Along Came the Girl by Kacie West & Jenni Bara & A.J. Ranney

Author:Kacie West & Jenni Bara & A.J. Ranney [West , Kacie & Bara , Jenni & Ranney, A.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jenni Bara Books
Published: 2023-06-12T16:00:00+00:00

He knocked lightly on the counter, causing Claire’s head to snap up.

A smile slowly took over her face. “Back again?”

He’d just finished up a forty-eight-hour shift with the EMTs, and he’d been back and forth to this hospital at least fifteen times. And this woman he now knew was a regular at the intake desk.

“Whatcha bring her?” She eyed the bag Owen placed in front of him.

“Dinner.” Just leftover ziti that they’d eaten at the station. He’d learned Cece’s routines over the last couple of weeks and knew that when she worked overnight, she tended to skip dinner.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “I always ask for specifics, and you’re always so boringly general.”

He chuckled. “Is Cece around?”

“Give me a sec. She’ll usually come over for you.” The young woman pushed back from the desk and stood.

Owen pulled his shoulders back and rolled them, giving his back a good crack.

A moment later, the women appeared.

“It is with the greatest pleasure that the hospital presents”—the young woman flung her arms dramatically toward Cece—“your girlfriend.”

The words pulled weird at Owen’s chest. Almost like he wished they were true. But did he?

“Friend, Claire,” Cece corrected.

Claire scoffed like Cece was an idiot, then spun and walked away.

“I’d ask what brings you by, but I’m good at learning patterns. So, what’s for dinner?”

Owen couldn’t fight the smile at her words. “Ziti.”

“The Irishman making the Italian food.” She peeked into the bag. “God, it smells good.”

“It’s just from the station.”

Her hazel eyes snapped up to meet his. “Dad told me you do all the cooking there now. He jokes about you being his private chef.”

He’d been surprised to realize that none of the guys could cook. Even the EMTs brought food or ordered on shift. In Richmond, they had taken turns making dinner, so Owen more than knew his way around the kitchen. And everyone at Half Moon Lake FD was thrilled when he was on shift.

He opened his mouth to respond but was overtaken by a yawn.

“You should go home. It’s supposed to start storming soon. Going to be pretty bad until, like, noon tomorrow. I knew I should have gotten gas on the way in. It’ll suck having to stop in the rain tomorrow morning.”

Owen’s shoulders tightened, and he knocked twice on the counter between them. The last thing he wanted was the mother of his child pumping gas in the massive thunderstorms coming their way.

“Get me your keys.”

Her brows pulled together.

“I’ll fill up your tank before I head out. Then you can stay out of the storm.”

“You don’t—”

“I know I don’t have to,” he cut her off, “but I want to.”

Her lips pulled down, and she remained behind the desk.

“It’s my way of helping you and the little guy.”

She nodded, then pulled a key fob from the pocket of her white coat. He had to fight the shiver that raced up his arm as her fingers brushed against his palm when she dropped the key into it.

“I’ll leave the key with Claire.” He didn’t want to bother her again.

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