Page 95 of Rescuing Dr. Marian
I thought about Tommy’s dedication to his work, the difference he made in saving people’s lives. More than that, I thought about my encouraging him to follow his dreams and about how hypocritical it was when I wasn’t pursuing my own.
Was there a small part of me that hoped to see more of Tommy when he visited his family in Legacy? Maybe. But even if he never came back here, if his job kept him in California all the time, I would still want to do this work year-round.
“I love Majestic,” I said. “My friends and family are there. My career. I take pride in being the sheriff. It’s been part of my identity for a very long time. But more and more, it’s about politics and regulations, paperwork and permits. The higher up I go, the duller it gets.”
“You want excitement?”
I shrugged. “I want to be challenged. I want to innovate. Law enforcement is law enforcement. I was never in it because it spoke to me on a deeper level. You know my heart has always been in Search and Rescue. And I did as much of it as I could in Majestic in the best way I knew how. When my dad left, I vowed to stay and take care of my mom and sister.”
I ran a hand through my hair and straightened. “I’ve done my job for my family. And now, I’d like to work for this family. The SERA family.”
Trace’s face split into a wide grin. “Well, hot damn. I just landed myself my top candidate without having to lift a finger.” He stood up from the swing and stepped closer, holding out a hand to shake. “I’ll make sure and put together a compensation package that’ll work for everyone. I’d sure as hell like to have you here. When can you start?”
After talking a few more minutes, I left Trace’s cabin feeling a combination of hopeful and nervous. Hopeful about a more exciting and challenging career path but nervous about such a big change.
It hadn’t been a spur-of-the-moment decision. It was something I’d wanted forever.
Well,oneof the things I’d wanted forever.
But this one was going to be a huge change, and I was going to have to break it to my friends and family back home.
I debated about calling Tommy again to tell him about my decision, but I wanted to see his face when I gave him the news. I hoped he’d be happy, hoped he’d see this was at least a small step in the direction of the two of us having a future beyond this summer, hoped he’d see that I was willing to set my fear aside andtry.
The job at SERA came with two-week breaks between every eight-week session, which meant I could spend ten weeks a year with him in California. If he was able to come to Legacy for weekends and holidays here and there, maybe we could make it work. At least until we came up with something better, something more permanent.
When I got back to Cabin 8, I texted him again while trying to juggle Chickie’s leash and open the cabin door at the same time.
I’m headed to Majestic in the morning. Be safe.
I didn’t realize until later how a simple text could have been so utterly misinterpreted.
26
TOMMY
If I’d knownhow long it would be before Foster and I got to talk, I would’ve followed him back to Cabin 8 yesterday.
Since I hadn’t, I’d stayed behind to calm my family. Once they’d left, there’d barely been enough time for me to shower, kiss Foster’s sleeping forehead, and retrieve Chickie before rushing back to the main building to meet with Trace about “the future of my job at SERA.”
That convo, which had also included an epic—and, yeah, well-deserved—dressing-down for being an idiot, had been interrupted by an emergency call, and the next thing I knew, I was in a helicopter on my way to the far side of Slingshot Mountain for a medical assist. There hadn’t been time to tell Foster I was leaving, even if I’d wanted to chance waking him with a text.
The following twelve hours had been nonstop, to the point that I’d finally collapsed in one of the on-call room beds at thehospital in Billings so I could catch enough sleep to make my way back to Legacy safely. I’d woken hours later to the gentle nudging of a hospital admin handing me the keys to a rental car they’d arranged for me.
By the time I slid into the vehicle’s cool leather seat and pulled out my phone, it had been nearly eighteen exhausting hours since I’d spoken to Foster, and I decided I couldn’t wait another minute.
Which was when I saw the text that had come in last night.
Foster
I’m headed to Majestic in the morning. Be safe.
Maybe it was the long shift and all of the stress. Sleep deprivation. A muddled head from having just woken up. But this seemed weirdly like a brush-off.
I quickly texted Trace.
Leaving Billings now. Did something happen with Foster?
I sipped shitty coffee from the hospital while I waited for a response, but it didn’t help my brain fire any better.
