Page 15 of Bloody Bargain
I looked at the time on my phone and scrunched up my face with a sheepish scowl.
“Sorry, Jess, but I have to leave for work.”
She let go of our uncle and sat back down beside him. “Geez, it’s like you’re an adult or something.”
“Don’t rub it in,” I winced.
“Have a good shift, hon,” Uncle Jim said.
“I will. And happy birthday, Jess! Send me pictures from the paintball park, okay?”
“Definitely,” she nodded.
“Bye!”
We all waved to each other, and I turned off the video call. I jumped up as soon as their faces disappeared. If I didn’t leave in five minutes, I would be late to the hospital.
?
Leaving the training room, I breathed a sigh of relief and stretched my arms high. Having all of us EMTs in one room was a giant sausage fest with only Marissa and me to stave off the machismo.
“Looks like we’re partnered up for the weekend,” Gavin said, walking by. I couldn’t help but grin at him.
“Yeah, looks like.”
He walked backward a few paces, watching me stretch. I didn’t mind watching him either.
“Looking forward to it,” he said meaningfully. I nodded, raising a brow. He turned away, splitting off toward the ambulance garage.
Reed, my usual partner in crime, came up next to me and poked my rib. My arms came crashing down to my sides in a defensive position. He laughed that rich, deep laugh and shouldered me toward the cafeteria.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” I groaned as he filled a plate for me.
“Nah, you need food. I can tell you haven’t eaten yet.”
“Not true. And besides, hangovers are a surefire way to get this girl from a size eight to a six.”
“Two things: toast and juice don’t count as food; and when you’re about to be on call for a sixteen-hour shift, I don’t care what size your dream jeans are, you need to pack on some energy.” Reed waved a spoon in my face. A mashed potatoey spoon that had a couple peas stuck to it. When he handed me the towering plate of mystery meat, steamed vegetables, and, of course, mashed potatoes, I accepted begrudgingly.
“So you wanna come over tomorrow, have dinner with Glenn and me?” Reed asked, finding us a table. I grabbed us each a water and coffee.
“You mean, do I wanna come over and give you guys a cooking lesson?”
Reed shrugged. “I can’t help it if we’re dumbnuts in the kitchen.”
I flicked a pea at him. He blocked with his spoon and a terrible ninja sound effect.
“Can a Black man be racist?” I pondered, trying hard not to laugh at the serious ninja face he was making. A patient walked by in her robe and slippers, watching us suspiciously. I leaned in, laughing behind my hand. “Because she definitely thought that was racist.”
Reed laughed into his coffee, palm slapped against his forehead. Although I couldn’t see the blush on his espresso-bean skin, his smile was sheepish, shoulders hunched in immature embarrassment.
“Is she gone?”
I nodded, chewing my mystery meat.
We both sat back, enjoying the fade of giggles. I took a big gulp of coffee, chewing on a breadstick. Reed sized me up, dipping his fork into a big mess of food and gravy.
“So how was yourdatelast night, lucky charm?” he asked, wagging an eyebrow. I scoffed at him, putting pepper on my entire plate. Hospital food, no matter how good the hospital, always tasted like hot water mush.
