Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

" E verything okay back there, Greg?" Eric asked as he glanced over his shoulder.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Greg said as he turned around in the tech seat to answer him. "Um, when are we going to get a call?" Greg asked, trying to feign casualness as Eric and Joe shared a look.

The kid was a whacker.

A whacker was a term they used for someone in the field who took the job too seriously and thought they were Superman. They were full of shit, had absolutely no idea what they were doing, annoyed the shit out of everyone with their bullshit, and were usually the first ones to panic when the shit hit the fan. As entertaining as it was to seasoned EMTs, it could also be dangerous.

"Cause I'm ready you know. I don't really need to third-ride, but Bill said it was policy. He said it was up to you to sign me off early so that I can get off the initial probation period. I wouldn't have a problem with that. I mean, I don't want to waste your night or anything," Greg rambled on.

Joe bit her lip to stop herself from laughing while Eric glanced around the convenience store parking lot they were stationed at, trying to keep a straight face.

"I, um, really appreciate the offer, Greg. Thank you, but don't worry about wasting our time. We like the company," Eric said, feeling his lips twitch while Joe sat there, shaking with silent laughter.

They'd been training officers for six of the twelve years they'd worked as EMTs and they'd heard it all from their third riders. A few were honest about being nervous, the others hid it well until their first call, and, a few like Greg, liked to bullshit them right from the start. Definitely a whacker, Eric thought, biting back a sigh.

"I've been working as a lifeguard at a resort since I was sixteen," Greg offered.

"Is that so?" Eric drawled, knowing that this was the point where Greg would brag, trying to convince them that he knew exactly what he was doing. It never failed to entertain them when a third rider thought they knew it all.

They had one guy outright refuse to listen to them while they were extricating a man from an overturned car and tried to correct them because he saw a movie where they dragged the guy out of the car by his head. Eric ended up having to punch the guy out before he paralyzed their patient.

"Yeah," Greg said, nodding to himself. "Did that for almost ten years now. I've been teaching CPR and first aid for two years as well."

Great.

He taught people how to watch a video and pass a written test, so he thought he was king shit now. This was going to be a long fucking night.

"Ever have to use your skills?" Joe asked, twisting in her seat to look back at Greg.

The guy averted his eyes as he said, "Oh, yeah, you wouldn't believe the shit I saw on that job." Which no doubt meant that he'd probably applied a band-aid to some kid's skinned knee.

Joe gave him a warm smile. "That's good. It means you'll probably pick up on the way we do things around here quickly."

Eric had to hold back a snort. Joe was always too fucking nice. Well, right now, she was, but if this guy's bullshit got in the way of patient care, she'd tear him apart.

Greg nodded, looking thoughtful as he murmured, "True."

"I'm going to run inside and grab a drink," Joe said as she climbed out of the truck.

Eric watched her walk into the store and didn't notice when Greg climbed out of his seat to do the same until he heard the man mutter, "Nice," with an appreciative sigh.

"I don't swing that way, cupcake," Eric said as he shoved him back.

"Didn't mean to crowd you," Greg said, moving back to his seat.

Eric leaned back as he kept an eye on the store's entrance. This wasn't the best neighborhood, but Joe would kick his ass if he said anything. As far as Joe was concerned, she was one of the guys. He knew she could handle herself and would tear his head off if she even suspected for a second that he doubted her, which was why he'd kept his mouth shut and didn't offer to go get that drink for her. He liked his balls right where they were.

"Hey, um, Eric?"

"Yeah?" he said, wondering if the guy was about to try to convince him to let him drive.

"Is Joe seeing anyone?" Greg asked as he ran his fingers through his greenish-brown hair.

"Nope," Eric said, making the word pop.

"So, you and Joe aren't..." Greg said, letting his words trail off.

"No."

"Do you mind if I go for it?" Greg asked, already moving to climb out of the truck to do just that.

"Not at all," Eric said, knowing the guy would be shot down before he managed to get the last word out. She didn't date doctors, asshole, or whackers.

This should be good, Eric thought with a grin as he reached for his door.

"So many choices," Joe mumbled as she looked from the Snickers bar to the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

"You should get them both," a low voice drawled.

Joe looked over her shoulder to find Greg standing behind her, giving her what he probably thought was a sexy grin. Frowning, she looked past Greg to find Eric leaning against the door frame, grinning hugely. The bastard had set her up. She was going to have to kick his ass later, Joe thought, biting back a sigh.

It was only the knowledge that she'd done worse to him that kept her from chucking one of the candy bars at his head. He'd better hope that they weren't sent to the Sunflower nursing home since Judy was working tonight. She was at least sixty years old, barely five feet tall, weighed three hundred pounds, and had absolutely no shame when it came to Eric.

"Shouldn't you guys be in the rig in case we get a call?" Joe asked casually as she shifted her attention to the Mounds bars.

Eric held up the portable radio and said, "Got it covered. Already told dispatch we were stepping out."

"So, Joe," Greg said as he picked up a candy bar to study it. "How long have you been an EMT?"

"About twelve years now," she said, shooting a glare at Eric, who had the balls to wink at her.

"Wow, twelve years. You must have some pretty amazing stories to tell. Maybe we should get a drink sometime and talk about them?"

Before she could answer, Eric said, "That sounds like fun. She really likes that bar over on Madison. They have karaoke there every Thursday and Saturday night."

Greg's smile widened. The poor bastard probably thought Eric was helping him. "You like karaoke?"

"She loves it," Eric said, wagging his eyebrows. "You should hear her rendition of ‘Material Girl.' It's life-altering."

Joe sucked in a breath. That rat bastard! The one time she'd made the mistake of getting drunk at a frat party and danced on a table while belting out a few songs and he was going to throw it in her face? Unbelievable, especially since he was the one that requested that song!

"So, what do you say?" Greg asked, giving her a cocky grin that he probably thought was irresistible.

"About what?" Joe asked, returning her attention to the candy bars. If she was going to survive this night, she was going to need chocolate.

She heard Eric chuckle and discreetly flipped him off.

"Tomorrow night? You, me, dinner, dancing, and maybe a little karaoke?" Greg asked smoothly.

"Not gonna happen, spanky. She has plans with me," Eric said.

Joe wasn't stupid enough to believe that he was coming to her rescue. Oh, no, not Eric. He just didn't want to get stuck with whatever bimbo his mother was throwing his way and had no problem with using her as a shield. If she didn't love Alice so much or really love her cooking, she'd ditch his ass in a heartbeat.

"Well, what about this weekend?" Greg asked, sounding really hopeful.

Oh, this was perfect. She smiled sweetly, making sure that she was looking at Eric when she said, "I'm sorry, but I already have plans this weekend. I'm going deep-sea fishing for three days."

"You betraying bitch!" Eric hissed as she released a satisfied sigh and shot him a wink. There were really only five things in this world that Eric really loved and deep-sea fishing was one of them.

" Echo seventeen ?" dispatch called.

Eric leveled a glare on her as he brought the portable radio up to his mouth. "I'm going."

"Yeah, I don't think so," Joe said, loving the power that she held over him. Ah, it looked like she was finally going to get her garage painted since there wasn't much that Eric wouldn't do for a weekend of deep-sea fishing.

"Watch me," Eric said before he keyed in. "Echo seventeen."

" What's your location, echo seventeen ?" dispatch asked.

"East side," Eric answered.

" Echo seventeen, take a priority one call at 258 Lawson for an assault. Police are already en route ."

"Echo seventeen received, 258 Lawson."

"Oh, my god!" Greg said, shaking. "Oh, my god!" He dropped the candy bar that he'd been toying with on the floor and ran for the door, tripped over his own feet, and stumbled, but he didn't let that stop him from sprinting towards the ambulance and diving in. With a heavy sigh, Joe put her candy bar back and walked with Eric back to the ambulance.

"Where are you going?" Eric asked as he held the door open for her.

"Cape Cod."

"That's a six-hour drive," Eric pointed out.

"Which is why I'm leaving early Friday morning. I won't be back until late Sunday night, but don't worry, I'm sure you'll have fun without me," Joe said with a satisfied sigh.

"Bullshit, I'm going and we both know it," Eric said as he climbed into the passenger seat.

" Oh, my god! Oh, my god!" Greg mumbled somewhat hysterically from the back as Joe climbed in behind the wheel and started the rig. She flicked on the emergency lights as she pulled out. She kept one hand on the wheel and the other on the emergency switchboard, switching the sirens from the foghorn to the wailing sound as she drove.

Eric pulled out an emergency run sheet and attached it to his clipboard, ignoring Greg's panicked, "Oh, my god," which had now turned to pure excitement. The kid was about to start operating on pure adrenaline. No doubt it would make the call more interesting.

"I'm going," Eric said again as he filled in the date and their names while Joe maneuvered the truck in and out of traffic with the grace of a pro. "You're really not, though."

"Why not?" Eric asked.

"Probably because I didn't invite you?" Joe said, admittedly enjoying screwing with his head.

He snorted. "And you think that means anything to me? I'm going. End of story."

"We'll see," she said.

"Yeah, we will, won't we?" Eric said as they pulled in behind two police cruisers in front of a small yellow house that had seen better days.

"Echo seventeen on scene," he informed dispatch.

They stepped out of the ambulance at the same time the front door flew open and a naked man wielding a large butcher knife ran out, yelling, "Fuck you, bitches!" as he ran towards them.

"I'm so going," Eric said before he grabbed the man's hand and twisted it behind his back, making him drop the knife in the process.

Joe ignored the man's screams as she kicked the knife away and helped Eric take him to the ground. She held his legs down while Eric restrained him to the ground. Two cops came running towards them from behind the house as an older officer came out of the house, leading two men, who looked like they had the shit kicked out of them, towards them only to grin when he spotted them.

"Oh, look, Eric and Joe brought us a present," Bret said as he shoved the two men in front of him. "Don't worry we brought you something, too," he said, gesturing to the two men under arrest.

"Oh, Bret, you are just the sweetest man alive," Joe said with a sweet smile that had the older man chuckling.

"I do what I can. Do you want to look these two over for us?" Bret asked.

"Sure thing," Eric said, tightening his hold on the naked man trying to wiggle free. "Just as soon as you take Tiny here off our hands."

The two officers quickly took over while Eric helped Joe to her feet. She pulled out a small bottle of hand sanitizer and squirted some in Eric's waiting hand before taking some for herself.

"Hey, isn't that your third rider puking?" one of the younger cops asked.

Joe and Eric went still before they slowly turned around, and sure enough, there was Greg vomiting all over a dead bush.

Joe sighed heavily as Eric asked on a drawn-out sigh, "Why must you embarrass us? At least aim for the asshole that came at us with a knife!"