said as he watched John walk around his desk and sit down. “Actually, they’re going better than I expected. I’ve got some interest in running a paramedic course and some guys asking for help training for the academy. I’ve been playing with the idea of opening a school since I came back.”
“I think that’s a good idea,” John murmured softly.
“Thank you,” Chase said, watching the chief as he seemed to think something over.
There was a heavy sigh and then, John said, “I was actually hoping that you’d consider coming back,” taking Chase by surprise.
“Coming back?” Chase repeated slowly, not sure that he’d heard him correctly.
“I spoke with your doctor and he thinks that you’d be ready to come back on light duty in a few months and probably back on the truck within a year,” John said as Chase sat there, slowly nodding as he thought about coming back on the truck and–
“I think I’m going to have to pass,” Chase said, forcing the words out, already knowing that he would never be able to do this job again.
Right now, he could deal with a smoke alarm going off, but that was it, which was a problem for a fireman. He wouldn’t be able to do his job without putting his men’s lives at risk and he would never do anything that would risk their lives no matter how badly he wanted back on the truck. He…
He just couldn’t do it.
Maybe that was for the best, Chase thought as he sat there thinking about Sloane and the baby. Christ, he was going to be a father, he thought, slowly exhaling only to feel his lips pull up into a pleased smile.
He was going to be a father.
They were having a baby and he couldn’t wait. He’d always wanted a large family, at least five kids, and now…he was fucking terrified. There were so many things that could go wrong, but even knowing that he wanted this baby, more than anything. He wanted to be there to watch their children grow up, which was another reason why he couldn’t go back on the truck.
He knew plenty of guys that managed to work on the truck and have a family, working two twenty-hour shifts a week and being on call for the rest of the time and…he didn’t want that. He didn’t want to go a day without seeing Sloane and their children and he sure as hell didn’t want to miss anything. Opening the school would allow him to do what he loved and be there for his family.
Nodding, John said, “I understand,” as he stood up. “But if you ever change your mind…”
Chuckling, Chase shook his hand. “I won’t.”
“Let me know when your school is up and running so that we can start scheduling classes,” John said as Chase headed for the door.
“Thanks, John,” Chase said as he left, unable to help but smile as his mind shifted back to Sloane.
She was as good as his, Chase thought with a wistful sigh as he headed outside. She was also stubborn, but that was okay with him because he was prepared to do whatever it took to convince Sloane that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He was going to spend the rest of his life making sure that she–
“Chase?” came the soft whisper that had him glancing to his left to find Amy sitting against the wall, her arms wrapped around herself, crying, as she sent him a pleading look, the same one that she used to send him whenever she needed him to save her.
She was nothing like Sloane and thank fucking god for that, Chase thought as he headed to his truck as the alarm went off, announcing a call seconds before the dispatcher announced the call over the PA system. When he heard the address, he forgot how to breathe.
Shadow House.
A moment later, Chase was in his truck, throwing it into drive and tearing out of the parking lot, telling himself that everything was fine as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and tried to call Sloane.
“Come on, baby, pick up,” Chase said as he moved his ass, weaving in and out of traffic and ignoring the cars blaring their horns as he focused on getting to Sloane.
When she didn’t pick up, he tossed his phone on the seat next to him and pulled into the grocery store parking lot and cut through the back to get to the small