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“Cut? Are we making a movie?”
“Yeah. It’s called ‘Why Can’t Kendra Act Like an Ordinary Person?’”
“Well, that’s going to look ridiculous on a movie poster.”
Jason looked so frustrated—in an undeniably hot way—that she couldn’t help smiling at him. He’d really, really grown up fine, and she’d been aware of that fact for a while. Quite the glow-up. It wasn’t just the muscles he’d developed since he’d become a fireman. It was the gleam in his eyes, the smile always hovering in the corner of his mouth, even that damn groove in his cheek. Jason was the kind of guy people wanted to be around.
That is, other people did. Not her. That fun-loving vibe was appealing, sure, but it didn’t bode well for a future. Besides, she had enough to juggle. If it wasn’t the new restaurant, it was worries about her father. If it wasn’t all of her friends getting engaged or married, it was the fact that she was still recovering from getting callously and shockingly dumped.
Dominic Robb, her boyfriend and business partner, had broken up with her on his way to London, where she’d assumed she’d be joining him. He’d used the business venture they’d developed together and parlayed it into a new position at a top investment firm in England.
Without her.
Now she had no boyfriend and no business.
How had it come to this? She was the naturally suspicious one who always told her friends not to trust a man, especially a smooth-talker like Dominic. How had she been so blind? They had the same dreams. He wanted to succeed, to be the best. They were perfect for each other, or so she’d thought.
How wrong she’d been. She didn’t usually make catastrophic mistakes like that, and it had shaken her to the core. Over a year later, she still hadn’t so much as gone on a date with a man.
She glared at Jason. Her crushed dreams weren’t his fault, but this silly victim scenario was. “You said to act ordinary. That’s what I’d do if you guys charged into my house like that.”
“Well, apparently you’re not ordinary.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“More of a compli-sult.”
She remembered that long-running joke from their locker-buddy days in high school. “The dreaded compliment with an insult hidden inside? How dare you.”
He raked his fingers through his hair. “How long do Patty’s bursitis episodes usually last?”
“It varies. Sometimes I think they last as long as it suits her.” She put a hand over her mouth in exaggerated apology. “Oops, I didn’t just say that. Don’t tell Patty.”
“You’re afraid of Patty?” His face brightened. “Good. I’m going to tell her what a godawful victim you are if you don’t shape up.”
She was starting to feel sorry for him. “You’re sounding desperate. Okay, fine, I’ll be good.”
“Okay. Thank you.” He gestured to the crew. “Places, please.”
Now it really was starting to sound like a movie. Kendra sat in the folding chair again. She checked her watch. Almost seven. Pretty soon she had to wrap this up and get her ass over to the Blue Drake. But for now, she was enjoying the spotlight, she had to admit.
As the firefighters charged toward her for the fifth time, she let out a bloodcurdling shriek, and convulsed onto the floor, where she twitched and moaned dramatically.
All the firefighters stopped in their tracks.
“She’s having a medical event!” Jason shouted. “What do you do in case of a heart attack or a stroke?”
When no one moved right away, he ran to her himself. He crouched down next to her and put his hand near her neck. Not quite touching her skin, but nevertheless, she could feel the warmth of his hand.
“You check her pulse. Make sure she’s breathing. Do your ABCs. What are the ABCs?” he continued.
Colleen piped up. “Airway, breathing, circulation.”
“That’s right. You check all of the above. Sure, she’s a potential suspect, but her medical situation comes first.” Jason’s hands were moving around her body, indicating her throat, her mouth, her chest. Clearly he knew what he was doing. His skill shone in every movement, even though he didn’t actually complete any of the actions he was describing.
She felt herself relaxing on the uncomfortable concrete floor of the garage. It was very uncharacteristic of her to do something so dramatic. She’d done it to throw them off and annoy Jason some more. But it hadn’t exactly worked out that way. It was soothing to watch him do his thing. If I ever had a real medical event, I’d want Jason to be my paramedic, she thought dreamily.
“Okay, you’re fine,” he said brusquely. She glanced up at him. They’d never been this close before, not even when they used to sling friendly insults at each other from locker to locker. His eyes were such an intensely dark blue, as if an artist had wanted black, but pulled back and gone for blue instead.
