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“You’re fucking amazing,” I whisper, planting a kiss on her neck. “Truly amazing.”
Trying to keep as quiet as possible, Rowan and I get ourselves together, trying to act nonchalant as I take her hand and we exit the engine. I’m relieved to see that we’re still alone and haven't been caught in the act.
“Come meet my friends,” I tell Rowan with a grin. “They’re excited to say hello.”
Rowan and I, hand-in-hand, make our way to the kitchen where most of my crew is kicked back and relaxing.
“Everyone, this is Rowan Bates,” I announce to the room. “Rowan, this is everyone.”
“Hi, everyone,” Rowan says, smiling kindly. “It’s really nice to meet all of you.”
“In the kitchen is our captain, Tate Becker,” I tell her, and Tate waves at her. I point to the others as I say their names. “Hallie, Kyle, and Tanner. The others are around here somewhere.”
Rowan shakes each firefighter’s hand individually, smiling the entire time.
“It’s so nice to meet you,” says Hallie, gripping Rowan’s hand for a moment longer. She frowns, her eyes on Rowan’s face, as if searching for something she’s lost. “You look familiar, Rowan,” Hallie says softly. “Have we met?”
Rowan furrows her brow, checking Hallie out, and then as I watch her, she swallows, familiarity dawning on her face.
“You were there,” Rowan says. “You were on my call three years ago, weren’t you?”
Hallie’s jaw drops, but she snaps it shut. “Yes,” she says. “I was. The OD. You were pretty close to gone by the time we got there, did you know that?”
“I heard you saved me,” Rowan says. “And it was seeing you that day that inspired me to get into medicine. I thought you were so cool, a woman to the rescue. I wanted to be just like you. I wanted to help people like you helped me that day.”
Hallie swallows a lump in her throat and glances from Rowan to me. Tears are threatening to spill over, I can tell, and I know I need to get Rowan out of there before we have a tear fest on our hands.
“It’s about time Matty found himself a good woman he can take care of,” Hallie says finally, reaching in to give Rowan a tight hug. “And you have no idea how good it feels to see your face, honey. That call stuck with me.”
“Yeah,” Rowan says. “Me too. Thank you, Hallie.”
“Okay, I think we’re done here,” I say, teasing. “Before you guys scare her away for good.”
“Truly, it was nice to meet you all,” Rowan says, taking the hand I offer her. “I hope to see you around.”
I walk Rowan back to the front as everyone bids their goodbyes. When we’re alone again, I turn her into me and lean in for a kiss, one she returns without a moment’s hesitation.
“The call you were talking about with Hallie,” I say, tangling my fingers with hers. “Was that … was that your suicide attempt?”
For a moment I think that Rowan might completely shut down and not tell me anything, but after a long, tense moment, she sighs and nods her head, just once, and I pull her into me, holding her tightly against my chest.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her. “I know we were at fault. And I’m so, so sorry that you ever felt that way. I wish we could take everything back and make up for what we did to you.”
“I know,” Rowan says, and I think I believe her. Finally.
“Thank you for coming,” I whisper.
“Thank you for having me.” Her lips linger on mine for a moment before she steps away, teasing me. “I better go. You should be working. Talk soon?”
“Of course.”
I watch Rowan leave the station and walk out to her car. She’s smiling, that big, beautiful smile that puts my mind at ease and awakens the passion and devotion I have for her. I watch her as she drives away, and it’s only when I catch sight of my reflection in the glass window that I realize I, too, am smiling.
