CHAPTER FIVE

The call came over the radio and Mateo immediately hit the lights and sirens. He knew that address. A tree branch had broken through the roof and wall of an apartment building. Status of the occupants was unknown.

The rescue squad tires squealed as they took the turn onto Main.

“Taking it a little fast there, Matty.” Davey was riding shotgun, with two crew members in the backseat.

“That’s Juliette’s apartment.”

“Oh shit. Do what you need to do.”

They pulled into the apartment parking lot, first on scene. Swinging out of the cab, he heard the siren and deep horn of the aerial ladder truck still blocks away.

Mateo pulled on his turnout gear while assessing the situation. A branch as big around as he was had sheared off a pine tree and ripped through the back corner of the end unit.

He pulled on his helmet and grabbed a Halligan bar. “Get the gas shut off,” he told the others. “I’m going up.”

“Wait, man. What about protocol?” This came from Marco, a rookie who got nervous whenever he had to think outside the box.

“I’m going up.” Mateo raced to the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Using the bar, he forced open the door. He’d never been in her apartment, but he knew it was Juliette’s. He’d looked it up when he’d asked Davey to deliver the breakfast burrito, and had driven by because he’d wanted to know where she lived.

“Juliette!” When that got him nothing, he called again. “Juliette!”

He didn’t smell gas, which was a good sign as he made his way to the back corner where the tree branch had hit.

He pushed open a door and his heart stopped cold in his chest. Juliette lay on the floor, a towel loose around her head and another beneath her. Pale, pale skin and her absolute stillness had panic clutching at his throat.

She was only feet from the shower enclosure where the tree limb had torn open the wall like a can opener.

He dropped to his knees and forced himself to conduct a thorough assessment as he’d been trained.

With his fingers on her carotid, he felt her pulse, strong and steady. Her chest rose and fell as she breathed. Relief threatened to overwhelm him, but he had to pull it together.

He lifted an eyelid and used a penlight on one eye, then the other. Equal and responsive. He moved his hands over her body to locate injuries, and found a lump at the back of her head. Judging from her location, she likely hit it on the sink.

He radioed that he’d found one occupant in need of medical care.

Juliette stirred, opening her eyes and blinking at him. His heart rate leveled down enough that it no longer felt like he was on the verge of a heart attack.

“Mateo?” She clutched his hand.

“Yeah, baby. I got you.” He brushed her hair back from her forehead, his hand not entirely steady. “Can you sit up?”

She nodded and winced as he helped her to a sitting position. That’s when she realized she was naked, and tried to pull up the towel. She shivered as a gust of wind blew through the opening in the wall.

He heard his team inside the unit and whipped off the outer shell of his turnout gear and wrapped it around her.

He spoke into his radio. “Bring in an emergency blanket.” Then he said to Juliette, “You’ve got a lump on the back of your head. The skin’s not broken. You hurt anywhere else?”

She frowned, then shook her head and winced again. “I don’t think so.”

“Let’s get you standing then we’ll see about getting out of here.”

Davey appeared in the door, shaking the folds out of the mylar blanket.

“Eyes averted, pal,” Mateo growled.

“I need my clothes. Or my robe. It’s hanging on the back of the door.”

Once she was on her feet, he held her arm to keep her steady. Grabbing her robe, he helped her arms through the sleeves. With the belt tied, he wrapped the emergency blanket around her again. Shaking debris out of a hand towel, he used it to squeeze the excess moisture from her dripping hair.

“Let’s go.”

He pulled on his turnout coat and took her down the hall. She still seemed shaky, so he motioned for the stretcher.

“I don’t need a stretcher.”

“Yeah, you do.”

“I’m fine. It’s only a bump on my head.”

“Sweetheart, you’re going to let me do my job. We’re taking you down the stairs on a stretcher because that’s the safest way to get you out of here. The ambulance will take you to the clinic, where you’ll get a concussion assessment. If they want to keep you overnight, that’s what’ll happen.”

When she opened her mouth to argue, he pressed his finger to her lips. “You’re a PA. You know how this goes. I saw your backpack upstairs. I’ll grab that. Anything else you want? Your place is going to be red tagged.”

She closed her eyes and sighed. “Of course it is.” Her shoulders slumped. “I have a really nice quiche in the oven.”

“I’ll take care of it. How about this, the guys and I will grab whatever we can: clothes, electronics, personal items. The rest will have to wait until the building inspector deems it safe. The damage doesn’t look structural and I don’t see a danger of collapse, so you’ll likely be able to get the rest of your things later.”

“There’s a plastic box with my important papers on my bookshelf. Can you get that?”

“Sure thing. Once I have your stuff, I’ll catch up with you at the clinic.”

The team got her on the stretcher and fastened the safety straps while he turned off the oven. He grabbed a handhold and helped carry her out, Juliette looking pale and vulnerable wrapped in the shiny blanket.

They reached the bottom of the stairs as the ambulance turned into the parking lot.

Scott and Nicole brought up the gurney.

Scott elbowed him. “Hey, man, it’s your girl.”

“It is. Concussion is likely. Bruise on the back of the head. Take good care of her.”

They transferred her to the gurney, replacing the mylar with a drape. He bent over her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. You’re safe now, sweetheart.”

***

Juliette sat on the exam table and fidgeted. Her head hurt and she’d been diagnosed with a mild concussion, which she knew how to manage. She wanted to be discharged, but where would she go? She no longer had an apartment.

Anayah had run through the assessment. Yes, Juliette knew her name, the date, who was president. She knew she was at the clinic.

Where she was fuzzy was the details of how she’d ended up on the floor of her bathroom with part of her wall gone.

Putting away her groceries and sliding the quiche into the oven was crystal clear, as was enjoying a hot shower. But what happened after that was a blank until Mateo was leaning over her and she was lying on the floor.

Naked.

Damn.

Any idea of the first time Mateo seeing her naked involving sexy lingerie and flattering lighting evaporated under the reality that she’d been unconscious with wet hair.

Then there was the little detail that the branch had come down where her shower had been. Even with the memory lapse, she realized she’d been in that shower only minutes before. She could’ve been killed.

The thought was sobering.

She stared at the ceiling. Should she call her parents? No, it would be better to call Oliver and have him tell their parents. But she didn’t have her phone.

Where was she going to live? Where was she going to store her possessions until she found a place? She couldn’t quiet the thoughts even knowing she needed to stay calm to help her brain heal.

But Scott’s words to Mateo echoed in her sore head: “Hey, man, it’s your girl.”

***

Juliette was ready to check herself out by the time Anayah returned.

“Hey, girlfriend, Doc Hanson says as long as you observe concussion protocols you don’t need to stay overnight. Listen, with the storm coming, the town council is paying for motel rooms for clinic staff and first responders who aren’t local. I already have a room. You and I can share, and that way I can keep an eye on you.”

“Thanks, Anayah, but I got her.” Mateo entered the room, Juliette’s backpack slung over his shoulder and a plastic bag hanging from his hand. He set them next to her on the bed. His gaze traveled over Juliette like he was absorbing every detail, which made her heart flutter.

Anayah put her hands on her hips. “I think I’ll need the particulars before I give over my good friend with a concussion into the hands of a firefighter, capable though he may be.”

“Gotcha.” Mateo smiled easily, but Juliette was getting better at reading him. This was important to him, and he wasn’t above using charm to get his way.

He gripped Juliette’s knee, his thumb stroking her leg through the blanket. “If she’s willing, Juliette will come home with me. I’m off tonight. Mom’s already at my place stocking the refrigerator and changing sheets in the guest bedroom. They were clean, but she seems to think not clean enough.

“The rescue squad helped get everything they could out of Juliette’s apartment. Her things are in bins and being stored in my garage.” His gaze found Juliette’s. “Your keys were in your backpack, so Davey drove your car to my house. I know it’s a presumption that you’d want our help, sweetheart, but we didn’t have much time. The department is preparing for this storm and there’s another structure damaged by a fallen tree, so we’ve been busy.”

“Was anyone hurt?” she asked.

“Luckily, no.”

With brows raised, Anayah turned to Juliette. “Are you okay going with Mateo?”

Juliette didn’t know if she felt dazed from being hit on the head, or from Mateo taking charge. She rubbed a thumb on her forehead to ease the ache the Tylenol had yet to touch. “Are you sure, Mateo? You’re busy and I can stay at the motel.”

He turned to Anayah. “Would you mind if I have a private word with our friend Juliette to convince her she should let me take care of her?”

Anayah grinned. “Sure thing. Call if you need me.” She left the room, closing the door behind her.

“Mateo, I—”

He held up his hand, shaking his head. “A minute, Jules. I need a damn minute.” He bent over her, a hand brushing the side of her face. “You scared the shit out of me, and I have to convince myself you’re really okay.” He pressed his lips to her forehead. “You’re going to be fine.” He muttered the words like he was trying to convince himself.

Straightening, he reached for the plastic bag and withdrew two paper plates covered with aluminum foil. He handed her one with a plastic fork. “Coke, water, or Sprite?”

“Water.”

“Back in a minute.”

She lifted the foil to reveal a large wedge of the spinach and feta quiche she’d had warming in her oven. He came back with two chilled water bottles and set one on the rolling bed tray.

She swallowed against the emotion tightening her throat.

“Thank you, Mateo. Thank you for everything.”

He arranged the plates on the tray between them and sat on the bed next to her legs.

“At some point, Juliette, you’ll realize I’ll do anything for you.” While she was processing that statement, he pointed his fork. “Eat.”

Suddenly ravenous, she took a bite of quiche. It was barely warm and the crust was soft, but it tasted delicious.

Mateo had been thoughtful and she was having a hard time keeping her perspective.

When someone said they’d do anything for you and acted on it in the best way possible when you needed them the most? It felt impossible to guard her heart.

She’d thought she’d been in love before, or at least in deep like, only to find the man who’d asked her to marry him wasn’t what she thought he was. Wasn’t what he pretended to be. Her feelings for Mateo were both richer and more complicated.

Mateo’s gaze snagged hers. She took a bracing breath and asked the question that could no longer go unanswered. “Who’s your girl, Mateo?”