the debris off of her, including a damn heavy file cabinet. Fortunately, Rafe and Mitchell were able to lift it upright, freeing Shelly.
They checked her for broken bones but didn’t find any. They put a c-collar around her neck to stabilize her spine and strapped her on the portable stretcher, winding out the way they came in.
Since they now had Shelly between them, it was even more slow going. It was hot as fuck in the shed, too, with sweat pouring off them, so the sooner they got out of this hot box, the better.
This time, Rafe followed Mitchell. At least they had light and communication with their team outside.
And when they made it outside, Miguel and Adrienne took over, loading Shelly onto the stretcher and doing their assessment before putting her into the ambulance and taking her to the hospital.
Rafe finally exhaled, then headed to the truck, where cold water was waiting for him. He needed hydration in the worst way, so he guzzled it down.
“A little tight in there?” Jackson asked.
Rafe’s lips curved. “Good thing I’m not claustrophobic.”
Jackson slapped him on the back. “Good job. Go put up your gear and let’s head back.”
It had been crazy tight in there, but it had also felt good to be at work again.
But as he sat in the truck on the way back, he thought about his earlier conversation with Kal. He wondered what it was about him that made him pull back from women just as things were heating up.
Kal might be right. Maybe it was time for some self-reflection. Because he liked Carmen. And the last thing he wanted to do was screw anything up with her.
Even if it was just dinner.
CHAPTER 8
CARMEN HAD SCOURED HER CLOSET AND DECIDED SHE had nothing to wear.
Of course, she hadn’t been on a date in . . . She was pretty sure the last actual date she’d been on had been her first date with her ex-husband. She’d had coffee with a couple of guys that hadn’t amounted to anything, and she couldn’t call those dates.
She grimaced and closed the closet door with a resounding slam.
At least her grandfather wasn’t home tonight. Mario and Javier, a couple of his old friends from his club, had picked him up for a night of cards at Theo’s house. It was good for her grandfather to get out and socialize, and she trusted his close friends to take good care of him, so she wasn’t worried.
Much.
But Grace, Theo’s wife, promised she’d call Carmen if there was any problem.
She trusted Grace even more than Grandpa’s buddies.
Her doorbell rang, so she went to answer it. Tess stood there with several dresses slung over her arm.
“I have nothing to wear,” Carmen said, turning and walking away.
Tess followed. “I knew you’d say that, so I brought a few items.”
“That’s because your amazing husband takes you out all the time.”
“You bet your sweet ass he does.”
She’d known Tess’s husband, George, for as long as Tess had known him. He was kind and sweet and funny and treated Tess like a treasure. Tess was a lucky woman.
Carmen led Tess into her bedroom, where Tess laid four dresses on the bed.
She looked down at the selection Tess had put on display. “You didn’t have to bring me dresses.”
“I know. But I also know you haven’t been on a date in ages and you probably haven’t bought a new dress since you last went out with Tod.”
“This is true.”
“So, you can borrow one of mine until you get your feet wet and decide to go splurge on something new for yourself. Or maybe a few new pretty things.”
She shrugged. “I don’t need a few new pretty things.”
“Actually, you do. Do you know how amazing it is to dress up, to feel good about yourself? No one deserves that more than you. Even if it’s new lingerie.”
Carmen just looked at her, and Tess’s eyes widened.
“You did buy new lingerie, didn’t you?”
“Of course I didn’t. When would I have had time to do that?”
“I don’t know. On your lunch? There’s a mall two miles from the hospital.”
Carmen shrugged. “It never occurred to me. Besides, it’s not like he’s going to see my underwear anyway.”
“You sure about that?” Tess raised a brow. “Do you really want to get yourself all tricked out in some hot dress with your makeup on and your hair looking amazing, and then underneath you’ll have ten-year-old underwear?”
“They’re not that old.” They were seven years old, but she wasn’t going to