Page 9 of Fight

“Great, I’m looking forward to meeting them.”

I spend my downtime going through the rig and bag, memorizing where supplies and gear are kept. Every station and rig are a little different, and I want to make sure I don’t fuck this opportunity up.

“This is ambulance twenty-three, en route to you with a fifty-four-year-old male who fell approximately fifteen feet from a roof. GCS is normal. Left wrist deformity without active bleeding. No other injuries upon physical exam.” I peek at the top of my gloved hand, where I jotted down vitals with a Sharpie. “Blood pressure 120/70, pulse 79, respirations 18, oxygen 98. C-collar in place. ETA seven minutes.”

After we get the patient checked in, I give the report to the triage nurse in the emergency department. Then my phone buzzes in my pocket, delivering a small dose of excitement. I ignore it to keep from smiling while I tell the nurse about her patient’s busted wrist. Few people have this number: my landlord, my work, andCal.

Calthe Liar, as he saved himself in my phone. The man has a bit of fuckboy energy for someone who appears to be in his thirties, but his confidence and physical appearance still put butterflies in my stomach. He’s handsome as hell. Scruffy beard, chiseled jaw, bright-brown eyes, and an irresistible smile that made me blush. He looks like lumberjack porn. Not to mention, he gave me my first real laugh in a long time. Conversation was easy, and for the short duration of our meeting, I forgot all about the things I ran away from. I wasn’t anxious or on edge. I was just Prescott Timmons, living in the moment.

“Ready?” Matt asks after we wrap up with the emergency department.

I nod and peel off my gloves, then snap them into the trashcan on the way out. Sliding my phone from my pocket, I grin at his name on the screen.

Cal the Liar

Hey You.

Hi.

Cal the Liar

Where are you right now?

Hospital, why?

Cal the liar

Is everything okay?

Yeah, just working.

We pass through the sliding doors. Matt and I return to the rig and buckle up. He grabs the radio and reports to dispatch that we're on our way back to the station. While he drives, I get to work on charting our patient. They use a software a little different than the one I’m used to, so I need the practice.

Cal the Liar

Oh, you work in healthcare.

I pause for a moment before I respond. Anytime I tell someone I’m an EMT, it leads to a barrage of questions, like “What’s the worst thing you’ve ever seen?” or “Has anybody ever died on your watch?” Besides, I hardly know this guy. And technically, itishealthcare.

Yeah. What about you?

Cal the Liar

I’m a dolphin trainer.

I roll my eyes. Gotta give him credit, he knows how to commit to his nickname.

…

Cal the liar

Tough crowd. I work in forestry.

That correlates with his tan lines I noticed the other night.

Lumberjack?

Cal the liar

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