Page 30 of Rescued Dreams
Ridge loved that she’d set him up with the chance to lighten the moment. Things were heavy for her, and that wasn’t going to be solved with one conversation. This was her life. The way it had turned out might not seem fair to her, but from his experience, life wasn’t even close to fair. It hadn’t been for him.
She took another bite of pizza, color in her cheeks now.
“If it’s okay with you, Kane is going to hang out in the house overnight. So that you have someone close by who can offer protection in seconds if you need it. Rather than you having to wait five minutes for the police to arrive.” He figured Maria would likely stay in another room. Ridge half wanted to camp out in the mansion as well, just to be near in case those guys came back, but they didn’t need to bombard Amelia with all of them.
“I’m so tired, I doubt I’d notice if there was anyone in the house.”
“I need to ask you about what happened at the firehouse. But there’s something else I need to say.”
She frowned, switching back to being wary of him. Which he didn’t like.
He said, “Before you went outside, you said something about your spot on Truck being given to Kane.” Ridge had to tread carefully. “No one is going to fire you, Amelia. You’re a great firefighter, and everyone knows it. Especially the chief.”
“I just spoke without thinking. It doesn’t mean anything.”
“I’d love to work with my cousin. Kind of like Bryce jumped at working with Logan. But not at the expense of losing you.” He leaned forward over the table, planting his elbows beside his napkin. “Don’t leave.”
“I’m not going to. But I might not be able to stay.”
“A realist. Why am I not surprised you’re a stone-cold pragmatist?”
She shrugged. “Why live in a dream world? I’d rather live in the real one, even if it sucks.”
“Why don’t we try and see if we can make it suck a little less for you?”
Amelia chuckled. “That’s one way to put it.”
“What do you say? Is that the kind of enticing invitation you can’t refuse, or what?”
She was still laughing.
“I’m in for the ride. Are you?”
“Okay, stop,” she said, laughing. “If it gets you to stop, then fine.”
“I’m not trying to take over your life, Amelia. I just want to help as much as you’ll let me. That’s all.”
She studied him from across the table, the lights around them casting her in a soft glow. He thought he heard a phone vibrating but ignored it. He needed this moment. Close to her. Building rapport and convincing her to trust him.
He had a feeling they were going to need it.
ELEVEN
Amelia stepped out of the conference room and turned to the right.Wrong way.This direction would take her to the officeformerlyknown as hers.
She’d realized her mistake too late, and everyone would know it.
Ridge appeared beside her. “Going my way?”
Amelia had rolled her eyes plenty lately, and she wasn’t going to do it again right now. “Fine. I could use the steps.” A circuit of the hall would get her to the women’s bunkroom eventually.
She set off toward his office.
“Not often rescue squad gets a callout right in the middle of the briefing.”
She glanced over at him, half expecting him to use what she’d said to him the night before against her. Maliciously. She’d spilled her heart. Told him more than anyone else in her life knew—except Meg.
Instead, he seemed to be more interested in small talk.
