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“Yeah, well, you have always been there for me, and as you pointed out at the airport, you know everything about me. Who else would I ask?”
“Do you still want to ask me?”
“Would you say yes?”
“Oh, you guys are absolutely killing me. Would you both grow up already?”
“Yes, I would,” I say, trying to ignore my sister.
“Great, then you can be my best man,” Noah says with a smile.
“Wait, did you ask me?”
“Of course he did, meathead. Now come on, I’m starving,” Leia says, and we all chuckle.
ChapterFour
RILEY
My shift is finally over, and I am heading out to the parking lot with Chief Yates and Samantha Yates walking beside me.
“Is everything ready for the charity auction next month?” Chief asks.
“I believe we are on track, Chief. Though trying to convince the guys to allow us to auction them off for a night is proving too difficult with many of them pushing back,” I tell him while trying to stifle a yawn.
“Who’s pushing back?” Samantha asks.
“Tyson Strahn, for one. Ever since that whole incident with Sharon last year, he has pretty much sworn off women. I honestly think he really loved her,” I say.
“He did, but I thought he was getting better,” Sam says, biting her bottom lip and looking at Chief.
“I’ll talk to him,” Chief says. “Come on, let’s get you home before you collapse, and then we will pick up Ray from Alisa’s babysitter,” he tells her before they both say good-bye and head off to the Chief’s truck.
I get in my car and leave the firehouse, knowing I need to get as much sleep as I can tonight. Tomorrow is the Hospital’s annual Christmas party, and Leia is expecting me to be there.
I don’t know why I agreed, except that I expect her help with the firehouse’s charity auction next month getting all the single nurses she can there and making bids, so it’s only fair that I support her annual Christmas party.
I pull into my driveway, looking around before getting out of my car to ensure no one is going to sneak up on me again. Once I’m in the house, I let out a sigh of relief as I always do.
I know Mike said I had nothing to worry about, and even though it’s been a year, with no proof of capture or a body, I will always be leery that Josh could come back and cause trouble, or maybe this is my PTSD from the incident.
I still have nightmares about it, and wonder if my neighbors had not intervened, would he have killed me? I think he absolutely would have, and I think that’s the part that frightens me the most.
I quickly jump in the shower before climbing into bed, feeling the fatigue of the last shift hitting me.
I wake up seven hours later, feeling better and rested at least for the time being. I make some coffee before deciding to head to the gym and get a quick workout in. I know I need to go to the grocery store, I haven’t been in two weeks, and my cabinets show with the lack of food available.
I get into my workout gear and pack a bag of clothes to change into. I walk outside to my car and hear Carmel call out to me.
“Good afternoon, Riley, how are you doing?”
I turn to look in her direction and see she is standing at her mailbox with a blanket wrapped around her.
“I’m good, Carmel, just heading to the gym to get a quick workout in before I go to the grocery store.”
“Oh, that’s so good. I should workout too, but it’s way too cold for that,” she calls out and I laugh.
“It’s probably better if you stay wrapped in a blanket and read a good book today,” I call out to her.
