Page 2 of Stranded with the Mountain Man

I shook my head. “Mrs. Bracegirdle doesn’t have any relatives here in town. They all moved away.”

That did it. The hunky firefighter turned to look at me, our gazes connecting again in a way that made my heart skip a beat. It was totally the wrong time for that, but we were doing all we could to help Mrs. Bracegirdle. It wouldn’t hurt to work together, would it?

“Do you know if she has a preferred hospital?” my firefighter asked.

My eyes narrowed. Was he new to town? He said he was a firefighter, so he should be aware that there wasn’t a hospital within ten miles of the interstate exit to this town. And it would be a ridiculously long drive to get to another one.

“I’m sure she’d want to go to the closest medical facility,” I said. “We haven’t exactly discussed hospital preferences.”

My gaze went to Mrs. Bracegirdle at that. She still hadn’t opened her eyes, and she looked a little pale. My heart sank. This could be serious.

“Excuse me.”

With those words, the other firefighter exited, closing the door behind him. I heard him talking and assumed he was working to get an ambulance here.

“Do you know if she’s allergic to any medications?” the firefighter kneeling in front of Mrs. Bracegirdle asked.

Another thing we didn’t discuss. I wanted to help, but I wasn’t sure what I could do, so I just shrugged.

“Not that I know of,” I said. “But she hasn’t been eating. Not well, anyway. I’m always offering to bring her food. She getsthese donuts from the grocery store, and that’s breakfast every day. I brought her a grilled chicken sandwich the other day, and she took maybe two bites, then sat and watched me eat.”

He glanced back at me, and I swore he looked like he wanted to say something. I waited, holding my breath, hoping maybe he’d say whatever it was. Maybe he was about to tell me how beautiful I was. Maybe he was going to ask me out or tell me he hadn’t stopped thinking about me since seeing me the first time.

When he turned back to me, mouth open to speak, I waited for what he’d say next. This could be it…

Bam!The door slammed open, and in came two paramedics with a stretcher. I stepped farther back, even though I wasn’t even close to being in the way, and watched as the hunky fireman and the two paramedics loaded up Mrs. Bracegirdle. The paramedics took off with her, leaving me and the hunky fireman alone.

“They might let you ride in the back of the ambulance with her,” he said.

Not the words I’d been hoping to hear, but important words. I should be on my way to the hospital. It wouldn’t be right to leave Mrs. Bracegirdle alone. I’d take the address book with me and call Kayleigh once I was away from this guy.

“I’ll just drive,” I said. “I have to be at work at eight, but I’m sure my boss will understand.”

“Where do you work?”

I’d looked down at my fitness band to check the time, but his question lifted my head. He was staring at me like he saw me as a woman, not the substitute emergency contact for the patient he’d just treated. That was progress, right?

“I’m a reporter,” I said, loving the sound of that as it rolled off my tongue. “Well, technically junior reporter. I graduated with my journalism degree in May, and the local paper agreed to let me work full time at minimum wage while I learn the ropes.”

His eyebrows arched, and I knew I’d said too much. It was a simple question. He didn’t need my life story.

“Sorry,” I said.

I immediately cringed at my own words. Why was I always apologizing? That was something women did. I was supposed to be working on that.

“Well, I’ll see you around town then,” he said. “Reporters are always reporting on things firefighters do, right?”

“Right.” I nodded. “The next time there’s a fire or a horrible crash, we’ll probably both be there.”

That sounded awful. Cold. Crass. Like an ambulance-chasing reporter with bad ethics. That wasn’t me at all.

“I mean, not that any of that ever happens in this town,” I said.

Stop talking, I told myself. I was blabbering. The guy would never want to see me again after this. But I swore I saw the hint of a smile on that face, and he didn’t look like somebody who smiled often.

“Well, I won’t hope for bad things, but I do hope I see you around,” he said. “I’d better get out there before my partner sends out an APB on me.”

I smiled. All his partner would have to do was come through that door and tell him to get a move on, but I got it. He was looking for a way out of this conversation.

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