Page 50 of Falling for Brody

"Well, I'm fine, dear, but you look like you have something on your mind."

"I was wondering if you'd do me a favor."

Bea brightened up at the question. "Well, I'd be happy to help if I can. What do you need?"

Rhea gestured at the table where they'd spent a lovely breakfast together before looking at the older woman who'd offered them a place to live. "Would you tell me a little bit about what it's like here in town while I make us some meatloaf for dinner?"

Bea clapped her hands together. "Meatloaf?"

Rhea nodded. "I want to make you meatloaf and if you like it, we'll add it onto our dinner menu options."

"Thank you, Rhea."

"Thank you, Bea. You're making Fallport feel like home."

Bea gave her a gentle pat on her arm. "Fallport is home for you both, dear. I feel like you were meant to end up here. With us."

CHAPTER9

A little over a week later...

For Brody, the shift was crawling by in some ways. They'd had four calls that kept them moving, but there just wasn't time to talk with each other outside of medical topics.

The one time they'd been in the rig with a few minutes to talk, Rhea had all but shoved a protein bar in her mouth and when he'd tried to talk to her anyway, she'd shoved a bar at him.

But now, they finally had a reprieve. At least that's what he was praying it was, as they headed back to the firehouse.

He was dying to get her to talk to him.

As soon as he shifted the rig into park she was out and on her way to the bathroom, calling out behind her that she'd be right back.

He sighed and got out, moving around to the back to reset their supplies.

This was like a complete one-eighty from how they normally worked together. He knew that she wasn't trying to be difficult. There was something going on. Something she was worried about.

And he wanted her to tell him what it was.

But until he got to that point, he didn't want to push.

Opening the back doors, he climbed up inside. They kept the rig clean. Trash stored away. He never had a complaint when they worked together. In fact, they cleaned up around each other.

He made a quick mental note of what he needed to get out of the storage cabinets inside and stepped out. He crossed over to the large trash bin near the front wall and disposed of their trash. It was nice not having to rush in between calls to reset the back which could become an issue when his old partner was in the back.

It was so much easier working with Rhea than working with his prior partner. He'd just been set in his ways and those ways weren't really conducive to working in an ambulance dealing with blood and injuries if things got messy.

"Hey."

"Hey," Brody turned around and smiled at his cousin. "What are you doing at the firehouse, Gabe? Are you looking to move up in the world?"

Gabriel gave him a rather subdued middle-finger, hiding it at the center of his chest so anyone walking onto the apparatus floor wouldn't see the gesture. "I stopped in to see if you were around. I haven't seen you in a few days."

"Aw," Brody batted his eyelashes at his cousin, "you missed me, sweetie?"

"Fuck off, Brody."

Brody laughed. "Well, it was worth a try to make you laugh or throw a punch at me."

Gabriel folded his arms across his chest. "When was the last time I punched you?"

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