Still the One

by Belle Calhoune

  “That was a little bit selfish on my part. I never want to see you in danger, Tess. I'd do anything to keep you safe.” Reaching down, he glided a finger across her furrowed brow. He hated the strain etched on her beautiful face. “Get some sleep. Everything will work itself out tomorrow.” She smiled at him, her eyes radiating gratitude. She didn't have to thank him for a single thing. He'd do anything for her. Didn't she know that?

  For a moment Tess stood in the doorway before she closed the door. It was hard to turn away from the sight of her, knowing he was headed home to an empty house. Although he loved his house there was something so cozy and welcoming about Tess' home. Maybe, just maybe, it had nothing to do with her house and everything to do with the woman who resided there.

  As he departed 122 Seashell Lane, his thoughts skimmed over the events of today. Blue and Sarah were now husband and wife. The Donahue clan had been in full force, joyful and celebratory as they cheered Blue on. With the grace of God, his father had been able to attend the wedding. Even though he still wasn't fully recovered, he'd made major steps in his recovery. And he'd kissed Tess. It hadn't been a slight peck either. It had been a full-on, delectable, tender kiss. The taste of her lips still lingered in his mind. The way she'd responded to him as if she wanted the kiss to go on forever. Had he imagined that? Was it wishful thinking? He shook his head to rid himself of all his thoughts of Tess. She was becoming dangerous to his equilibrium. Whatever was going on between him and Tess needed to be nipped in the bud. He'd be working with her tomorrow and he had no intention of letting any personal feelings get between them. There was no sense in messing up a great thing. He just needed to snap out of it.

  *

  For Tess, showing up bright and early to work was a monumental feat. She'd stayed up late with Seth watching a horror movie, eating popcorn and trying to ferret out information about what was going on back at home. For the most part, Seth gave her a lot of monosyllabic answers. He was a typical teenage boy. The less said the better as far as he was concerned. The only thing she'd been able to figure out was that Mom had a new boyfriend, one who had moved into the house, lock, stock and barrel. Just the thought of it made her shudder. She pressed her eyes closed as the memory of cigarette butts and the smell of beer drifted over her.

  A feeling of bitterness swept over her. Growing up she'd never known her father, a fact that still embarrassed her. She wasn't even sure if her mother knew who he was. She'd always been ashamed of it. It was shameful to have a blank space on your birth certificate. That was one of the reasons she'd been so eager to leave New Hampshire. In Breeze Point she didn't have to worry about her mother's latest escapade or what the neighbors thought of her family. She was free to be the Tess Dailey she'd worked so hard to become.

  As soon as she walked into the office Tess spotted Ryder shooting the breeze with a group of co-workers. Every time she saw him there was a little flutter low in her belly. Butterflies. A tingling sensation on her arms. A feeling of awareness trickled through her. Ryder looked over at her, his gaze friendly and open. So why did her heart clutch inside her? Why did her thoughts immediately turn towards the amazing kiss they'd shared yesterday?

  Did Ryder have to look so amazing, each and every day? Did he have to be so heart-stoppingly gorgeous? The light-blue shirt he wore accentuated the blue of his eyes, while the fit of the shirt showcased his strong chest and powerful arms. She swallowed past the lump in her throat, wishing she could go back to a simpler time when Ryder had just been her colleague. Who was she kidding? Had it really ever been simple? Her feelings for him had grown and heightened weeks after meeting him. From the very start, he'd always held her heart.

  She watched as Ryder broke away from the group and walked toward her, his movements full of power and ease. He shoved his hands into his front pockets. “Hey, what's up? How did last night go with Seth?”

  “It went pretty well. He wasn't exactly chatty, but we managed to connect a little bit.”

  “Did you call your mother?”

  All of sudden she felt sheepish. “No, I didn't. Not yet. I was in a rush this morning.”

  Ryder's gaze narrowed and he shook his head. “Come on, Tess. You know what you have to do. No sense borrowing trouble. Seth is officially being classified as a runaway. You need to make that call.”

  She fought against a sense of irritation with Ryder. Even though she knew he was well meaning, she resented him telling her how to handle the situation. What did he know about it anyway? The Donahue family was perfect in every way. Ryder didn't have to deal with a dysfunctional mother and a twisted family dynamic. She caught herself. Ryder had been through agony in his childhood. Even though he'd moved miles and miles away from that dysfunctional place, it was still a part of him. “I said I'll call her, and I will,” she said, her voice sounding a bit defensive.

  “Sooner rather than later,” Ryder bit back.

  “Yes, sir,” she muttered. Ryder leaned in toward her, smelling of pine trees and masculinity and a hundred other yummy things. They locked gazes and there was a pulse in the air between them, something electric and sizzling with energy. “Do we have a problem between us because of yesterday?”

  Tess licked her lips. “You mean because of the kiss?”

  His eyes were closed, but his jaw moved almost imperceptibly. Did the thought of their kiss bother him that much? He nodded. “Yes, because of the kiss.”

  “I'm a big girl, Ryder. Trust me, there are plenty of men in Breeze Point who wouldn't think kissing me is a big mistake.” She tried to make a smooth exit away from him, but Ryder wasn't having it. He gently clasped her wrist and moved closer towards her, so there was no more than an inch between their bodies.

  “I didn't say that I didn't enjoy it,” he said, his voice as smooth as glass. “Trust me, I did. And if you weren't my best friend I wouldn't think twice about doing it again.”

  She locked gazes with him. “Sounds like you've thought about it at least once.”

  Ryder let out a groan. He bent down so his mouth rested close to her ear. “Let's just say you made your way into my dreams last night.”

  He let go of her wrist and walked away from her, leaving her with ragged breathing and an increased pulse rate. Ryder had dreamed about her last night! And from the sounds of it, their kiss had featured prominently in his dream. Excitement thrummed in her veins at the unexpected comment. Even though he was trying his best to keep things on a friendship basis between them, it was clear he wasn't as convinced about it as he claimed to be. He'd just given her a kernel of hope. Considering the fact that she was head over heels in love with him, a kernel felt like something monumental to hold onto. And she was going to hold on to it with both hands. As a woman of faith, she could do no less.

  *

  Keep the faith. The words thrummed in his head as he did the chest compressions. He'd been at it for a while now, to no avail. He and Tess had arrived at the home fifteen minutes ago to find a seven-year-old boy unresponsive after being pulled unconscious from a pool. They all knew the family—the Chapmans—as well as their son, Jack. The little boy was a big fan of the Bay State Bombers and trailed along after Wyatt whenever he saw him in town. There was nothing worse, in his opinion, than a child being in harm's way. Inside his chest his heart was hammering like a jack hammer. The scent of chlorine burned his nostrils. He felt clammy despite the heat. Losing Jack would be devastating to his family and the Breeze Point community. As fear rose up inside him, he began to pray.

  Dear Lord, please be with us in this time of struggle. Please lift Jack up as he fights to hold on to life. Keep us strong to fight this battle.

  “Let me take over, Ryder. You're exhausted.” He felt Tess' hand on his shoulder, her touch gentle but firm as she pushed him aside.

  Knowing it was for the best, he sank back down on the concrete, allowing Tess to step in and begin doing CPR. His choppy breathing echoed in his ears. The rapid rise and fall of his chest drove home the point that he'd given everything
he'd had to give to this rescue. Now it was in Tess' hands. Jack's lips were a shade of purple blue and all the color had been leached from his face. His babysitter stood nearby, her thin frame wracked by sobs. Tess leaned down and placed the heel of her hand under Jack's breastbone. She placed her other hand on top, lacing her fingers. After pressing down she waited for a beat then pressed again. Over and over she did it until all of a sudden she stopped, her face holding a look of expectation. She tilted his head back, then pinched his nose and lowered her head to initiate mouth to mouth resuscitation. Tess pulled away as a gurgling sound slipped past Jack's lips. His eyelids began to flutter. Fluid burst out of his mouth as he stirred.

  “Jack!” The babysitter uttered his name on a sob. Even though he wanted to lash out at her for leaving a seven year old alone in a pool while she went inside to get snacks, Ryder knew it wasn't the time or the place. The fact that Jack was alive was such an incredible blessing.

  The sound of screeching tires reverberated in the stillness of the spring afternoon. Frantic cries rent the air as Jack's parents came racing back towards the pool area. The babysitter had placed an urgent call to the Chapmans while she was waiting for their paramedic service to arrive.

  “Jack!” Viola Chapman's cry rippled in the air. She ran straight to her son's side, falling to her knees on the concrete. He reached out and gently touched her shoulder. “Mrs. Chapman, give him some space please. We're going to put him on the gurney and take him to Breeze Point Hospital to get fully checked out. We need to see if there is any fluid in his lungs.”

  Mrs. Chapman resisted him for a moment, then rose to her feet. She turned towards him, her eyes radiating gratitude. “Thank you.” She swung her gaze toward Tess. “Both of you. If we'd lost him—.” She brought her hand to her trembling lips. Pressing her eyes closed she took a deep breath.

  Mr. Chapman appeared at her side and pressed her against his chest. He smoothed back her hair, his tone full of tenderness as he said in a thick New England accent, “He's going to be alright, Viola. Our boy is going to be fine.” His huge frame shuddered as he embraced his wife.

  “Mrs. Chapman, why don't you ride along with us in the back,” he suggested. “It will help Jack to see a familiar face.” She sniffled and shot him a look of pure gratitude. He reached out and clasped her hand, knowing words escaped her at this emotional moment. As it was, she appeared to be shell shocked by the situation. He couldn't imagine what it would feel like as a parent to receive such a devastating call from a caregiver. Thankfully, the Chapmans hadn't lost their son today, something for which they were all thankful.

  After strapping Jack to a gurney, Tess and Ryder moved him towards the ambulance, meeting up with two other of their unit members along the way. Gary Travers and Kim Swain had arrived in another ambulance and were swiftly walking towards them. Kim was one of Tess' closest friends. They'd both started working at Breeze Point Medical Transport at the same time and learned the ropes together.

  Tess nodded to them and yelled out, “Near-drowning victim. He's conscious. He wasn't under for that long, but it took a long time to bring him back. We're headed to the hospital now to make sure he gets checked out.” Gary and Kim backed off, knowing Ryder and Tess had to get Jack situated before heading to the hospital. “Nice save!” Gary shouted out as they placed the gurney in the back of the ambulance.

  Tess volunteered to stay in the back with Jack and Viola while Ryder drove the ambulance to Breeze Point Hospital. It was critical for Jack to be examined by a doctor to see if he'd inhaled fluid in his lungs. Tess was monitoring his oxygen levels, but a physician still needed to give him the thumbs up. They couldn't take any chances in this situation. With sirens wailing and red lights flashing, Ryder made the five mile trip to the hospital in record time.

  Before Jack was taken away by the nurse on staff, he watched as Tess squeezed Viola's hand and whispered something in her ear. Whatever Tess had said, it resulted in a gentle smile plastered on Viola's face. As Jack was whisked away, his mother trailing right behind him, Ryder turned towards Tess, curious as to what she'd shared with Viola.

  Tess glanced at him, easily reading the expression on his face. “I told her to imagine Jack this time next year, full of energy and a few inches taller. I told her to keep that image in her head and not let go of it until this crisis is over.”

  “Is that what you did when Seth nearly drowned?”

  Tess had confided in him a few years ago about the reason she'd decided to pursue a career as an EMT, then a paramedic. Seth had nearly drowned in a bathtub when he was two years old. Her mother had left the bathroom to make a phone call, forgetting all about Seth in the process. Tess had been the one to find a submerged Seth in the tub. She'd watched helplessly as a neighbor who worked as a paramedic brought her little brother back to life. Ever since then, she'd had a fire lit inside her to help others the way Seth had been helped.

  She shuddered. “I still remember that helpless feeling and the shock of seeing my baby brother lifeless under the water. And I'll never forget our neighbor, Mary Sue. She was riding her bike in the area and heard our screams. I'll never forget the way she did CPR and brought him back. It's still a running picture in my head. She cried afterward, when she'd brought him back and he was breathing on his own.”

  “Saving someone's life is emotional.” Although he'd never cried openly after saving someone, he'd definitely felt his emotions rising to the surface in certain rescue situations. And there was something so incredibly powerful about saving a life.

  Tess nodded, her eyes slightly hooded, her expression somber. “It truly is. At the time I was so young I wasn't sure why Mary Sue was crying. But now I know. The raw adrenaline that races through you when someone is hovering between light and death...it's awe-inspiring when you can bring them back.”

  Ryder nodded. He knew exactly what Tess meant, not only as a paramedic but as a person who'd been in the presence of heroes. “Your first brush with a real-life hero. It never leaves you.”

  “You never told me about yours.” Tess shot him a look full of expectation.

  He'd never told her because he figured she already knew the answer.

  “I have a few. My grandmother was my first hero. She put me first, before her own illness and her suffering. That's pretty heroic. And my parents. They had no idea what they were signing up for when they brought seven rambunctious kids into their house. They were so young and acting on nothing more than a strong dose of faith and love. They showed me how to be heroic even when you're afraid or unsure of what you're doing.”

  “Maggie and Alec are amazing. I want to be like them when I grow up,” she said. “I love being around them. They treat me like an honorary Donahue. That's what a real home is,” she said, her voice turning wistful. “A place where the door is always open for guests.”

  Her tenderness caused a strong feeling to swell inside him. “You're not a guest, Tess. You're family. And by the way, you were amazing back there with Jack. You feeling okay about it?”

  “Me? I'm fine. Just letting it all soak in.” She let out a deep shudder. “Things got kind of scary for a few minutes. I thought we might lose him. The very thought of it was terrifying.”

  He shook his head, armed with full knowledge of just how close they'd come to losing Jack to drowning. A huge sigh escaped his lips. “I know. It was one of those moments when all I could do was keep praying.”

  “It worked. Jack's going to be fine.” The corners of her mouth tilted upwards into a beguiling smile.

  “Thanks to you,” he said, his heart filled with gratitude for having a partner like Tess.

  She shot him a surprised look. “Thanks to both of us. We're a team, remember?”

  A team. He'd happily team with Tess for the rest of his career if he could. It made his chest swell with pride to see how far Tess had come in the last few years. She'd grown from an insecure, flaky employee into a capable and dedicated paramedic. There wasn't anyone he trusted more professionally.r />
  As they exited the hospital and made their way back to the ambulance, Tess settled into the driver's seat. As she moved to start the car, Ryder reached for her hand, gently stopping her from revving the engine. She turned towards him, her brilliant eyes brimming with questions.

  “I'm thankful for your partnership,” he said, forcing the words out past the lump in his throat. “It means the world to me knowing I work side by side with someone I trust implicitly.”

  She cleared her throat, her eyes becoming a little misty. “Right back atcha.”

  “Who knew when you first started working with us that you'd become such a skilled professional.”

  He coughed, hoping Tess hadn't seen him fighting a wave of emotion. He wasn't sure why all his feelings were resting right on top of the surface these days, but he needed it to stop. Growing up in a house full of brothers hadn't left much room for baring one's feelings, even though their parents had always encouraged it. No, the Donahue boys had all been pretty rough and tumble, with the exception of Remy, who'd always worn his heart on his sleeve. As the eldest, Ryder had always felt it was his job to keep it all together and lead the others by example.

  But now, something was shifting inside him. And he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He just knew that the things he usually kept on the inside were bubbling over. He couldn't hold them in anymore. Perhaps it had started when he'd lost Lena and was now carrying over into the present.

  Tess let out a low chuckle. The sound of it caused a stream of happiness to flow through him.

  “I remember how green I was when I first started working here. No one wanted to partner with me,” she said with a shake of her head, “until you took me under your wing.”

  “Even though you were as green as Bermuda grass, I could see your potential,” he said. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Although she'd been a bit of a klutz and had walked around with a huge chip of her shoulder, he'd seen glimpses of the caring, dedicated woman she'd blossomed into over the past six years. Once he'd gotten to know her a little bit and discovered tid bits about her dysfunctional upbringing in New Hampshire, he'd grown to admire her all the more. Nothing in her life had ever been handed to her. She'd worked for everything she'd ever achieved in her life.