Page 13 of Drifter’s Heart

…waiting…

Hmm. I seem to have this thing called a job.

We can come get her?

Missing the point. But I miss you too!

Eddie groans when he sees me diverting from the conversation’s focus, ADHD-style, without him and straightens. “That’s not your call to make, paramedic, assessing her abilities.” I grimace as he eyeballs me. “Neither is picking up a stray off the side of the street along with her collection of rabid bunnies. What if, halfway to the hospital, she came out of her drifting phase? What if, Winnie, nice Mrs. Cunningham screamed kidnapper, or worse? What then? Because then both you and I are up on charges. I happen to like my income and my freedom. How about you?”

I frown at him. “I love my job,” I correct him.

“Whatever.” A hand wave fractures the space between us and the perfect partnership we’ve developed over numerous patients. “You go right ahead and pick up whoever and whatever you want from now on. I’m out.” He spins away from me in a huff.

Okay, so we waited a few extra hours, but she needed the help. Badly, and not for the first time. I mean, that’s the job. Isn’t it? Or have I been doing it wrong all this time?

“What?” I reach for him, tap his shoulder. “Hey. It’s one day, you know?”

He stares at me like he’s never seen me before. “No, Winnie. It’s not just one day. It’s never one day with you. It’s every damn day. Must be fun being a millionaire when you can do whatever you like and live by your own rules without fear of being fired,” he spits out.

I rock back on my heels. “Wait a hot minute, rodeo rampage. That is not how it works. I do not have money in the bank.” Just a stalker ex, a future for my daughter I desperately want to protect, and a brother I’m mostly sure about. Mostly.

“Yeah? I heard your rich big brother upstate gave you a ton of cash when you whined to him about your divorce problems.” Eddie turns purple. My good friend Eddie, who I’ve driven with countless hours. Eddie, who has shared that same time drenched in who knows what body fluids, now rejects me because of Cord.

Fucking Cordell and his fucking money.

I bite my lip before I turn this into a full-blown argument, because I’ve had dozens of those with the ex-husband. Does Brad have a hand in this? Probably not. I don’t feel it and my gut is usually good with that. Which means… shit, shit, shit. There’s a rumor that’s shot around the hospital that I need to straighten out right now.

Coyote Falls is a ranch, and that community is fairly closed. West deals with the chatter there. Gossip is queen in places like Valiant Peak, and I’ve attended enough of my brother’s small-town rodeos to understand that. But nurses and paramedics? We’re a whole other rumor-mill cadre of our own.

I take a deep breath and dig my heels in. “Cord gave Sally money for her birthday. It’s in a family trust that I don’t touch unless it’s for her schooling. She’ll get it when she turns twenty-one. That’s for her, Eddie. Not me. I’m happy for her. But I’ve never wanted anything to do with my brother’s money. I just want to work. Make a difference. You know?” I can’t prevent the desperate, begging note that tinges that my voice.

And I hate it.

Sally could have given a better explanation. Suddenly I miss my offspring more than anything.

“Yeah, sure.” Eddie snorts his derisiveness. “Because no one sits around struggling for no good reason, Rand, making terrible life decisions with no fear of consequences. But you keep on doing crazy shit. I’m off this boat ride.”

I blink. “Eddie? Are you quitting?”

“Hell no, you crazy woman.” He stares at me like I’m the mad one. “I’m requesting a different assignment.”

I stand at the edge of the ER waiting area as Eddie storms off, grabs a hose, and starts washing our ambulance down with force.

“Shit.” All the energy slinks from my body. My butt hits the filthy cement, but I’m too numb to feel it. “Shit,” I whisper.

Somewhere in the middle of all this, I have to protect Sally. How the hell did I think I could get away with having a life when Cordell Rand is her uncle? Any normal life. Dammit, I’m stupid. And selfish. Stupid selfish.

Warmth bumps me as a body sinks to the cement beside me.

“Chicken salad sandwich?”

I don’t glance at Tom as he passes the offering over without another word. Because this is our regular, out here. Away from the madness and drama inside.

Here, we don’t have to talk about whatever he experienced today on his shift. I don’t have to talk about mine. He’s made me a sandwich, and I eat. His arm wraps around my shoulder as I munch away in silence, wondering what the hell else I’m missing.

Scarred hands, leather, and Coyote dust.

West walked away. Claimed his freedom. Found his… something. Whatever it is that he’s looking for away from my brother’s ranch. Hell, I could even call him. West would knock the rumor mill away with one hard stare. The thought of relying on him to shut it all down and just forgetting would be a relief.