“Sorry.” Rylan grinned. “I’m still back down the street. Never mind that. Let’s order something to eat and get this meeting over with.”
“Don’t make it sound like I’m going to rip your thumbnails out.”
Rylan laughed. “Right, instead, you’re going to rip out my deepest, darkest fears.”
Gray’s head tipped to the side, and his mouth half kicked up. “You have fears?”
“No more than the next guy who has to fly patients, sometimes critical, to medical facilities.”
“I hear that. Still, I’m the one you nominated to check in with for the first six months of employment. If I’m not mistaken, this will be our finalchat.” Gray grinned. “And unless I’ve missed something or you’re a damn good actor, you’re well over the trauma of the crash.”
“I was over it the second I woke up in the hospital,” Rylan grumbled.
He hated that he’d had to agree to these sessions with Gray, someone he considered an equal, except they’d allowed him to connect with his co-worker quicker than if they had only crossed paths at work. Being forced together once a week for the last six months had afforded them the chance to get close, to really talk. Because they didn’t just talk about work or Rylan’s crash, they talked about their lives.
They’d formed a friendship. A solid one where Rylan got invited to backyard barbecues at Gray’s house, to nights at Hooligan’s Bar for beers with Gray’s brothers, as well as other social events involving some of their colleagues and members of the community, particularly from the police and fire departments where Gray’s brothers worked.
“Sorry.” Shaking his head, he said, “I should be thanking you, not grumbling. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me since I arrived in Sunnyville.”
“No thanks necessary.” Gray turned to the waitress as she stopped at their table and placed a glass of water in front of each of them. “I’ll take a burger with everything.”
“Same,” Rylan added. “And coffee.”
“Got it. Back with your coffee in a few.”
Gray waited for the waitress to leave before launching into his questions. “So. Anything to report this week? That DWI crash call you took the other day go okay?”
He knew why Gray asked about that particular call. It was to give Rylan a chance to get anything off his chest that couldn’t be put in the official report. “Yeah, the drunk idiot passed out before he could fight too much about being transported in a chopper. The on-ground paramedics had him strapped down due to a possible spinal injury too, which helped.”
Gray grunted. “Patients like him piss me off.”
“You and me both, but we’re hired to do a job, so we do the job.”
“Yeah, doesn’t stop me from wanting to throw a punch or two.”
Rylan chuckled. “If only. Or maybe not dope them up so much on pain meds.”
Gray smirked and said, “Amazing how a bit of turbulence or a bumpy landing can quiet the most hostile patient.”
“Hmm . . . You would think they’d be happy to have someone trying to help them.”
“Some people just don’t like help.”
“Takes all kinds. Thanks,” Rylan said as the waitress placed a mug of coffee in front of him. “Speaking of help. Any info on the new flight nurse?”
“Alyssa knows her. She’s out of LA, apparently.”
Rylan frowned. “Lord, I hope she’s not a shallow Hollywood type.” He couldn’t stop the hard edge in his voice. Renee had lived in LA when they met. She’d dazzled him with her looks at first, then he’d discovered just what it took for her to look that good. The end of their marriage had shown him how shallow his ex-wife had been. In spite of her constant accusations that he didn’t connect on a deeper level, it was Renee who had been surface only, flash with no substance.
“I don’t think Alyssa would be friends with her if she was. Alyssa is the most down to earth woman I know. Although I am familiar with the type you’re talking about.” Gray’s frown matched Rylan’s. “I’ve dealt with those before.”
Rylan cringed. He didn’t know the full story about Gray’s ex, the mother of his son, but he knew enough to know his comment had probably dredged up bad memories. Hoping to divert his friend from a touchy subject, he changed the topic. “I moved into my house on Monday.” He couldn’t help grinning. It might be too big for him, but Rylan loved that house already.
“Yeah? So the next barbecue is at your place then.”
“Sure. I’ve got the perfect deck for it. I’ll need a grill though. Probably some outdoor furniture too.”
Gray laughed. “I thought you said you’d moved in?”
