16. Cal
Cal
A shriek is payment for my patience. The overhead LED lights flip on, and Jackson and I dissolve into laughter from our hiding spot in the dark dayroom.
Kate, one of the medics, has taken the hit for the earlier stunt she and her partner Leo pulled with my bag on the flagpole. Our taping of the spray nozzle at the kitchen sink as retaliation works like a charm, and she takes the full hit.
She spins, sputtering. Water dripping from her face, and the entire front of her shirt soaked and plastered to her.
“Oh my god, that was epic,” Jackson howls. “You couldn’t be a more perfect height to take that shot right in the face.”
Kate glares as Leo wanders into the now blindingly bright kitchen, flipping a towel in her direction.
I stand in the corner and try to ignore the incredibly uncomfortable itch happening in my boxer briefs. I thought I was past the worst of the rash.
“What the hell’s wrong with you?” Leo grumps. “If we’re gonna do this, we’re gonna have some damn rules. Rule number one: no middle-of-the-night pranks. We gotta sleep when we can. We’re not like you flame-eaters that can take naps any time we want to.”
There’s been the good-natured ribbing between the four of us all day, pranking each other, just having a damn good time.
By the time dinner rolled around, in less than half a shift, we’ve bonded, and the two crews have nicknames.
Jackson and I are the flame-eaters, and Kate and Leo are the needle-pushers.
LT has rarely been at the station, and we’ve been a bunch of schoolkids who can’t behave.
And even though it’s late, and we should probably be packing it in and calling it a night, we’re still pranking each other.
Tones drop as the last word leaves his lips. A collective groan fills the room. “You jinxed us, Leo.” Jackson points at the older man. “Rule number two: don’t talk about sleep like it’s a given.”
Kate rushes to her bunkroom, stripping off her soaked shirt, while the rest of us rush to the bay. Jackson and I head to the engine and roll out as Kate bursts through the door, running to the ambulance.
A half hour later, the patient has refused medical transport, and we’re all on our way back to the station. Wide awake at two in the morning. And I am not thinking about the itch that I’ve been trying and failing to ignore.
I glance at my phone to make sure Jules hasn’t tried to contact me while we were out. No updates since she sent me a message letting me know Charlie was down for the night and she was turning in early. What I received from that message was a clear don’t call me, I’ll call you directive.
“What is wrong with you?” Jackson blurts with raised eyebrows. “You’ve been fidgety since we left the station.”
I think I know what my problem is, but I am not about to admit it. “Nothing, man.”
“You got jock itch or something? You’ve been scratching your ass on that seat for the last five minutes.”
Guess I haven’t been as discreet as I thought. Fuck. Giving in, I wiggle in my seat, searching for relief.
“Jesus Christ. Do I need to stop and get you a corncob?”
“Shut up. Just get me back to the station.”
He pulls in, and I’m out the door in a flash. Straight to the john and shucking my pants. I turn every angle possible but can’t see well enough in the mirror. I pull out my phone and snap a picture right as the door bursts open and Leo strolls through.
He freezes mid-stride. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“I’m trying to see why my ass is itching,” I admit. There is no modesty at this point.
“You were out with hand, foot and mouth, right?”
How does he know that? I swear, this department… nothing is sacred.
“Yeah. Picked it up from my niece.”
“Well, there’s your answer, dumbass.” His tone indicates that he’s enjoying this entirely too much.
Why in the fuck is this happening after I’ve already had the damn rash on my hands and feet?
I should be in the clear, not getting worse.
And now I’m exposing all of my partners, not to mention any patients, just by being in the same vicinity.
“But the blisters were fading. I thought I was in the clear. Why are they popping up now?”
“What’s going on?” Jackson’s voice sounds from the hall. I glance up in time to see him and Leo both standing in the doorway, and Kate passing by in the hall.
“You guys are gross. I’m going to bed. ”
“Me too, as soon as the butt scratcher gets done looking at his own asshole so I can hit the john,” Leo says.
He’s an older guy who grew up in this area. Family is all here, including his wife of thirty years and his grown kids. I can’t really get a read on the relationship between Kate and Leo, but I’m guessing they’re new partners like me and Jackson.
I hate that they’ve all been witness to my humiliation.
“Anyone know how to make the rash stop itching?” I ask. I don’t give a fuck if they all want to take a look and see what I’ve got going on down there if they can find me some relief.
“Hand, foot and mouth, right?” Kate says, kindness in her tone. “Maybe try an oatmeal bath in the morning. But hang on, I’ve got some baby powder that might help.”
I no sooner get the powder applied than tones drop for an unknown medical call.
Since there’s no telling if they’ll need backup, Jackson and I follow Leo and Kate.
We follow them inside the house, Jackson taking the lead behind the medics, assessing the situation.
They have leads on the patient, monitoring cardiac output, and I stand off to the side, trying my best not to squirm because it’s hot as fuck in this house.
In my bunker gear, even though I’m only wearing the bottoms with my suspenders hanging loose, I’m roasting.
And the sweat is making everything worse.
“Hey, Cal,” Jackson calls. “Can you head back to the bus and check the monitor? I don’t think this one is reading properly.”
He’s lying. The monitor is working fine, and even I can tell from this distance that this patient is fine and not having a cardiac incident. His eyes meet mine, and he gives me a jerk of his chin as if he’s saying Get out of here.
Cool air greets me outside of the sweltering house and brings a modicum of relief. I strip out of the heavy turnout pants and stand wide-legged at the back of the ambulance, grateful that Jackson and the medics have my back.
Despite the ribbing they’re all giving me, there’s an underlying something that I can’t quite put my finger on.
And that underlying something sticks with me, all the way back to the station.
It sticks with me when they let me take the first shower.
When I find Kate’s powder on the bedside table in my bunkroom.
When Leo tells me he’s been researching home-care relief of hand, foot and mouth symptoms over coffee.
When Jackson brings me a fresh cup of coffee because he knows getting out of the recliner and walking sucks.
By the time my shift ends, I’ve had no sleep, and my body is miserable. But for the first time maybe ever, I feel like I have a crew that’s got my back in this horrible situation.
Jules has already taken Charlie to the sitter’s when I make it to the shop. It’s going to be a long fucking day of hard work, but I promised her I’d finish her shop and help her meet her target opening date.
I’m an hour in on framing a wall for the bathroom when I hear her come through the front entrance.
Since I’ve been here last, she’s put a jingle bell on the door and has started bringing plants and placing them in little containers near the window.
There’s a new stack of shelves waiting to be mounted to the wall and a new box containing god knows what in the corner.
“Hi, how’s it going?”
She’s wearing the baggy overalls with the snug white tee again. She’s up on tiptoe with her back to me as she stretches to position a shelf and mark the wall for where she wants it to hang.
Drawn by the urge to help her, I come up behind her. Even though I’m still uncomfortable from that damn rash, I’m fighting the desire to grip her waist. The gap at the front of the denim is like an invitation to slip my hand underneath and see just how baggy those overalls are.
Instead, I reach up to hold the shelf for her. “Here, let me hold it, and you tell me where you want it.”
She startles and steps back into me, her lush ass pressing right into my groin. She fits me perfectly. My brain immediately goes to her bent over the nearby table. Or with her back up against the wall.
“Sorry.” The breathless apology as she spins from under my outstretched arm lets me know that maybe her mind went there too.
I haven’t seen her since she took care of me, though we’ve talked on the phone and texted a couple of times. I don’t know why today, I’m filled with an intense desire to touch her.
I blame sleep deprivation.
“How’s Charlie?” It’s best I get myself focused back on my priorities.
I can’t let this stupid crush I have on Jules derail the fact that I need her right now.
This is more than us helping each other out.
The stakes are too high for me to fuck it up by acting like a rutting teenager, no matter how much I’d like to see her naked and writhing under me.
“She’s good. She was a happy girl when I dropped her off this morning. Rowan and River were up and playing when I got there, and she ditched me immediately.”
“That’s good, right?”
The corner of her mouth quirks up, and my attention immediately shifts to those pretty lips. No gloss or lipstick. Just full pink kissable lips.
And I do not need to be thinking about her lips.
“Yeah. A happy baby is the goal.”
I swallow reflexively and turn away. A couple of measurements later, and I’m ready to install the shelf. The weight of her stare is a physical caress the entire time I work.
“You’re doing a great job, Cal.” Her words are soft, but they deliver such a punch, a breath of air gushes from me before I can catch it.
Focusing on the task at hand, I admit, “I don’t want to fuck this up. She deserves so much better than…” The words trail off, dying as the honesty of what I didn’t say hangs in the air.
“So much better than what?”
I close my eyes. “Me.”
I don’t want to turn around and face her, so I finish hanging the shelf and step back.
“That’s perfect,” she says, dropping the conversation without pressing for more.
We go about the day. I frame the wall, and with her help, we stand it up and get it secured.
I field calls from Nate and his electrical guy; Jules organizes supplies and counts inventory.
We work well together, and the day goes quickly.
By the end of it, the bathroom wall is studded, soundproofed, and ready for covering, and there’s visible progress made.
“Nancy invited us to dinner. If you want,” she says as we wrap up.
At this time of day, we’d normally say our goodbyes, and I wouldn’t see her until the next morning in the shop. But we’ve had a good, easy day, so much so that the residual effects of hand, foot and mouth have almost magically healed. That, or she’s been an excellent distraction.
And I don’t want it to end.
“Yeah, sure. I’d be down for that. Do I have time to grab a quick shower?” I’m covered in sawdust and probably smell bad.
“Yeah, sure. Come get me whenever you’re ready.”
I rush through a cold shower and am back in a matter of minutes. “We can take my truck,” I offer after she locks up. Fighting the urge to place my hand on the small of her back, I lead her to the alley behind the shop.
“This is your bike?”
She’s eyeing my Harley, and I can’t get a read on her expression.
“Yeah, though I haven’t had a chance to ride since Charlie came along.”
“That’s a shame.”
I am the world’s biggest goofball as I attempt to be a gentleman by helping her into my truck.
We aren’t on a date, so why am I opening doors and being all chivalrous?
I wouldn’t be mad if this were a date, though.
And as we hit Main Street and head out of town, I let myself imagine what it’d be like if we were on our way to a fancy restaurant instead of dinner with her family.
“You know, just because Charlie is here, doesn’t mean your life has to end.” She breaks the silence, watching the world go by outside. “But then again, I’ve never had kids, so I’m not really one to talk. Steve and Nancy sure let the kids become their world when they started their family.”
“Is that why you don’t have any?”
Her head joggles from side to side as she thinks about her answer. “Not really.”
She picks at a rip in the denim covering her legs, and I struggle to keep my focus on the road. Not wanting to interrupt when it feels like maybe she’s having a moment. She’s seen me through a couple of my worst times now, so the least I can do is sit silently.
“I have four brothers. I’m the baby of the bunch.
There was never a quiet moment in my house growing up.
When I left Steve’s, I wanted a break from the chaos.
Plus, I’m getting too old to start thinking about kids and a family now.
So the coffee shop is it for me. That sounds a little whiny and a lot pathetic, doesn’t it? ”
I glance over at her. Soft hair and glowing skin highlighted by the setting sun. She’s stunning.
“Nothing about you makes me think whiny and pathetic.” I’m honest, even if I am showing all my cards here. Jules intrigues me—turns me on. She’s way out of my league, but damn, am I attracted to this woman.
“Maybe I’m just selfish?”
I huff a laugh. “Jules. The very last thing I think of when it comes to you is that you’re selfish. You’re playing part-time nanny for a guy you barely know. You could’ve told me no and found someone else to finish the construction.”
We’re almost to Steve’s house, so I slow, because I don’t want this conversation to end. Even as I hit the signal and make the turn into her brother’s neighborhood. “I think you might even be too nice sometimes. It’s okay to have priorities and goals and to put yourself first.”
“Yeah. Maybe that’s the problem.”
I don’t understand what she means, but we’re pulling into the drive. I shift the truck to park and drape an arm over the steering wheel. “Not that I don’t absolutely appreciate everything you’ve done for me. Because right now”—I meet her gaze—“I’d do pretty much anything you asked.”