Her breath hitches, and she opens her mouth to say something, I hope it’s one of her on-brand Lily comments that will get me both laughing and questioning her mind. But she doesn’t get the chance because another voice speaks first.
“Got what I need,” Aaron calls out, and Lily immediately takes a step away from me, dropping her eyes onto the ground in front of her.
“Perfect, we can go home, and then this one,” she waves her hand at me, “can actually go back to work.”
“Speaking of work, when do you start yours, Lil?”
“Tomorrow night,” she grumbles.
“Perfect, I’m sure we’ll see each other quite a bit.” I smile.
“Let’s hope not,” she huffs, walking toward the car.
I bite back a laugh; I’m sure we will, we take plenty of people to the ER and I’m about to volunteer to take every single paramedic shift I can get to ensure my chances of seeing her as often as possible.
It takes every ounce of willpower I have not to turn and watch the car drive away as I walk the short distance back to the fire station. Before I reach the door, I hear the smallest sound. I stop to make sure I really heard something, and I’m not completely crazy.
The noise sounds like a squeak, and a meow so I’m not sure what I’m about to find when I try to find the source. I step around the side of the brick building and in a shallow hole dug in the dirt is a puff of orange fur. The kitten must only be a few weeks old, if that. But I also know nothing about guessing cat ages.
I pick it up, and it makes the noise again, but doesn’t try to run away from me.
“Where’s your mom?” I ask the fur ball.
There’s no sign of a mom cat nearby, but I know there’s a chance she could come back. I now know the rest of my shift is going to be checking on the kitten and seeing if the mom returns.
Throughout my shift, I bring out water and some food, but never see any sign of the mom, or any other cat by the time my forty-eight hours is over.
I pick up the kitten, tucking it into my chest. “I guess you’re coming home with me.”
CHAPTER 10
Lily
I’ve always beena bit of a night owl. The middle of the night was when I would get the most studying done in college, and if anyone tried to wake me up early, they would feel my wrath. My friends liked to get into some crazy situations late at night which made the best stories.
Despite what people may think, it’s notmegetting into ridiculous situations. I’m just a victim of circumstances.
But here I am on my third shift of my new job as an ER nurse, and night shift isbrutal.Something about when three in the morning hits, my entire brain leaves the building. Of course, it really can’t because I still have an extremely important job to do.
I’m glad this is my last shift for a few days. I’m even more glad that I haven’t run into Parker while at work. Though, unfortunately for me, I have had to hear about him. The firefighter that’s too good looking for his own good is pretty popular around the hospital. Especially with the nurses.
They talk about all the people Parker works with. I toldSutton that she better watch out with how they talk about her husband, Jameson, too. She said she’s not worried and never has to be. She’s right, that man is so down bad for her that I don’t think he notices anyone else. Like literally, I think he’s blind to faces unless they’re Sutton. It’s disgustingly sweet.
Parker, on the other hand, is a natural flirt. Asinglenatural flirt, so he gets the most attention. I’m sure he’s slept with the majority of my coworkers. Since he turned into a giant man whore after we broke up.
Couldn’t even handle being apart for a month and he’s jumping into bed with someone else. I’m sure he’s had his fun making his rounds around town, and here at the hospital that’s technically not in Amity, but close enough for him.
No one has said they’ve been with him, but I also try to tune out whenever his name is mentioned.
“We have a call coming in,” our charge nurse announces to prepare us all. I’m still in training so I know I’m not going to be heavily involved, but there’s a chance that my luck of not seeing my ex has run out.
The other nurses prep the room they’re going to bring the patient into, and I help where I can. The bay door opens, and I freeze at the sight. The gurney is being pushed in, but that’s not what catches my eye.
The man currently performing CPR on the patient is the one I’ve been hoping to avoid. Parker is completely focused on the compressions while they wheel the patient to the room we prepped. The moment that has my brain short circuiting is when he removes one hand to reach into the medical bag on the gurney to grab something. All while hecontinues the consistent pattern of compressions one handed.
I’m completely lost in how large his tattooed bicep looks. I swear time freezes while my brain takes mental pictures I’m going to want to keep for a hot minute. I don’t even have time to mentally slap myself for how hot this is because it’s taking all my effort to not call out, “Smash!”
I know it’s not the time or place.