“Whitier. Stop. Don’t tank my chance at getting the girl.” Mia hadn’t heard Dire approach she’d been so into her conversation.
Alpha rolled her eyes and moved from the chair. “I’m going to go have a swing of that turkey, pretend to knock down each of your ugly mugs with it.”
“How you feeling Mia? I thought you looked a bit tired when I glanced over. Ready to call it a day?”
“Ash is having fun.”
“Not at all what I asked.”
“Maybe I’m a little tired and have a slight but insignificant headache,” she admitted because staring at his worried face, she couldn’t muster the lie that she was fine.
“You’ve only been home for four days. You didn’t think you would be all healed up by now, did you?”
“I don’t know. The doctor told me I might have headaches for up to six weeks and to not do any driving if I didn’t have to for a while. I’m just used to being busy or at work. Sitting home doing nothing was nice the first day but boring. I’m not into daytime soaps.” She rolled the hem of the blanket around her fingers. “Ashland leaves tonight. Her father’s parents are sending a car for her. I get to look forward to Sinclaire hovering over me.”
“I bet we can get you addicted to the movie networks. Have you taken your pain meds?”
He’d have to ask that one out point blank as they’d spent an hour arguing the night before about the bottle of pills she refused to take. “I took something for my headache.” Her evasive maneuver didn’t work.
Dire crossed his arms giving her the not buying your story quirked eyebrow.
“What did you take and when?”
“Two over the counter pain reliever pills about three hours ago.”
“How long have you been sitting here hurting or playing.” She missed the playful man she enjoyed seeing. In his place was the annoying controlling persona promising to shove the meds down her throat if need be. She saw her first glimpse of his serious alter ego at the hospital.
“I don’t know. I’m always sort of not feeling a hundred percent. The headaches come and go though.”
“Volante.” Dire signaled to his partner Rees, who jogged over to see what was going on.
“You need me?”
“Yeah, tell Ash to grab her things. It’s time to take her mom home. I’ll go tell the Captain I’m taking them home now.”
“B-but aren’t you working?” She stammered the words as everyone around her closed in.
“Does she need medical attention?” One of the medic trained men approached.
“Hey Lopez, no. What she needs is to get some rest and to take the pills the doctor prescribed instead of riding out the pain and further exhausting her body.” Samara nodded.
Okay, so his words had a smidge of merit behind them. She hadn’t thought she was stressing her body. The pain pills she could handle but the muscle relaxers made her feel so loopy she couldn’t stand it. So she opted to avoid both and deal. Plenty of people did.
“Hey Mom. The guys said you aren’t feeling good.” Ashland’s cheery face held a definite frown.
“I’m okay baby, don’t worry.”
“But, I’m leaving with Grandma and Grandpa in a little bit. How am I supposed to go have fun when you are in bed? At the hospital, going seemed like such a good idea but now it doesn’t. You always make me feel better when I’m not feeling good.”
“We talked about this Ashland, remember? About Alpha, Samara and I taking care of your mom while you visit your friends and have a fun winter vacation.”
“I know, but she’s my mom.”
“I’m not dying, Ashland. Come on, let’s get you home and out of my hair so you can have fun choosing between your guys.”
“Not cool, Mom.” Ashland stuffed her MP4 player into her pocket with a sigh and stomped off.
“Ouch.” Dire held his hand out. Mia accepted the olive branch and stood up with the blanket cocooning her. She folded the still warm fabric and set it on the chair.
“I still have a few tricks up my sleeve.” Mia attempted a smile that in all reality, to her at least, came across as a grimace, since she felt her skin pinch up and agony radiate through her back. Maybe skipping two doses of the muscle relaxers weren’t such a good idea.
“Can you walk? Stretch those muscles out a bit?”
“I’m not sure. But if you touch me I might scream, so where does that leave us?”
“Up shit creek without a paddle, but hey I’m all for improvising. How do you want me to get you to the truck?”
“Can you zap us there with magic?” Her attempt at humor failed miserably. “I knew staying out for a few hours was too much to handle right now.” She bit back the tears welling up.
“Breathe. I’ll lift you over my shoulder and carry you to the car. I know it’ll hurt a bit but not as much as walking. One condition, you have to take your meds.”
“Slave driver. You drive a hard bargain.” Mia closed her eyes as he picked her up and gingerly carried her to the station SUV.
“I reckon I’ve heard that a time or two before.” He spoke as she nestled into his body heat. With each step outside, a huff of white escaped her mouth. In front of her Ashland climbed into the backseat and shut the door.
“She gonna be okay?”
“Yeah, she just has some figuring out to do on her own and doesn’t like that I didn’t give her an easy answer or easy way out of her dilemma.” Dire cradled her with one arm while opening the passenger door.
“Good. You know, one of these days we have to go out on a real date, instead of spending a majority of our alone time in vehicles.”
“I’m going to stay in bed for the next year, forget I said I was bored earlier. I’d rather be bored than this.”
“You stay in bed for the next eight hours and I will be at your disposal for the next forty-eight hours. Deal?”
“You shouldn’t make open ended deals without specifics. What if I dole you out to all the Cheer Moms? Make you a slave for two days or make you wear a dress and wig?”
“I’d retaliate at the most opportune moment, sweet face. Buckle up.”
“It’s interesting that my place is rather close to your station. I guess your guys would be the ones to show up if I ever went up in a blaze of glory?” Mia closed her eyes as he navigated them through the streets.
“Yeah. I’d come for you.”
Her insides melted into mush at his words. Time to keep him on subject. “When a call comes in who goes where? I don’t know much about the different trucks and teams.”
“A standard emergency would be an ambulance, an engine and pumper. Your car wreck had a ladder truck, rescue, pumper and ambulance. Responding to a house fire is two pumpers, truck company, rescue, ambulance and Battalion Chief.”
“That is a lot. What about the crazy stuff like people going over a bridge or a building collapsing?”
“Everyone I just mentioned. The rescue truck holds all kinds of devices to pull people out. I’d go in the water to save someone, over a bridge or team up with recovery in a boat to find bodies. Not every station has a rescue team. We’re centralized at locations that best provide quick response when needed.”
“I’m going to need you to not scare me with stories and daring rescues you’ve made.”
“Deal. I’m gonna need for you to not watch the television during a rescue if you can’t handle the situation.”
“No deal. How can you ask me to not want an update?”
“So you do care.” Checkmate. He’d honed in on her too deep, too soon feelings.
Mia clamped her lips shut and stared out the window as Dire turned on the radio and hummed to Bing Crosby. She warred with wanting to strangle him for his insight and kiss him for the sexiness she didn’t want to escape.
“And we’re here.” The back door opened and Ashland was out in a flash. Her in-law’s service car waited in the driveway.
Mia turned to Dire. “You are too cocky for your own good.”
&n
bsp; A van bearing the name Debbie’s Massages pulled up next to the service car. “I wonder what that is all about.”
“Why don’t we go see.” Dire exited the vehicle and quickly crossed to her door to assist her. As soon as she stepped out, he swept her up into his arms and strode toward the house, meeting the masseuse and her foldable table at the door.
“Can I help you?” Mia asked from Dire’s arms.
“I’m Ms. Meyers. I have a two o’clock appointment for the works for Mia Justice.”
“The works? Who set this up?”
“A Miss Sinclaire, I’m already paid up, just need to set up my table and grab my other supplies.”
“Please come in.” They all trailed in Ashland’s dust.
Mia could hear her running back and forth up stairs gathering her things. Dire set her down and walked to the sink for a glass of water as she rummaged through her handbag for her pills. Like a hawk, he watched her swallow the medicine and then slowly guided her to a kitchen chair.
“I have to get back to the station. Call my cell if you need me. You’ll see we sit around more than we go out and other days we go out all night continually. Tonight’s not a full moon so don’t worry about my safety too much.” He winked and she wanted to throw a pillow at him.
“Be safe.” She’d said those same words to Connor when he was deployed. Could she do this again? Different job, same hazards?
“Always Mia.Always. Merry Christmas. I will see you when I get off work.” He dropped a soft kiss on her mouth, brushed his thumb over her bottom lip and lit out of her house like wildfire.
“Ash, if you don’t come down now you won’t have time to open your gifts before you leave.”
“I’ll be down in a minute, Mom. Meet me by the tree, okay?”
“Ms. Meyers, I’ll be right back. I need ten minutes with my daughter before we begin.” Mia excused herself and slowly headed to the lit up tree with presents underneath.
“Ash let’s see how fast you can tear into these.”
Her daughter plunked down and began shredding the first wrapped package. A pair of faux fur lined boots lay inside. “Yes, I’ve been eyein’ these for months now.”
Mia accepted her package and found her favorite perfume. “I was running low. Thank you.”
The rest was all Ashland. She opened her gifts to find gift cards and a new media player with a camera and texting capabilities. She also received a new winter sweater, scarf and glove set, earrings, perfume, lotion and an ereader loaded with new young adult books. Watching her face light up as she opened gifts made Mia’s day. “You went all out. I’m so excited. Now how am I going to pack all this up with my stuff?”
“I have no idea but you’ll figure it out, no doubt. Merry Christmas, baby.”
“Thanks Mom, I can’t wait to show my friends. Whootwhoot.” Ashland gathered her things and ran back up the stairs to finish packing.
Mia took a deep breath and moved at a snail’s pace back to where the masseuse waited. “Ms. Meyers, I’m ready now. I appreciate your being patient. Thanks for waiting.”
“It’s all right dear, this is a holiday. Let’s get you settled so you have time to rest before your man returns home. Sinclaire tells me you had an accident recently. A massage will help you feel a thousand times better.”
Mia pondered correcting the masseuse and asking why she was working today. “I was in a car wreck.”
Ms. Meyers acknowledged with a smile. “Now, would you like to have your massage in here or in your room? I’ll need room to work.”
“Here is fine. What is the works?”
“A full hour massage, Brazilian wax and vajazzling.” She winked after mentioning the later. “If you have a robe and would like to change, that’s fine, or you can grab a few towels and meet me back here in a minute or so. I’ll be ready then.”
“Do I want to know what vajazzling is?”
“Sinclaire seemed to think you would like the option of having yours done. It’s all the rage for women of all ages. Fun and flirty. Sexy. Your friend mentioned you’re entering the dating scene again.”
“I’m not sure being vajazzled is my thing but who knows, I may be wrong.” Mia stood slowly and took her time walking up the stairs to her bathroom. “Ash, you okay?”
“Fine Mom, finished packing.” Ashland came out into the hall and kissed her cheek. “I’ll call you when we get to the resort. Please get some rest. And I’m jealous that you have a massage lady here. Tell Sinclaire I want one for my birthday. Thanks again for all the wonderful gifts. Merry Christmas, love you. Tell BFA Merry Christmas too.”
“I will.” Mia kissed her daughter, glad she hadn’t heard the vajazzling bit, and watched her struggle with three stacked suitcases and a makeup case down the stairs.
She grabbed her bathrobe and changed as quickly as she could. Images of Sinclaire with a vajazzled vajayjay kept flitting through her mind. There were some things a best friend didn’t need to know or see. In her birthday suit, covered by the soft terrycloth material, she headed back down the stairs. The warm ambience Ms. Meyers set up soothed her ruffled nerves. She’d never had a naked massage or a complete wax job done. What was Sinclaire thinking?
“There you are. Why don’t you climb up on the table and we can get started.”
Mia obeyed and made herself as comfortable as possible. “I hope you can get the crazy kinks out from the wreck. I’ve been in a ton of pain off and on.”
“Well, this might take more than one visit since your body is so traumatized. Close your eyes. I have some warmed almond oil. I’ll work over your shoulders and down your back first, move my way down your thighs, to your calves and feet. We’ll check your sciatic nerve and make sure it’s not out of place. I won’t work on your neck for this visit. We’ll focus on loosening up all your other muscles. Don’t worry a thing. Let the music sooth you.” Ms. Meyers began moving her hands in such a comforting way Mia couldn’t stay awake.
“What a good client you are. Wake up a bit now so we can get this last bit done and I’ll be out of your hair.”
“Hmm?” The warm hands left her body. Mia opened a drowsy eye. “You stopped. That was absolutely wonderful.”
“How are you feeling? Hurt anywhere?”
“Good. The meds are working and the massage really loosened me up.”
“Are you up for the wax job today or do you want to reschedule it for when you feel better? You have time, I’m scheduled to come back and see you three times a week for the next few months.”
“Might as well do it while all my senses are dulled right?”
Ms. Meyers chuckled. “Okay. This will take about a half hour. I’ll do sections at a time and we’ll have you all shiny and new in no time.”
“Beats cobweb dusty.” Mia threw an arm over her eyes and entrusted her vajayjay to the masseuse. Ten minutes, later she wanted to curse the woman to hell. Twenty minutes, she wanted the ordeal to be over, And by thirty she needed a new massage. How many nerve endings did the mons have? Ms. Myers moved around as if none of her patients had issues with the works being done on them.
“Vajazzle?”
“Surprise me.”
If anyone told her she’d feel comfortable bared to a woman with wax and strips, she’d have called them a liar. In her mind, she counted the ways to kill Sinclaire.
“All done. You did very well for your first time. After a few more times you’ll be a pro. The first few times sting a bit. This will get to a point where you won’t feel a thing just a slight tug.”
“I’ll reserve that judgment for later. And here I thought the muscle relaxers would make me not feel a thing. What a disappointment.” She spoke while Ms. Meyers placed the gems on her now bare mons.
“All done with your vajazzle, would you like to see?” Ms. Meyers closed her robe, as if modesty mattered right now.
“Sure, but what I really want to know is…can I hire you for another hour to make me fall back asleep?”
“I’m sorry, dear
. I have another appointment this afternoon and I need time to drive there. I can come back tomorrow if you need.”
Crap and damn. “If you leave your card, I’ll give you a call.” Mia wanted to give Ms. Meyers a tip but she helped her off the portable table and shooed her away to the couch.
Ten minutes later, Ms. Meyers was gone and she was blessedly alone. Mia picked up the remote and switched on the television hoping to find a distraction. Instead she learned why Dire warned her not to tune into the news. A raging inferno blazed in the background of the reporter giving updates on the dangerous situation.
Chapter Four
“Mia. Snap out of it.”
Mia blinked back into focus. Sinclaire stood in front of her with a bag of food and her favorite latte. Her stomach rumbled. She tuned out the television and kept her gaze on her best friend. “He’s in there somewhere.”
“That’s his job. Of course he is. Let’s change the channel and eat for a bit.” Unbidden tears flowed freely. Hormones, has to be, I just met him a few days ago.
“Dire is a trained professional. Trust him and his team to do their job. They live and breathe saving as many lives as possible in any situation they’re called to.”
“The fire is a bad one. And on Christmas.” Her heart went out to the families losing their homes and belongings.
“What fire isn’t bad, Mia?” Sinclaire unwrapped the sandwiches and handed her a cup of salted caramel goodness. “Let’s eat.”
“I can’t.” She flicked a glance back at the television for a glimpse of him, just one. With each passing moment he didn’t come on screen her panic rose tenfold. “Where is he?”
Sinclaire sat next to her and pulled her into a tight hug. Mia laid her head on her shoulder.
“This is not the same. Don’t go there and let this chance for a good man go to waste. Promise me.”
“Damn right it’s not the same. At least with deployment there was the worry without a visual in my face. I can’t escape the local news and I can’t turn the damn thing off wondering if seeing him on television is the last time I’ll see him alive. It’s too soon for me. I can’t do this thing with Dire and risk everything. I don’t want to be widowed again.”
Heaven Sent Page 5