Page 15 of Hot Response
“You took your mask off.”
Gavin didn’t know if it was a guess or somebody—maybe Cait during the brief time they’d been extracting him from the house—had told him, but it didn’t matter. He was okay. “I just need some water. Did you get all her gear?”
After Tony nodded, Gavin walked to where the volunteers had the canteen truck set up and turned down their offer of coffee or hot chocolate for a bottle of water. He was thirsty and having to call Tony back because he’d scorched his throat guzzling coffee wasn’t his idea of a good time.
When they were cleared to return to quarters, it was a quiet ride. They were all a little subdued after a situation went sideways, when the should-haves and what-ifs ran through their minds. And they’d wonder about Hunter and his mom until they saw an update on the evening news or heard something through the grapevine.
He took a quick shower and sat on the couch, propping his stockinged feet on the table. His intention had been to turn the TV on and channel surf until he found something mindless to stare at.
Instead, he stared at the framed photo next to the television. He knew it was just the luck of the draw, so to speak, that Cait’s ambulance had been the closest to respond for fire standby. That she was the one in that room with him.
There had been no panic in her eyes. Tension. A little fear. But mostly what he’d seen on her face was determination. She knew the risks and she wasn’t leaving the boy. He knew what that felt like, and he respected the hell out of anybody who could remain calm and focused in that kind of situation.
He shifted his gaze to Rick Gullotti, who was sitting in the recliner, watching him stare at the picture. “Hey, LT.”
“How you doing?”
“I’m good. Anybody hear anything about the little boy yet? Or his mom?”
“Not yet. The news might have something. Don’t take your mask off again.”
Gavin nodded, because that was the right thing to do. He knew why he’d done it and Rick knew why he’d done it, but they both acknowledged it wasn’t what he was supposed to do.
“Food’s almost ready, so let’s eat.” He pushed himself out of the chair. “I’m surprised we haven’t had to drag you out of the pantry yet, like a freakin’ raccoon.”
“I had a Snickers in the truck.”
They got through the meal and the evening news—from which they learned both victims of the earlier incident were expected to make full recoveries—before the tones went off for a motor vehicle accident with entrapment. A couple hours later, they responded to a carbon monoxide alarm before hitting the bunks.
When an alarm went off and it was his phone rather than dispatch, Gavin was surprised they’d made it through the night without interruption. He’d slept hard and rather than go home and crawl into bed for a power nap, he’d probably find some breakfast and then get some errands done.
Grant popped his head into the bunk room as he was stowing his tablet and charger into his bag. “Hey, Gavin, there’s somebody here to see you.”
“Unless it’s a supermodel with a sandwich in one hand and a beer in the other, I’m not here.”
“Beer?”
Shit, it was morning. “Breakfast sandwich and a coffee, then.”
“It’s that EMT with the great ass who doesn’t like you.” Grant chuckled. “She said not to hurry. She’ll wait while you finish up.”
Gavin sighed and zipped the duffel bag shut. Screw the beer and screw the coffee. A nice shot of whiskey wouldn’t hurt.
Chapter Five
Cait was pretty sure she’d hit her head at the scene yesterday and hadn’t noticed it because that was the only way to explain the fact she was standing inside Gavin Boudreau’s firehouse at a ridiculously early hour on her day off, waiting for him to appear so she could invite him out for breakfast.
She’d had a rough night. Her mother saw her on the evening news and totally fell apart. There was sobbing and anger and demands Cait quit her job, because who was going to take care of her if something happened to Cait? Then, when Cait had refused to give in, there had been sulking. Cait hated the silent treatment even more than the sobbing or yelling.
And she hated a night spent tossing and turning, trying not to imagine the emotional devastation losing her would have piled on her mother and brother. Carter had seemed okay, muttering agood job, sisand giving her a high-five when their mom wasn’t looking. But even if seeing the news hadn’t shaken him, their mother’s overreaction had to affect him.
She’d also thought a lot more about a certain firefighter than she wanted to. She’d accused Gavin of not taking his job seriously and, even before yesterday, she’d forced herself to admit it wasn’t fair.
She owed him an apology, and what better way to apologize than over a cup of coffee and some bacon?
It was only a few minutes before he appeared, wearing jeans and a zip-up hoodie. He didn’t look nearly as tired as she felt, and she felt her body doing itsomg, this man is so hotthing, which she hoped didn’t show. “Hi.”
“Hey, how you doin’ today?”
