After a brief, uncomfortable silence, he asked, “Are you okay?”
“Yes… No. Are you?”
He scratched his head. “I guess so.”
A lump was forming in her throat. She spoke before it became too large to talk around. “I wouldn’t blame you if you never want to see me again after this.”
He sighed. “That’s not gonna happen.”
“But I’m nothing but trouble. Don’t you see that?”
He turned around and faced her. “You know what I see? I see that I was living half a life before I met you. I didn’t even realize how tedious and boring everything was becoming. I’m never bored with you. But I wouldn’t mind worrying a little less.”
She gazed up at his eyes. They shone with sincerity. She didn’t know how she got so lucky. Any other guy would’ve run for the hills by now.
“Maybe we should go. You can drop me at home and get back to the game.”
“I’ll take you home, but only so you can put on some more clothes and come back with me.”
She smiled shyly. “I wasn’t wearing anything else besides the skirt, you know.”
His brows shot up. “No panties?”
She shook her head and grinned.
“Screw the game. I’m inviting myself to your place.” The engine turned over, and they peeled out of the parking lot.
* * *
The game ended with the firefighters winning by a few points. Kizzy had to wait for Noah to take a quick shower and change, so she stayed in the stands while the crowd exited the arena.
She was surprised to see an older couple coming toward her. They were smiling and holding hands, so nothing set off warning bells. She didn’t recognize them, but maybe she had treated one of them in the ER. She couldn’t possibly remember every face, but sometimes grateful patients rememberedherfor the help she gave—especially the ones who would have been goners without her one magic save per day.
When they reached her, the gentleman stuck out his hand. “We just wanted to introduce ourselves. We’re Noah’s parents, Antonio and Gabriella Fierro.”
“Oh! I—” She was so surprised, she almost forgot her own name. “Uh, I’m Kizzy Samuels. Noah’s friend.”
Mrs. Fierro’s expression looked a little crestfallen, then she quickly put on a happier face. “We’re delighted to meet you. It’s not often my sixth son speaks so highly of a young lady.”
“He’s your sixth?”
Antonio grinned. “Yup. Six out of seven. Five are firefighters.”
“Wow! That’s impressive.”
“Not as impressive as what you’ve accomplished,” Gabriella said. “My goodness. A doctor! So how did you meet our Noah?”
Kizzy thought about their argument in the ER, but decided to forgo that story and tell his parents about the much more pleasant re-meet. “He just sort of fell into my lap. Literally.”
The Fierros cracked up. Antonio’s laugh was big and hearty, like the man standing before her. Gabriella’s had a musical ring to it. They seemed like wonderful people. No wonder their son turned out so well—as far as she knew.
“Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?” Kizzy asked.
Antonio and Gabriella glanced at each other, and then Noah’s father answered. “Sure. You can ask…”
In other words, she might not get an answer, but they were still smiling, so what the heck? She’d ask.
“I’ve treated many firefighters in the ER. Usually they come in for smoke inhalation or heat exhaustion, but occasionally severe burns. With so many firefighters in the family, how do you do it? How do you keep from worrying about them constantly?”
