Page 9 of Half Baked

I shake my head at Stevie. It’s kind of her to try, but not worth the effort.

“But no, I don’t think I can make it,” Poppy continues flatly.

“Easy, Poppy Seed. They won’t put you on TV with that kind of attitude,” I tease, using the toe of my boot to nudge her chair once more.

“Any other questions before we move on to the rescue team initiative?” Fitzy is asking the group. He has my attention in an instant. It’s my turn to be under scrutiny.

A group of murmurs arise from the crowd, but no one has anything more for the mayor. He waits another moment before fixing his attention on me. “Great, then I’ll yield the floor to Hayden Thompson.”

Heads turn my way as I rise and adjust the tuck of my Manchester Fire Department T-shirt. Shoulders back, relaxed jaw, faint grin, the picture of ease. Never let them see you sweat, my father used to say.

“Thank you, Mayor,” I say warmly, coming to a stop at the podium. “We are making progress on the air-sea rescue team. And plan to be operational in the upcoming weeks.”

Hands begin to shoot up, more polite than this crowd usually is, at least. I catch that Anne Silberman, my mother’s closest friend, has her hand up. She’s a safe place to start.

“Mrs. Silberman, did you have a question?”

“Yes, dear, I was just curious about what it is your team will do.”

“I’m happy to walk you through it. We have a rescue boat and a helicopter. From there, a rescue swimmer will actually exit the mode of transportation and board the at-risk vessel or enter the water to save those in the emergency situation. A medic will be present to lead any intervention we may need to provide as well. We’re essentially your water based first responders.”

“Oh my,” Mrs. Silberman breathes.

“I have a question,” another voice calls from the crowd. It’s Marv, from the local fish market. “When you say upcoming weeks, do you mean a month or six months?”

“Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we’ll be operating for race week.”

I shouldn’t have promised that. I don’t actually know if it’s the case. Better to save that problem for another day now, though.

“Can you go out in a hurricane?” someone in the back asks.

“It’s all based on how conditions and needs align with equipment limits. I can say I’ve personally taken a swim in a tropical storm when serving in the Coast Guard. And my aviator back then is the guy who signed on for the team here. So, I am confident that we’ll be able to pick up where we left off in our service.”

“Hayden is the guy that jumps from the helicopter?”

The question is quiet. A whisper, really. And if I didn’t find myself always tuning into her voice automatically, I would have missed it.

I set my gaze on Poppy, who’s turned to Stevie with her question. When she looks back up at me, there is a hint of color on her cheeks. I’m not sure what just happened, but I plan to find out.

Chapter 5

Poppy

What the hell has come over me?

I break eye contact with Hayden, ducking my head until the heat beneath my skin settles once again. It shouldn’t matter to me that he’s the rescue swimmer, and I shouldn’t have asked that just now. Because no matter how many times I look away, with each glance back I find that his gaze never leaves my face.

He answers a handful more questions, never looking at the people asking them. I squirm under the stare he’s pinned me with and accidentally bump Wren beside me.

“You good?” she asks, an amused smirk on her face as she glances between me and Hayden.

“Just peachy.”

I make a point to not look his way again, staring at my hands in my lap until I hear his boots coming down the wooden stairs from the stage before us. When Fitzy returns to the podium to dismiss the town, I spring to my feet. “I have to go plan for the interview,” I offer to my friends before darting for the exit.

The problem is the sound of his boots follows.

I refuse to turn around, continuing through the annex and outside. Halfway down the town hall steps, Hayden asks, “Did you have a question for me, Pop?”

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