Page 36 of More Than My Hometown

Kendall screams again, rolling away from Maisey, which lands her on the side of her hurt arm. When that results in more pain, she lets out another ear-piercing sound and rocks back into the same position.

“It hurts, I know,” Maisey continues. “But I’m a nurse, and I’m here to help. But I need to know your name first.”

“It’s Kendall,” I say, trying to help.

Maisey turns around, giving me a look that says thank you and not helpful all at the same time. “Ewan, will you help push everyone back? Give Kendall and me some room to breathe?”

Her voice is still that same steady, calm, and even as it was earlier, but this time, there’s an I mean business tone to it. She’s in nurse mode. I do as she says, moving everyone back, telling them there’s nothing to see, and making them move over to where the buses are. We should be leaving soon anyway.

Or well, maybe not now that Chet’s kid is hurt.

“Your name is Kendall?” Maisey asks, the sweetness back in her voice as she returns to the toddler. Chet and his wife, Kate, both push past me, running over to be next to their daughter. “That’s a pretty name. Can you tell me where it hurts, Kendall?”

Stepping away for a moment, I dial the local emergency number, dispatching our paramedic team. I trust that if this truly needed a full-on 911 call, Maisey would have hollered that instruction at me, so our local team should be able to do the trick.

Then I make one more call. Because there is someone else who is going to want to see this.

Turning back to the scene, I find little Kendall sitting in Kate’s lap, her cheeks still bright red and eyes still puffy, but her tears dried up for now. Maisey is kneeling down in front of her, a toddler arm carefully balanced in her hand, examining it the best she can. All while gently and calmly reassuring Kendall.

I’m mesmerized by the sight. By the way she took charge, without hesitation or question. Just ran across the parking lot, started barking orders, and went into boss mode. All while comforting her patient. This might just be the most impressive thing I’ve ever seen.

I can’t imagine what she’d be like if there’d been actual bloodshed.

Somewhere in the background I hear the sirens, but they barely register. I’m too taken by watching my girl in action. Watching how she’s completely owning the moment.

“So, why did you need us?” Landon Noble, assistant fire chief and lead paramedic asks, laughing as he sidles up to me. “Seems like Maisey has this completely under control.”

“Because Maisey doesn’t have her medic bag!” she calls over her shoulder, semi-sarcastically referring to herself in third person. “Which makes it kinda hard to fashion a splint and sling.”

“That’s fair,” Landon responds, stepping in and handing her his.

I hang back, laughing at her response and that she is taking absolutely zero prisoners here. Had you asked me ten minutes ago, I would have told you that I didn’t think I could love Maisey Phillips any more than I already did. But watching her like this is proving me wrong. Because I am falling for her even harder now.

“So…her local certs current?” Landon whispers, leaning into me.

I look at him, blinking hard. I actually have no idea.

“They are,” a deep, booming voice says from behind us.

It’s not loud enough for anyone but Landon and me to hear, but there’s no mistaking it. Especially since it belongs to the other person I called. Spinning around, I nod at Fire Chief Phillips, Maisey’s dad, taking in his proud smile as he watches his daughter.

“It’s part of what is required for the company that she contracts with,” he continues. “She has to maintain accreditations in at least one state in her home country. So she is one hundred percent legal to practice as a nurse paramedic in the state of Georgia.”

Damn, that’s good to know.

“Does that have any bearing on…” I trail off, gesturing to what’s happening in front of us. My mouth goes dry, worry creeping up that this could have gone wrong if she hadn’t been licensed.

“Oh no,” Landon says. “Her jumping in to help until we got here, regardless of any kind of medical training, is covered under the Good Samaritan law. It’s more that I’m short an EMT. Having a fully licensed nurse paramedic at the ready almost seems too good to be true. Think she’d be willing to help out while she’s here?”

“You’d have to ask her,” I tell him. “I don’t speak for her.”

“No, but I bet you could convince her to say yes,” Chief Phillips chimes in.

Errrr…

I swallow hard, not sure what her father is implying. Nor am I sure I want to know. He and I have always gotten along, but then again, that was before my status changed with his daughter. Fuck, I don’t even know if he knows that my status has changed with his daughter. I might need to address that.

“Chief, I⁠—”