wonderful news.” I deposit the mug on the counter and frown. “I hadn’t heard from anyone that he was having surgery.”
If we were anywhere else, there wouldn’t be an endless information dump between us, but everyone knows everyone, and there’s no such thing as a secret in Brookhaven.
Unless someone specifically says, ‘Do not share this information with anyone else,’ it’s common knowledge that people will talk. And not out of a need to gossip but because we care about each other.
Okay, when I kissed Spencer at Jolie’s Café, everyone talked about it. And while it might’ve been because they cared about me, they also couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share what they saw. Jake calling me a brat. Me kissing Spencer. Jake stomping out of the café and leaving town. The specific hue of crimson on my cheeks.
“It wasn’t planned.”
“Did we take him in?” Ryan and Kathy didn’t pass along any heart attack patients being transported to the hospital.
“No, he drove himself. He was having chest pains. You know Jonathan. He’s as stubborn as the day is long.”
“He knows better than to drive himself.” I shake my head as I retrieve my coffee from the counter. “Seconds count in thosetypes of situations.” Luckily, he got to the hospital in time and is doing well. And no one else got hurt. “How’s Lexi?”
Iris’s daughter, Lexi, and her husband, Jerry, have been married for six years and recently moved to the city. High school sweetheart and the whole works. They were both in Kaleb and Jake’s class.
Don’t think about him.
Surprisingly, Iris doesn’t hear the low growl I give when Jake’s face pops into and back out of my head. Again.
“She’s fine. Giving me my first grandchild in seven months.”
