Page 84 of Embers of You
“I feel bad waking him up.” I change the subject back to the reason I’m here in the first place.
“I don’t think he’s going to mind. His person isn’t here anyway.”
I nod as she says his name. He perks up, twisting his head to the side, but not moving to get up. “Come on, bud, you’re going to get a bath.”
He slowly rolls over and gets off the couch with a stretch.
“I’ll give you a prime spa treatment,” I tell him and he wags his tail. “I’ll bring him back once I’m off work.”
“Take your time, I’ll be here all day.”
“Sounds good. Thank you, Mrs. Turner.”
“Sweetie, please call me Emily.” She pulls me into a hug, and I hesitate for a moment before hugging her back, but there’s something about her and Jameson that makes you feel incredibly comfortable.
They make me feel like I’m home. Maybe because I finally am.
I park,looking over at the fire station where the bay door is open. I was going to wait to surprise Jameson until after Duke was all clean with a cute bandana, but I want to see him.
Duke and I walk over, and I recognize the tall man who makes my heart skip a beat every time he’s around. He’s not facing us, so I just stand there, waiting for him to turn and see us. When he finally does his face instantly lights. He looks from me, to Duke, and back to me.
“What are you two doing here?” He approaches us, his smile never dimming.
“I wanted to surprise you. You said he needed a bath and I was going to bring him over here all pretty for you, but I saw the door was open so I just decided to?—”
He cuts off my rambling, cupping my face, and pressing his lips to mine. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
“It’s not a big deal, I just wanted to do something for you.”
He looks into my eyes, his blue ones locked onto mine as his thumbs rub my cheeks lightly. “Sutton, I lo?—”
He’s cut off when a loud siren goes off along with someone talking. I’m too disoriented by the sound to hear what’s being said. Jameson’s face hardens. “That’s a call, I gotta go. I’ll see you when we get back.”
I nod, and he presses another quick kiss to my lips and then is springing into action. I bring Duke over to the grooming salon, watching as the firetruck and ambulance drive away with their lights and sirens on, and a pit of dread settles in my stomach.
CHAPTER 39
Jameson
Something about seeingSutton standing there with Duke made my heart feel like it was going to explode in my chest. The fact that she went and got him, that she wanted to surprise me. Having her there, having her be mine was so overwhelming. We may not have established our relationship, but it doesn’t matter to me. She’s mine and she has been for longer than she even realizes.
It’s why I almost told her I love her. The words were slipping out of my mouth without me thinking. It just felt right. The feeling was so overwhelming that I had to tell her, but I was cut off by the sound of a call coming through. It’s a car accident, and not only are we being called out, but the neighboring station in the town over is also being called out, which means it’s a bad one.
I’m not driving today, Dave is while Jo and Parker are in the ambulance. We speed down the rural roads, trying to get to the scene as quickly as possible. Neither of us say anything, because in moments like this, when we don’t know what we are about to come upon, there isn’t much to say. I think about Sutton andhow I almost told her I love her. I feel like the words are going to explode out of me the next time I lay my eyes on her. Maybe as soon as we get back from the call I’ll rush over there and confess it all.
As we get closer, the noise of the siren is drowned out as adrenaline begins to take over. That’s when I see it. My stomach drops at what we’re coming up on.
I recognize the truck with its side completely smashed and facing the wrong direction. I’m leaping from the truck before it’s even completely stopped. My vision is tunneled as I approach the white pick up that’s been parked outside my parent’s house for as long as I can remember.
“Dad!” I call out. That’s when I see him. He’s draped over the steering wheel, seatbelt not on, and blood is pouring from his head. I’m ripping at the smashed in door, trying to pry it open. I vaguely register my name being shouted behind me, but I don’t respond to them. I’m too busy trying to rip this door off its hinges. There’s smoke billowing from the engine and the smell of gasoline and burnt rubber stings my nose.
I hardly even notice that there isn’t another car, even though he was clearly hit by someone and it only fuels my rage knowing this is a hit and run. Other sirens approach as I finally manage to rip the door open, but when I go to grab for my dad, I’m stopped.
“You know better than to try to move him right now. Let us take care of him. You can’t lose your head,” Dave tells me while Jo and Parker approach with the necessary tools to safely move my dad. Rationally, I know his neck needs to be stabilized, but I can’t even tell if he’s breathing.
Dave holds me back while Jo, Parker, and the other EMTs work on getting him out. I’m about to ask if he’s alive when I hear Jo say, “He has a pulse but it’s weak.”
The police are here, examining the scene, and I watch as they move my dad onto a stretcher. I break out of Dave’s hold to rush over to him. He’s completely pale and still. “Are you sure he’s alive?” I scream at Jo.
