Shock - Marie Johnston Page 0,2

a catch.”

I roll my eyes, but he doesn’t see me. That’s his ex talking. “Don’t spout her poison, Ford.”

That he opened up to me about his ex and how she raked him over velvet-covered coals still surprises me, but I don’t take his trust for granted.

I start our equipment check. Mitch and Arnesh never fail to restock the ambulance, but we always check when we start our shift. Even if it weren’t policy, we’d do it anyway. There’s nothing worse than being on a call and opening a compartment or a bag to find the supplies we need are missing. Not only is it potentially dangerous for the patient, it’s embarrassing as hell, and the firefighter first responders on the scene have a long memory.

At every emergency services’ grill-out, I still hear Hey, Wescott. Got a Band-Aid?

I had a pediatric case. Unlike Ford, I suck with kids, but this little guy loved Band-Aids. He had a high fever and while Ford got his IV in, I distracted him with bandages. Then later that shift, a fireman cut his finger and asked for one.

I couldn’t find a single one and they’ve never let me forget it. An ambulance with no Band-Aids? Riots of laughter.

With our precheck done inside, we do a walk-around before Ford climbs behind the wheel. He always drives first. I had a few partners during training, and some never failed to point out how they’re the paramedic and I’m the EMT, and not just any EMT, but the basic level that can’t insert IVs or intubate. Some wouldn’t let me do much more than drive. But not Ford. For a player, he has surprisingly little ego.

My phone buzzes as soon as I shut the door. Since we’re still in the bay, I sneak a peek. Dread sweeps through me at the name on the screen.

I stare at it, letting it ring.

Ford shamelessly leans over to look. He lets out a long whistle. “What the hell does he want?”

“It’s still campaign season,” I mumble. My ex is running for state senator. A big step in his political climb. “And he wants my mother’s backing. He probably thinks he can sweet talk me back.” Samuel never quit trying to reconcile. It’s hard not to fall for his sincerity. He already has my mother’s support—more than I do.

“Answer it and tell him to fuck off.”

My mind hangs on the answer it part and I hit the green button. Panic seizes my lungs. Oh, shit. Now what? “Hello?”

I stare at Ford, horrified that I went so far. He mouths, whatever it is, no.

“Aurelia,” Samuel croons in that smooth-as-French-silk-pie voice I used to crave hearing, and dammit, I still do. Ford has his baggage. Samuel is mine. “I wasn’t sure you’d pick up.”

I quit telling him years ago to call me Lia like everyone else. I’m not everyone else and neither are you. The guy flings platitudes like parade candy. “I’m just starting my shift. What do you need?”

A bite of smugness fills me at the mention of my job. Being an EMT is a far cry from my UCLA political science degree. Samuel blames himself for the sudden change in my career, but it was the best decision I ever made and I made it for me alone.

“I’ll be near Sunnyville tomorrow and thought I could swing by. We can do lunch.”

The panic roars back. He’ll be in Sunnyville? “Uh—”

“I just want to talk.”

There’s that soft tone, the one that reminds me of how storybook romantic he could be and just how special I felt when we were together. Up until I wasn’t. “Samuel.”

“Please, Aurelia.”

The genuine remorse in his voice gets to me. He fucked-up and he knows it. He regrets it. It would’ve been one thing if I’d just been a rung on the ladder climb of his career, but we’d been in love. Only, I’d loved him more. It took me walking away to show him how much he loved me and not just my political connections.

I wish falling out of love were as easy as falling in love.

“Just lunch.” Beside me, Ford is shaking his head and I avoid eye contact. I have to be strong in the ways I know how. I can’t keep running from Samuel forever. “Where?”

“I saw that Sunnyville has a country club. Let’s eat there. Eleven?”

“I’ll meet you there.” Samuel doesn’t know where I live, meaning my parents have respected my wishes and kept it private despite how much they were looking forward to