by Sue MacKay
Andy looked up from the dispatch phone he’d been talking into. ‘Afraid not, sunshine. We’re wanted north of Horseshoe Bay.’
Yay. Something constructive to distract her. ‘What have we got?’ she asked as they raced for their flying machine.
‘Drunk driver went over the edge of the road into the river.’
‘Hypothermia, fractures, trauma injuries, all or any of the above, here we come,’ Hunter muttered as he went to give her a hand up into the chopper.
She dodged him. Feeling that hand on her tight skin would be like hot chocolate sauce on ice cream, leaving her a molten blob incapable of pulling herself together. ‘You forgot the belligerence, if our patient’s conscious.’ She was still aware of where the bruises had been from her last intoxicated patient three weeks ago.
A shadow crossed his eyes as she kept a gap between them. ‘Didn’t forget, merely hoping the driver will play nice for once,’ he growled.
Sinking onto the hard seat and buckling on the helmet, she put everything aside and went for normal. ‘I talked to Poppy’s breeder this morning. She’s got a litter due next month and is happy to put your name down if you still want a Lab.’
‘You what?’ Now Hunter looked confused.
Who could blame him? She was all over the show, first friendly then decidedly cool. But she had a problem here. To admit how wonderful it was to have Hunter back in her life, even if only partially, or to deny, deny, deny. Doing both was not working out so being pals was it from now on. ‘I thought it was something I could do for you both without getting in the way. If I’ve overstepped the mark, I’m sorry. The final decision’s yours, of course.’
‘You can say that when you’ve met Dylan?’ Finally, the smile was back, on his mouth and in his gaze.
Grinning, she snuggled down further into the seat and clipped the safety harness in place. ‘He’s really got your number, hasn’t he?’
‘He was born with it tattooed on the inside of his forehead.’ That tenderness that she’d observed when she’d seen Hunter with Dylan filled his eyes. This man adored his son, and nothing, no one, was going to get in the way of that.
Maybe, just maybe, his parents were going to have to learn to stand on their own feet from now on. Crossing her fingers at her side, she said, ‘I like that. It should keep him out of trouble for years to come.’ Even if it meant her chances at reconciliation of the full and totally involved kind had truly flown the coop. Her heart sank at the verification of what she already knew.
So, what was her problem? Nothing had changed from last month when she had been happy living solo, doing all the adventurous escapades her photography took her on, eating what and when she wanted, not having a rumpled bed that looked like a whole football team had been having a practice session in there, no hot male scents filling the corners of her room.
Nothing different, except hope had raised its head and wasn’t ready to be put to rest again. A work in progress, that. She’d keep at it and go mad in the interim.
Hunter closed them in, put his gear on and stretched those legs that went for ever towards the back of the chopper. ‘He’s a tough little nut, for sure. Just like his mum.’
‘Oh, yeah, and his father’s an absolute wimp. Softer than whipped cream, and about as useful in the hot sun.’
He grinned. ‘Hold back, why don’t you?’
‘Nah, it’s way too much fun baiting you.’ It was true. They’d always been like this together, and while she should be avoiding anything that reminded her of their previous relationship, it wasn’t possible—because that’s who they were. ‘Tell me about Evie.’
He blinked and tipped his head forward in her direction. ‘Pardon?’
She’d surprised herself as much as him. ‘You say she was tough too. Yes, too. You are a strong man, Hunter. Is that why you decided to make a go of marriage? Because you both believed in doing the right thing for someone you love and that if you tried hard enough, you’d succeed?’ Ouch. That was a loaded question, and she hadn’t seen it coming.
He’d suddenly found something intriguing with his boots, his gaze firmly fixed on them. ‘I never really thought about it. I think you’re partially right. There was no walking away from our responsibilities on either side. Evie cared a lot about people, would never deliberately hurt anyone, least of all her child.’
‘I’m surprised you split up, then.’
‘I think I mentioned Dylan was happier after we separated. The tension between us got to him and it wasn’t fair. Eventually it would’ve held him back.’
Another reason for her to stay away from Hunter. They fluctuated from hot and happy to cool and reserved. The little guy would pick up on that as quickly as he’d fallen in love with Poppy. ‘He’s had a lot to deal with for a little fellow.’
‘Sure has.’
‘Hope you guys have got your armour plating on.’ Andy’s voice came through the headset. ‘Seems our patient had passengers who weren’t happy at being dunked in the river and then told to stay away from their friend while the paramedics see to him.’
‘The cops haven’t arrested anyone yet?’
‘Doesn’t sound like it. But being annoying isn’t a felony, as far as I know.’ The helicopter lurched. ‘Hold on. Bit of bad weather ahead. I’ll try to go around most of it.’
Brenna’s stomach settled back into place. She loved flying, even the rough bits, but her stomach was full of curry and noodles, and she didn’t want to regurgitate it. ‘If it was daylight, I’d take pictures of the cloud formations. The colours in a storm can be amazing.’
Hunter shook his head at her. ‘You really do like pushing the boundaries, don’t you? I saw all your gear in the shed.’
‘Thanks for mowing the lawn, by the way. I didn’t notice until I took Poppy on her walk this morning. You didn’t have to do it.’
‘I had time on my hands.’ He shrugged.
‘Dylan deserted you for Poppy?’
‘You could say that.’
The engine pitch changed.
Brenna glanced out the tiny window. ‘We’re on.’
Flashing lights greeted them and made Andy’s job difficult until someone wised up and had the tow-truck driver switch them off until the helicopter was safely on the ground.
‘Calvin Banks, thirty-one, was semi-conscious but now alert, though that could change. Way over the limit, according to the cop who breathalysed him, and no seat belt, which, ironically, probably saved him as his pals were able to haul him out through the smashed front window.’
The ambulance officer who met them gave as much info as he had as they stood under umbrellas. ‘Wide gash to the forehead, some water inhalation, broken tib or fib on right leg, and generally foul-mouthed. We haven’t administered painkillers but have cut his sodden clothes off and wrapped him in a survival blanket.’
‘Nice,’ Brenna muttered as she approached the man lying on a stretcher in the back of the ambulance. The rain was heavy and getting heavier. ‘Hey, Calvin, I hear you’ve been in the river.’
‘So what?’
‘Nice,’ she repeated to Hunter, who stepped inside after her. ‘Want to tell me what happened?’
‘I got sick of the road, thought I’d try another way home. What do you think, woman?’
‘Okay, that’s enough,’ Hunter snapped. ‘We are here to help you, not get into an argument. Understand?’
The guy’s eyes shifted. ‘Who are you?’
‘Hunter. I’m the paramedic who’s going to get you on board the chopper for a ride to hospital. There are two ways of doing this. Entirely up to you which one I choose.’
Brenna knew Hunter would never hurt a patient, no matter how rude and difficult they were, but hopefully Calvin was beyond working that out and would go for the easy option.
‘You wouldn’t hurt me. It’s against the rules.’
; ‘Rules are made to be broken, pal.’ Hunter was drawing up an injection. ‘I’m going to give you something for that pain.’
‘Thanks, mate.’ Calvin relaxed a tad. ‘The other idiots wouldn’t do it, said they weren’t allowed to. I reckon they were being mean.’
Who could blame them if this was how Calvin had treated them? But if either of the ambulance crew were registered to give injections they would’ve done so. ‘You’re some way out of town, and the folk who man the ambulances are mostly volunteers. Not all of them are qualified to give injections,’ Brenna told their patient as she began reassessing his injuries.
‘That’s stupid.’
She dodged a flailing arm. ‘It’s safe, Calvin. Now, take it easy. We are on your side here.’
‘The pigs aren’t.’
The ‘pigs’ were decent men, doing a hard job of trying to save people like this man from killing someone with their vehicle while drunk. Brenna watched Hunter as he put the syringe away. ‘Ready to go?’
He nodded. ‘The sooner the better. That weather’s turning nasty.’
The sooner they were shot of Calvin the sooner peace and quiet would return, but then the poor staff at the ED would get their share of abuse and obnoxious behaviour. Sometimes she wondered why any of them wanted to work in emergency jobs.
No one wanted to hang around in the rain, so everyone quickly moved the stretcher towards the back of the chopper and Calvin was transferred inside, where Brenna changed the survival blanket for a dry one and topped it with a wool blanket for added warmth.
Andy had them up and away in no time, apparently as eager as the rest of them to make their delivery, but the weather hadn’t finished with them. ‘I’m going out over the strait,’ Andy informed them. ‘The storm’s increasing in intensity.’
As the helicopter lifted off the ground Brenna shivered as water from her ponytail dripped down between her shoulder blades. ‘It’s guaranteed we’ll be full-on busy for the rest of the night now.’
‘Here.’ Hunter handed her a small towel. ‘Wipe the water off your head and face.’
‘What about me?’ Calvin demanded. ‘I’m the patient, not her.’
‘Dr Williamson has already wiped you down and replaced the blankets with dry ones. There’s nothing more we can do except monitor your heart and blood pressure and keep an eye on you until we reach hospital.’ Hunter clicked his harness into place. ‘We won’t be moving around much. There’ll be some turbulence on the way.’
Calvin’s eyes widened. ‘We’ll be all right, won’t we?’
Right then the helicopter lurched sideways.
Only a small lurch but enough to put fear into their patient’s eyes. ‘Let me out,’ he yelled. ‘I don’t like it in here.’
‘Calvin.’ Brenna leaned forward in her seat. ‘Listen to me. You’re going to be fine. Andy’s our pilot and he’s one of the best in the business. He’s going to fly around the storm, not through it, but we will feel some bumps on the way. They’re normal and the helicopter is made for these condtions.’
‘I don’t like flying.’ Apparently, the man could do quiet and worried.
She did feel a little sorry for him. He was incapacitated in a situation that held a lot of fear for him. ‘Not everyone does. I promise you’re going to get to hospital just fine. It’ll take a little bit longer, though, since we’re avoiding the weather as much as possible.’
‘Can’t I go by road?’
‘It would take a lot longer and you need to be treated sooner rather than later.’
Andy spoke in her ear. ‘There’re trees reported down across the road between the accident site and Horseshoe Bay. And thanks, Brenna, I owe you a drink next time we’re hitting the town.’
‘A big one,’ she agreed, before telling Calvin, ‘The road’s closed. This is your only way out.’
‘Oh.’ He remained quiet for the rest of the flight, squeezing his eyes tight every time they hit a bump in the sky.
Finally back at base, Brenna shook her head to get rid of the water in her hair. ‘I’m having a hot shower and getting into dry clothes.’ Then she looked around. ‘Unless we’re heading out again?’
‘No, you’re good to go on the shower,’ Margaret, from the other crew, told her. ‘But don’t muck around. I suspect the calls will start coming in shortly. The roads are slippery and vision is limited, according to the state police when they rang to update us thirty minutes ago.’
So dry clothes weren’t going to stay that way. Shucking off her overalls in the bathroom, Brenna stood under the shower with the water as hot as she could take it until the feeling came back into her hands and feet. Once dried off and dressed in a second pair of overalls, she headed downstairs to toss the wet clothes into a drier. ‘I bet I’ll need them again before the night’s out.’ Next trip she’d make sure her wet-weather gear went on board the helicopter with her and wasn’t left languishing in the hangar.
‘Tea’s made, and ham-and-cheese sandwiches are in the toasty maker,’ Margaret told her.
‘You’re a treasure,’ Brenna said as she sipped hot tea.
‘Just what the doctor needed.’ Hunter strolled into the kitchen looking sexy with his damp hair sticking up in all directions and the dry overalls a tad tight on his frame so that muscles everywhere were accentuated.
Her next sip of tea went down the wrong way.
‘Hey, careful.’ His hand slapped her lightly between her shoulder blades. ‘Told you before about rushing your tea.’
Looking up into those alert grey eyes, she melted. He was so sexy, and cheeky, and—well, just Hunter. ‘I seem to have forgotten that message,’ she croaked around the tea and her despair that she’d never be able to watch him walk away at the end of his short tenure at the rescue service unscathed.
‘I’ll forward it later.’ The cheeky element in his gaze changed, replaced by worry. His hand fell away, damn it. ‘Those toasties look like the best thing out,’ he said to Margaret. ‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome. I suggest you don’t delay eating them in case the phone goes in the next five minutes.’
‘I’ve got big pockets,’ Hunter said, before taking a mouthful and glancing across at Brenna. He’d gone all thoughtful.
She knew better than to ask what was up. He wouldn’t say, which would only frustrate her. Hell, the man frustrated her in more ways than one, especially the physical. She wanted him again. Staring at the phone on the wall she begged silently, Please ring. Now. Before I turn into a melted puddle at his feet.
The phone rang.
Brenna’s mouth fell open. Seriously?
‘Not pretty,’ Hunter said in a low voice as Margaret reached to answer.
Snapping her teeth together, she turned away, heat flooding her cheeks as embarrassment whipped her. Snatching up a toasty, she headed out the door in preparation for flying off on their next mission, whatever it was. It could be a stubbed toe, for all she cared. She’d asked the universe to help her out and it had. Holy cow. Hopefully she wouldn’t be asked to make a major sacrifice as payback.
* * *
‘I’ve been feeling odd in the chest,’ the forty-five-year-old woman lying in her bed told Brenna, almost before she got through the door the elderly neighbour had indicated. ‘People say not to muck about if your chest feels strange in case it’s a heart attack, so I called 911.’
‘You were right to do so,’ Brenna reassured Carla Brown. ‘We’d rather find there’s nothing wrong than learn tomorrow you’d had a heart attack and told no one. Now, tell me about these strange feelings you’re getting.’
‘Um...well, they’re not as bad as they were.’ Embarrassment started filling Carla’s face. ‘I think I panicked with the terrible weather making me think no one would be able to get here if it really was serious.’
‘It’s fine.’ Brenna slipped the BP cuff on Carla’s a
rm and pressed the start button. ‘What does it feel like in your chest?’ She wasn’t asking leading questions so Carla wouldn’t give details that might be misleading.
‘Tight when I breathe in. My head was pounding at one time, and my arm tingled.’
‘Which arm?’
‘Left one.’
‘Carla, I’m going to open the front of your pyjama top so we can attach pads to see what your heart is doing. Is that all right?’
‘Yes,’ she whispered, her eyes straying to Hunter, who had his back to them pretending to be busy preparing the heart monitor.
So he’d cottoned on that this woman was not at ease with a man attending her. Go, Hunter.
Brenna took the pads he handed back to her and she stuck them on Carla. ‘All ready, Hunter.’
Together they watched the readout of Carla’s heart. ‘Nothing wrong with your heart, Carla.’ Brenna gave her a smile. ‘How’s that make you feel?’
‘Lots better.’ She smiled too. ‘But why did I feel so strange?’
‘Are you stressed about anything?’
Her face dropped. ‘I might be losing my job because the store I work at isn’t doing so well, and I need it because I’m on my own. I don’t have any qualifications for something half-decent. Shop work is all I’m good for. It keeps me awake at night, worrying how I’ll cope.’
Hunter turned around after a quick glance to see if the pyjama top was back in place. ‘Have you been to put your name down at the shops in the mall?’
‘No, because I don’t know for sure if it will happen. What if I get another job and don’t lose the one I’ve got?’
Brenna began packing up their equipment, watching Hunter weave his magic over Carla.
‘Be proactive. Take control of what happens to you. Go to every shop in the mall and introduce yourself, leave your work résumé with them. Don’t wait for someone else to tell you what’s happening.’ He gave one of his devastating smiles.