Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 28702 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 144(@200wpm)___ 115(@250wpm)___ 96(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28702 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 144(@200wpm)___ 115(@250wpm)___ 96(@300wpm)
“We’re fine, just coming to an understanding,” my brother says. His words come out easily, but I catch the edge to them. He drops his hand from the man's chest and steps back to engulf me in a hug. I wrap my arms around his neck, my feet leaving the floor. I’ve missed him so much.
I can’t help but peek over his shoulder, though. I finally get a good look at the other man. Piercing blue eyes meet mine. With his black as night hair and tanned skin, it really makes them shine. My breath hitches and not because of how tightly my brother is hugging me. My eyes stay locked with the other man until my brother finally puts me back on my feet so I can no longer see him. It really stinks being this short.
“I missed you,” I tell him.
“I missed you, too, but it looks like there are some things you haven’t been keeping me up on.” He glances down at my uniform.
“That’s rich coming from you.” I shake my head. If anyone keeps secrets, it’s my brother. “Are you going to introduce me?” I change the subject away from my job. Biscuit steps to the side but throws his arm over my shoulder.
“Vincent, this is my little sister, Emma.” I hold my hand out. Vincent takes it, but now he’s not making any eye contact with me. His thumb, however, drifts back and forth against my wrist. The sensation lights something foreign inside of me. “You can let her hand go,” my brother all but growls.
Vincent drops my hand quickly. “You want a beer or something?” he asks, shifting on his feet.
“Can’t. I’m on call.” I point to the badge pinned to my buttoned-up uniform shirt that reads EMT.
“When did that even happen? I thought you were working the front desk at Doc Harlow’s office.”
“It was boring.” I shrug. Not that this job has a ton of action. My partner Sam and I spend a lot of time parked at random places waiting for calls that are few and far between. Most of the time, they're actually a bit silly. You’d be surprised how many people think an ambulance is a taxi service.
One time, Edith Malone called 911 saying she needed help immediately before hanging up. Of course, we all rushed over to her home, thinking the absolute worst. It can be a mix to who shows up first to a call. The fire department might beat us sometimes. When we got there, she was pointing at her microwave, worried it was going to blow up because she’d hit so many keys trying to set the time on it. So of course I set the time and left. That was the most action I’d seen in two days.
“There’s nothing wrong with boring.” My brother folds his arms over his chest.
He’s not completely wrong. I get a lot of reading done while sitting in the ambulance. As my eyes flick over to Vincent, I can’t help but think that maybe things are going to be a whole lot less boring now. Especially with him staying under the same roof as me every night.
CHAPTER 3
VINCENT
“It’s not fancy, but it’s clean. Mom’s a stickler for that. You can eat off the floors here.” Frank rubs his socked foot against the wood floor. His mom met us at the door with a pair of slippers and an unspoken order for the boots to be left in the mudroom.
“No telling what you have on those soles,” she’d tsked.
I’ve worn those shitkickers everywhere, so she was right to make me take them off. “If I can’t find a plate around here, I’ll just use the old oak platter.”
“You’re a real smartass.” He makes a mock fist and shakes it in my direction. “The shower is next door, but the water pressure is shit. If someone else is using the john upstairs, you’re SOL.”
“How do I know if it’s safe to clean up?”
“Dunno. Never stayed down here.”
“How do you know the pressure is shit?”
He shrugs. “Had to clean up a few times.”
“Melody?”
He shrugs again. I guess she, like his sister, is off-limits. No wonder this is the first invite I’ve received to Frank’s place despite knowing him for a half decade.
“I’ll let you, dunno, take a breather while I go help my dad with the lawn mower. He said it’s broken, but that’s just code for I haven’t seen you in five months so come and shoot the shit with me.”
“Got it.” I give Frank a mock salute. After he leaves, I unpack my T-shirts and jeans and set them inside the dresser. I’m staying for a week and don’t want to live out of a suitcase, or in my case, a duffle bag. That takes all of five seconds. The room is sparse with a big bed covered in a green and white quilt. There’s an oak nightstand with a lamp. Inside the closet, I find an assortment of winter coats, empty hangers, and some toys. One of them is a plastic med kit. Out of curiosity, I pop the latch. Everything is intact except the stethoscope.