graduated yet, but even I knew there was only so much I’d be able to do for this man without any equipment.
Lincoln nodded and fixed his gaze to mine for the smallest fraction of a second. He gave a tiny, almost imperceptible nod before whipping his phone out of his pocket and doing as I’d asked.
All my anxiety and self-doubt left me the moment I saw that nod. Somehow, I knew it was meant to reassure me, and the look in his eyes confirmed it. How he’d known I needed it, I didn’t know.
But I supposed he was used to chaotic situations where life or death hung in the balance. Whatever it was, seeing and feeling that reassurance from Lincoln cleared the haze from my mind.
Everything I’d learned about heart attacks and first response came flooding back to me, and I systematically worked my way through it. Every time I was unsure about something, I’d look up and he’d already be there for me. Even as he kept the ever-growing crowd from crushing us and as he barked into his phone.
I had to admit he was fucking fantastic in a crisis, but I had no time to think too much about it. I merely played with it in the back of my mind whenever I started feeling flustered.
Within either minutes or hours, I saw blue and red lights flashing and heard sirens piercing the sounds of the festivities around us. Not once did I stop performing CPR, keeping my count and my focus until a paramedic fell to her knees beside me.
“Thanks, doctor,” she said. “We’ve got it from here.”
“I’m not a…” I trailed off when I realized she wasn’t listening to me at all. Her partner was offloading a gurney, and with Lincoln’s help, policemen were managing the crowd.
As I stood up, I met the wild, tear-filled gaze of the victim’s daughter. Her body trembled like a leaf, but she managed a wobbly smile as she reached out to squeeze my hand. “Thank you so much. We’ll never forget this.”
“Good luck,” I said, returning her squeeze before letting her go to follow her father and the paramedics to the ambulance.
“You did good, Sofia.” Lincoln’s deep voice rumbled in my ear as a pair of muscled arms wrapped around me from behind. I recognized the feel of them immediately and sank back against his powerful chest. “You think he’s going to be okay?”
Covering his forearms with my hands, I nodded as we watched the paramedics loading Michael into the back of the ambulance. “He should be fine now. His pulse was getting stronger while I was busy. I’m hopeful that he’ll make a full recovery.”
Lincoln’s front pressed against my back, and he rested his head against the side of mine. “If he does, it will be thanks to you.”
“You helped,” I said, closing my fingers around his warm skin. “A lot more than you might realize. I started freaking out for a minute there.”
His stubble pricked against my temple, but then it was replaced by the soft press of his lips. “You got it together when it mattered. It’s okay to freak out. The important part is getting your shit together, which you managed flawlessly.”
“Well, I’m not sure it was flawless.” Over and over again in my mind, I replayed everything I had learned. It had come back to me so easily after that initial panic had passed, but now I worried that I’d skipped something.
At the same time, I felt this weird sense of calm and rightness that reassured me from inside out that I’d done everything I could. Lincoln’s lips brushed against my temple when he spoke again, like he wanted to talk but also didn’t want to let me go. I knew because I felt the same way.
“Bullshit. It might not have felt flawless to you, but it sure as fuck looked it. I’m impressed, baby. You kicked ass tonight.”
Before I could reply, a man approached us through the retreating crowd. He held a camera in one hand and a notepad in the other. A pair of round-framed glasses were perched on his nose and his cheeks were flushed with excitement.
“I’m Douglas Green with the Chronicle. I witnessed what you two did here tonight. Do you mind if I get a picture? I’d love to write an article on the couple that saved the fourth of July.”
Lincoln tapped my side, silently letting me know it was up to me. I didn’t like the idea of being in