Shock - Marie Johnston Page 0,58
Ryan’s kids in her daycare, remember?”
I faintly recall Mitch mentioning it once, but that was back when Ford purposely avoided anything relating to Karoline and Ryan—which was any time before two weeks ago.
Ford and I get out and walk to the door with Mitch and Samantha. Laughter filters through the house from the backyard.
Karoline opens the door and claps her hands. “Hello, everyone! Come around the back. We have lots of food.” She eyes the tray Samantha’s holding. “I told you not to worry about anything but I’ll forgive you if they’re brownies.”
Samantha brandishes the tray. “I’m forgiven.”
Karoline takes the tray and waves us to follow her.
Mitch falls in step beside me. “We get any more people from work here and we can just have our company picnic at Ryan’s.”
I laugh as we enter the backyard and my anxiety fades. An inviting pool twinkles in the middle of the yard and sits empty except for the girls’ pool toys floating on the surface. A trellis full of vines surrounds the patio and provides protection from the sun. Sergei’s talking to Ryan. When they see Ford, they both call out greetings. Sergei adds, “Glad you could make it.”
Ford and Mitch meet them by a cooler and I follow Samantha and Karoline to a picnic set up in the shade.
“Name your poison,” Karoline says while Samantha and I get settled. “I’ve got water, sparkling water, lemonade, spiked lemonade, iced tea…”
“Lemonade. Want help?”
“No, sit and have fun. I’m going to shoo Ryan’s wife, Rosa, out of the kitchen before she cooks enough we’ll have leftovers for a year.”
Samantha’s rueful smile turns toward me. “She’s not exaggerating. Rosa lives in fear of food running out on guests.” She digs a pair of sunglasses out of her purse. “So, how’ve you been? Mitch tells me you’re thinking about the paramedic program?”
I am? “I guess he mentioned something, but I haven’t really thought more about it. I like what I’m doing. I feel like I have a lot to learn.”
“Trust me, it’s easier to do your schooling before the marriage and the kids come. And you’d still be working and learning while you’re taking courses. You know the company will pay for it.”
“If I sign on for three years.”
Her gaze slides to Ford standing with the group of guys by the grill. “Are you planning on going anywhere?”
A question I’ve pondered recently and have a firm answer for. “No. Not at all.”
“Then you have nothing to lose. Except Ford as a partner.”
Right. I’d have my own EMT partner once I became a paramedic. Is that what’s stopping me?
That question deserves time. I let a guy sway my future once. I’m not doing it again. “Ford mentioned Mercy Life.”
Samantha nods. “Mitch considered becoming a flight paramedic.” She chuckles. “But he hates flying so… You’d be good at it. Mitch speaks so highly of you.”
I like my job. I enjoy flying. Can I mix the two and still love them both? My gut says yes. Not only does it feel right, but if I take the course offered through Sunnyville EMS, then, like Samantha said, they pay for me and I can keep working. A few years after that, I can work toward becoming a flight paramedic if it still feels right.
My gaze is drawn back to Ford. He’s laughing at something Ryan said, his broad shoulders shaking. I’m not letting a guy influence my decision, but I like the thought of being around for a while. Of having a future with him.
As if he senses me thinking about him, his eyes meet mine, the blue in them catching a line of sun that found its way through the vines. The corner of his mouth hitches up and I match his small smile.
He nods, like I’ve given him the affirmation he was looking for. I’m doing okay. More than okay. I wish I could go back to the brokenhearted Lia from after the breakup, the one that looked at a map on her phone and wondered where in the world she could rebuild her life. I wish I could tell her that she’s making the best decision of her life. That she’ll find herself and in doing so, she’ll find a real partner.
Ford
“Want something to drink?” I wander into Lia’s kitchen. The place is dark. We haven’t turned on any lights yet. Ryan’s kids went to bed well before the party wound down and Lia invited me to sleep over. Since watching her all night and not being