“Part of our agreement with the town of Scarlet Springs is that we’ll have at least one person certified in CPR and AED use in the tent at all times. That means I’ll need a copy of your current certifications. If you didn’t bring them with you, that’s fine. You can scan them and email them to me. I’ll need to have them on file before the festival opens. Are there any other questions?”
A few hands went up.
Ellie did her best to answer.
Yes, the fire department would once again have an ambulance on site. Yes, the tent would have heat and electricity. Yes, there would be a warm-up room for anyone suspected of having hypothermia. Yes, they would have oxygen and AEDs. No, she didn’t care whether a person did all six of their volunteer hours in a single day or spread them out over three days, as long as the tent had full coverage. Yes, she would need as much help as she could get unpacking the supplies and setting up. No, they wouldn’t need to set up the actual tent itself.
Jesse held up his hand. “How do you plan to handle it if someone needs help but is unable to get to the first-aid tent? The festival takes up most of downtown and stretches all the way to the reservoir. That’s a big area to cover.”
She hadn’t thought about that. Nothing in Pauline’s file addressed this issue. “I imagine we’d try to bring aid to them or ask the fire department to respond.”
Jesse seemed to consider this. “I could ask the Team to lend us one of its utility task vehicles. A UTV would make getting from one side of the event to the other a lot faster. It can handle snow and ice, and it can maneuver between booths—something an ambulance can’t do. Also, there’s room on the back to carry a litter should anyone need to be transported.”
Ellie could only see one problem with that. “Most of us don’t know how to drive one of those things.”
He laughed, his face lighting up with a grin that she felt all the way to her toes. “You drive it like a car—automatic transmission, steering wheel, brakes.”
“Oh. Okay.” She cleared her throat. “Thanks. Let me know what Megs decides.”
* * *
Relievedto have the initial meeting behind her, Ellie returned the key to the reference desk and walked outside—only to find Jesse leaning against her car, arms crossed over his chest, mirrored sunglasses hiding his eyes. She did her best to keep things professional. “Can I help you with something?”
“Help?” He grinned, looking sexier than any man should. “No. I wondered if you would like to join me for lunch.”
So she hadn’t been reading him wrong. Hewasinterested in her.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
She fumbled for her keys, her mind racing for a way out of this, an excuse. Then she remembered. “I need to pick up the kids. My mom has an appointment at one.”
He glanced at his watch. “A cup of coffee then?”
Damn.
She hated to hurt his feelings, but she needed to make herself clear.
“Jesse, I …” Why did these things have to be so difficult? “I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for the kids and me, and I appreciate your volunteering for the first-aid tent. But I know what you’re trying to do. I’m just not ready to date yet.”
One dark brow arched. “You think I signed up to volunteer for the first-aid tent to get closer to you?”
The way he said it made it sound like the most absurd conclusion possible.
“I signed up for this because I was sick over the weekend and all the other events had filled up. Megs would bust my ass if I didn’t volunteer for something. I asked you to lunch because we’re neighbors.”
Oh. God!
She stared up at him, her cheeks burning, the sharp edge of guilt pressing into her. She was such anidiot! “I guess I misunderstood. I just thought … I’m sorry.”
But she’d seen interest in that smile, in those eyes.
His forehead relaxed. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
He turned and walked away, leaving Ellie to stare after him.
Chapter 6
“Okay, what’s eating you?” Claire glanced over at Ellie, her hands on the steering wheel of her Subaru Outback as they made their way up the mountain toward the ski resort. “You might fool Mom and Dad, but you can’t fool me.”