Sean's Reckoning - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,41

is none of your business.”

“That can cut both ways, you know. I can tell you to butt out of my relationship with Deanna, as well.”

Hank’s laugh held little mirth. “As if you two actually have one.”

Sean’s gaze narrowed. “Relationships aren’t just about sex, you know.”

“Is that so?” Hank retorted sarcastically. “Enlighten me, then. What are they about?”

“I’m not surprised you don’t know,” Sean said. “Since you’ve always been a wham-bam kind of guy.”

Hank threw up his hands. “Forget it. I ask a serious question and I get wisecracks. Who needs it?” He walked out of the station and slammed the door behind him, leaving Sean staring after him.

Well, well, well, he thought. Hank was neck deep in water and floundering. He recognized the signs because he was pretty much in over his head himself.

Sighing heavily, he went after his partner to make amends. He found Hank sitting on the running board of the fire truck, looking despondent.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize she was really getting to you,” he told Hank.

Hank scowled up at him. “I never said—”

Sean cut him off. “Save it, okay? Just save it. If you can’t tell me the truth, who can you tell?”

For a minute he thought Hank might stand up and throw a punch, but he finally shrugged. “Okay, I’m falling for her,” he admitted. “There. I’ve said it. Are you satisfied?”

Sean grinned. “It’s a start.”

“I don’t hear you admitting that you’re crazy about Deanna,” Hank said sourly.

“Yeah, well, maybe I’m not as in touch with my feelings as you are.”

“Like hell. Everyone around here knows you’re Mr. Sensitive.”

Sean laughed. “Tell that to Deanna.”

“Why waste my breath? I’ve seen the way the woman looks at you. She already knows it.”

“Actually, at the moment she thinks I’m an interfering, pushy man, and I’m not too sure which part of that she considers to be the worst crime.”

“Then by all means let’s get over to Joey’s so you can reinforce her opinion,” Hank said wryly.

“You think I should stay away, give her some space?”

“If that’s what she says she wants, yes,” Hank told him.

Sean considered Hank’s advice. It wasn’t as if he was doing anything more than satisfying his own overprotective instincts by sitting at Joey’s watching Dee work.

“Maybe we should eat here at the station tonight,” he said, just as a call came in for an ambulance. Though he wasn’t involved in the call, he instinctively listened to the dispatcher.

He and Hank recognized the address at the precise same moment. It was Joey’s.

Panic swept through Sean, even as he ran for his gear. He frowned at Hank. “You coming or not?”

“It’s not our call. Let the paramedics take it.”

“Are you crazy?” Sean demanded. “Get the rest of the guys. We’re going over there. It could be Deanna. Or Ruby, for that matter.”

“More than likely, it’s one of the seniors who eat there every night,” Hank said reasonably, then shrugged when Sean refused to back down. “I’ll get the guys.”

“I’m riding with the EMTs. I’ll meet you there,” Sean told him, shoving his way into the back of the departing ambulance. His scowl kept the paramedics from arguing with him.

The instant they reached the restaurant, he was bolting for the door, scanning the cluster of people gathered over someone stretched out on the floor for some sign of Deanna.

“Please, let her be in the kitchen,” he muttered as he raced across the room. But something in his gut told him he wasn’t going to find her in the kitchen. When Kevin wiggled through the crowd, his eyes filled with tears, Sean knew even before the boy charged at him.

He scooped Kevin into his arms. “What happened?”

“Mommy fell down,” Kevin sobbed, clinging to his neck. “She won’t wake up.”

Sean held him tightly and rubbed his back as sobs shuddered through him. He would have given anything to put Kevin down and rush to Deanna himself, but he understood that the EMTs knew what they were doing. “It’s okay. The paramedics are going to take real good care of her,” he promised, saying the words aloud as much for his own benefit as for Kevin’s.

When the customers recognized him, they parted, making a path so that Sean could get closer. Ruby caught his eye.

“I think she just fainted,” she said, her voice tremulous, her cheeks pale. “We wouldn’t have called nine-one-one except she didn’t come to right away.”

“Can you take Kevin for a second, so I can check on her?” Sean asked, surprised to hear the husky sound of