Yeah, she might be right. It was pretty spectacular as far as machines went. “Let’s just hope it does the job.”
“It will.” Her grin boosted his meager confidence a bit more.
“Well, as much as I would love to stay here and admire the gorgeous Bell, I’ve got to go help Ella.” Adrian pitched a set of keys to Peter. “Here ya go, Chief. Lock up when you’re done.”
As Adrian pulled away in his Porsche, Ronnie stood next to Peter and studied the chopper once more. “How can you still be floundering about your choice? Look at this thing!”
It was impressive. And it did have all the medical equipment Ronnie had requested, the firefighting capability to add a bucket when needed, and a rigging pully system to assist in search and rescue. Maybe she was right. “It’s growing on me.”
She laughed. “Well, it should, because it was a great choice.”
But would she still think so when he told her what else he had done? He pushed his hair back and clasped his hands behind his neck. He just had to keep a casual vibe going. “I invited someone else to come see the new chopper.”
“Gonna show it off some more, huh?”
“Well, actually it’s more of an olive branch.”
“Olive branch?” Her eyes glinted with suspicion.
Oh, this was harder to sell than he’d anticipated.
She fisted her hands on her hips. “Peter, what did you do?”
The woman caught on fast.
“I, uh, told Seb I would help you fit in. So that’s what I’m doing.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Who is coming?”
“This is the perfect opportunity to smooth things over.”
“Peter!”
“My uncle is coming.”
“Which uncle? You’ve got a few.”
“Charlie.”
“You invited Charlie Zimmerman here? Why in the world would you do that?”
Now that he’d gotten that off his chest, he couldn’t help but notice that she was kinda cute when she was riled up. But Peter smothered his grin. “You said we need all the help we can get on our team. Uncle Charlie won’t come back to the first responders until you apologize.”
“But Charlie? Charlie Zimmerman?”
“We’re getting a lot of new recruits, but can we really afford to turn down volunteers? Any volunteer?”
She shook her head. Adamantly. “No. I’m not apologizing to that man. Instead of talking with me, he went behind my back with a complaint to the mayor. I have no time for people like that. And as a volunteer, he was more of a detriment than a help on the scene.”
“When we were shorthanded, he showed up. I know he’s not the easiest to get along with, and I know he has a lot to learn still. But if you can win him over, it would be huge in showing that the town is on your side.”
“No.”
“He’s the self-appointed spokesperson for all the Zimmermans. He could persuade others to step up and volunteer too.”
“I won’t.”
“Ronnie, come on. We need this. We need to make sure Seb sees you getting along, fitting in. He’ll be at the training session tonight. Think of how impressed he would be to see Charlie there. See you two getting along.”
The stubborn lift to her jaw dropped the slightest bit.
Peter edged a little closer to her. “Charlie doesn’t know you like I do. It was a stressful situation at the Hagborg fire—”
“And I stand by my decision. I wasn’t going to let him drive or assist when I saw how little he knew in treating a patient as critical as Gust.”
“Okay, yeah, but you were a little…”
“What? Pushy? Direct?”
“Rude, Ronnie. You came across as rude.”
She looked as if she’d been slapped. She stared down at the cement floor. Her voice dropped. “I wasn’t trying to be rude. I was trying to protect my patient and save his life.”
There was hurt in her voice, and he hated that he had caused it. But he was willing to push a little if it got her to see how important this was. “I know that now. If you just explain that you were focused on getting Gust to the hospital as quickly as possible, maybe Charlie will understand too.”
“Hmph.” She folded her arms across her chest and stared out the door. When she looked back at Peter, a new determination was there in her posture. “You really think that man will listen to anything I have to say?”
“If he’s smart, he will.”
She rolled her eyes, but one side of her lips also curled up. “You’re just trying to butter me up.”
“But it’s true.” He moved to face Ronnie. “I don’t know what Uncle Charlie will do, but it takes a pretty strong person to be humble enough to apologize.”
Her slim shoulders relaxed, but she lifted her chin back to the same stubborn angle as before. “Fine, I’ll do it. But only because my job depends on it.”
Peter sighed in relief. This would hopefully go a long way in gaining some much-needed Deep Haven support for his new partner.
He wasn’t ready to see Ronnie go just yet.
And it looked like he’d convinced her just in time. Uncle Charlie’s truck rolled into the airport. At first, he only had eyes for the chopper. “Now this is a thing of beauty,” he said as he walked into the hangar and took off his sunglasses.
“Thanks for coming, Uncle Charlie. I thought you’d like to see the Bell, and, uh, Ronnie is here too.”
Ronnie stepped out of the shadow of the chopper. She gave Charlie a curt nod.
“What’s she doing here?” Charlie asked.
Since her lips were still tightly closed, Peter guessed it was up to him to get this going. “She has something she wants to say to you.”
“Why should I care what she has to say?”
Ronnie stiffened.
He couldn’t make this easy, could he? “Uncle Chuck, just listen. Please.” Come on, Ronnie.
She closed her eyes for a split second and let out a quick breath before coming to stand next to Peter. “Charlie, I want to apologize.”
Clearly it killed her to spit that word out. Peter’s chest swelled a bit watching her conquer her own pride. Now it was up to his uncle.
The apology seemed to confuse Uncle Charlie. Then he puffed out his chest. “Well, it’s about time.”
Ronnie’s nostrils flared. Peter could’ve smacked the man. Instead he lightly nudged Ronnie’s elbow. Please hold it together.
She gritted her teeth. “I understand I might have come across as rude at the Hagborg incident. I’m sorry.”
Thata girl! And with her coming so far, Peter wanted to help ease the way. “We were hoping you’d come back to the first responders. There’s a training meeting later tonight. What do you say?”
Uncle Charlie seemed to chew on those words for a bit. “Apology accepted. Guess I could come to a training session or two. Help out a little.”
Ronnie opened her mouth as if to set him straight, but Peter cut in instead. “Great! Let me show you the helicopter.” And he led the older man around the new chopper.
As soon as Charlie left, Ronnie laid into him. “I hope you’re happy. That was humiliating!”
“Yeah, but you did it. And you know what, I am happy. This means you’ll be sticking around.”
All her hard lines, her shoulders, her back, her lips went slack. “That’s why you wanted me to apologize?”
He shrugged. “Yes.” Wasn’t it obvious?
A sweet smile bloomed on her face. “Okay.”
And for the first time today, it did seem okay—like things would work out just fine.
Who knew a near catastrophe would have such positive ramifications? An influx of volunteers showed up for the first responders training session. Volunteers who didn’t sign up, but she wouldn’t complain. The town was waking up to the need in the two weeks since Ronnie had moved in, and she would do her part to help them. But they might need to find a bigger space for the next meeting—something other than the Community Center warmi
ng house.
And she should probably start concentrating on training them instead of sneaking glances at her partner. Her gorgeous, charming, hazel-eyed partner.
So she was physically attracted to Peter Dahlquist. What woman wouldn’t be? He was built like one of those Italian marble statues, all hard muscle and strength.
But then again, it wasn’t his strength that impressed her. Frankly, the way he’d danced for that little girl at the tryouts had done a number on her heart. Sure, he was a complete dork, but somehow it only enhanced his big heart. It didn’t help that he’d also hung out with Tiago and Josh, teaching them how to throw the perfect spiral. And then there was the fact he’d gotten hurt rescuing stubborn teenagers who set themselves on fire. The way he’d stood up for her with Seb and even convinced her to apologize to Charlie Zimmerman.
Okay, so the man was a saint. And sure, she admired him. But nothing could ever come of it. Even if by some miracle he liked her, she wasn’t the kind of girl people stuck around for.
Besides, she would never let any man have that much control over her. Look what it had done to her mother. Plus she had Tiago to think of. A job to do. And even though Peter wasn’t her boss, they were colleagues. Didn’t everyone say people shouldn’t get romantically involved with coworkers?
She walked around, inspecting each group as they practiced CPR on dummies.
“Charlie, your elbows should be locked when you do compressions.”
He glared at her.
If it was supposed to intimidate her, fat chance. She wouldn’t pass him if he couldn’t master these basics, even if she’d swallowed her pride and apologized to him in order to talk him into attending. She’d only done it for Peter’s sake.
Okay, maybe Peter was right and she was a little brusque during their first emergency event. But from here on out, Charlie had a lot to prove if he was going to stay on the team.
She called them all back to their seats. “In a moment you’ll break into groups of three or four again and practice on each other how to check for airway and breathing. One of you will be the unconscious victim in each group.” Her gaze landed on Peter holding up the warming house wall with his shoulder, his arms folded. “Peter, why don’t you come up here and be my victim?”
Snickers sounded across the room as Peter walked over and lay on the floor at her feet. “As you wish.”
Ronnie knelt down and shook the image out of her head—the one of Westley using that line on Buttercup in the classic movie The Princess Bride. “Quiet, Farm Boy. You’re supposed to be unconscious.”
Get your head in the game, Morales.
“How can we check to see if the airway is clear and the victim is breathing? Dean?”
Dean Wilson sat up straight, a panicked look frozen on his face. He searched his notes and finally sputtered, “Uh, we look, listen, and feel.”
“That’s right.”
Maybe there was hope for him after all.
“Like Dean said, first we look. Watch for chest movement.”
Ronnie switched her gaze to Peter and watched his broad chest rise and fall. Aye mamma mia, he was buff. She could look at him all day long.
She should’ve picked a different volunteer because her mind was going places it shouldn’t.
“What about the head tilt?”
Of course, Charlie had to be the one to remind her.
“Yes, why don’t you show us how that’s done, Charlie?” Someone else please take over so she didn’t have to have skin-to-skin contact with this man lying at her feet.
Charlie leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. “I’m just a first responder. What do I know? You’re the paramedic.”
“Ronnie, you need to show them the breathing barriers too,” Peter said, pointing to the various masks on the table.
She plastered on a fake smile and wished for the millionth time tonight that she hadn’t forgotten the gloves. Because, of course, every time she touched Peter, her stupid heart raced, and her brain stopped working.
“Sometimes when a victim is unconscious, their tongue falls to the back of the throat, cutting off their airway. If there’s no trauma or injury to the head, neck, or spine, use a simple head tilt.” Ronnie placed her left hand on Peter’s forehead and with her right she used her pointer and middle fingers to lift the bony part of his chin. “Like this.”
Peter’s hair curled on the floor, his skin warm on her hand.
Suddenly, she had the swift and clear memory of being in his arms—albeit for a mere three seconds a couple weeks ago at Megan’s. And now she had the overwhelming desire to run her fingers through his long hair, over his strong jawline.
Oh boy. If he really needed CPR, he’d be dead by now.
“When you say, ‘feel for breath,’ what do you mean?” a woman from the back asked. “Do you put a hand on their chest?”
She gulped. “So, uh, when we say ‘feel’ we mean turn your face near the victim’s nose and mouth to see if you can feel their breath on your cheek. You’ll also be listening to their breathing from there. Is it rattled? Quick? Shallow? Pretty straight forward.”
She started to rise when a voice from the side of the room called, “I didn’t hear that so well. Can you show us?”
Others nodded, wanting the same.
Ronnie was a professional. She could totally do this. “Certainly.” She held her ponytail back so it wouldn’t fall in Peter’s face and leaned over him, her cheek hovering right over his lips. Ronnie fixed her eyes on his toes peeking out from his hiking sandals, but they didn’t distract her from the lips she was just inches from. Instead, Peter’s piney scent rose up, teasing her, and his breath on her skin lit it on fire.
And right in front of all of Deep Haven. Please, let her not be blushing.
“And that’s how you check airway and breathing.” She stood and checked it off on her clipboard. “All right, let’s take a quick break and when we come back, you can practice all this in your groups, including the correct use of breathing barriers.” She grabbed her water bottle and chugged the remainder of it down.
Peter’s bass voice sounded in her ear, just a whisper, but with the power to turn her weak. “Great job, partner.”
“Thanks.” She sidled away, trying to find her bearings. “I’m, uh, going to call Tiago. Make sure he’s where he’s supposed to be.” She stepped outside and let the evening breeze wash over her. She leaned against the log wall and fanned her cheeks with the clipboard she still carried.
What was wrong with her? All she wanted to do was train and teach these volunteers how to save lives. She’d done these procedures a million times. But suddenly she was in need of oxygen and her own first aid with the way her pulse rocketed out of control when she was around her partner.
She groaned. This was not what she needed right now. Or ever. She had a job to do. A brother to take care of. There was no time or place in her life for romance.
The rest of the class she kept her distance and had Peter take half the group while she taught the others. When they were done, she dismissed the class and gathered up her equipment.
She closed the CPR case and lifted it.
“Hey. I’ll get that.” Peter strode over and reached down to take the heavy case from her grasp, but she held on and tugged it back toward her.
“I don’t need help. I’ve got it.”
He could just yank the case away from her. He was certainly strong enough to. Instead, he kept a steady pressure, a gentle tug. “Ronnie, I know you can. But would you let me help? You look tired.”
His concern shouldn’t surprise her, but it still shocked her enough that she let go of the handle. “What do you mean I look tired?”
“You seemed a little off tonight, flushed, or something. Are you feeling okay?”
She couldn’t look at him and think coherent thoughts. “I’m great. Just distracted. It’s nothing.”
Shoot, but the kindness in his gaze was more dangerous than the touching. She spun back to the other
bags and slung the straps over her shoulders, marched out the door and back to—that’s right. They’d taken his truck. Ridden together.
Another dumb decision she wouldn’t make again, even if the equipment fit better in the back of his Chevy.
She plopped the bags down in the bed, and Peter followed her out.
He stood in her path. “Got a lot on your mind? I know a good thinking spot.”
“What?”
“You said you were distracted. I know a good place to help clear your head. Artist’s Point. Come on.”
He stepped back, opened the door for her, and she got in.
She doubted that spending any more time with him would clear her mind, but whatever.
He got in, drove them down to the harbor boat launch, and parked. When they got out, he led her past the Coast Guard station.
And her stupid feet followed.
But only because the wide-open space of Deep Haven was a safer bet for her traitorous heart than the cozy cab of his truck.
Peter followed the trail between the small bushes, hopped up the small rocky incline and down the path. A large expanse of basalt lay before her with Lake Superior crashing against the foot of stone in a happy rhythm. The lemony swath of sky above them hinted of a brilliant sunset to come.
They didn’t have this in Minneapolis.
The water had an immediate calming effect. She lowered herself to sit on a small ledge over the lake. The tightness in her back eased.
Peter sat next to her. “Anything you want to talk about? I’m a decent listener.”
He probably was, but she couldn’t afford to let him any further inside her heart than she already had. She kept her sights on the water in front of them. “Just a lot on my mind, a lot to do. I’ve got to get Tiago registered for school, work on the training classes, and apply for those grants to upgrade the equipment. And we have those sets for the play we have to build.”
“Yeah, I’m a little worried. I can build the structures Vivien wants, but I’m not sure about that backdrop. The cityscape one? It’s pretty elaborate. Can you paint?”
“Paint? Last time I painted…” The memory rose, dragging with it too much emotion before she could grab it and shove it away again.
Crazy for You Page 12