And he didn’t regret it in the least. He never would have met Laura, never would have met his friends, and never would have found the love of his life.
He’d also be miserably cooped up in a Phoenix high-rise office building every day. He’d take Florida’s humidity and cool sea breezes over Arizona’s blistering summer heat any day.
After they returned to the station, Rob stopped Craig and Sean when they got out of the ambulance. “Guys, I really appreciate you letting me do that and covering for me. I’m sorry if I haven’t said that yet.”
He hated the pity in their eyes, but appreciated it at the same time. “Dude,” Craig said, “it’s all right. I know you’d do the same for any of us.”
Sean reached out and gripped Rob’s shoulder. “Don’t sweat it.” He grinned. “Just be prepared to do more than your fair share of cooking for us when she’s back to normal.”
Rob managed a laugh. “You got it.”
Laura suspected whatever the nurses gave her to help with her pain was what made her sleepy, because her brain wouldn’t shut off that night.
She lay there in bed, aware she was caught in a dream and unable to do anything about it.
In this dream she was seated at the desk in what she suspected was her own den, looking around at the bookshelves, the walls, finally at the desk itself.
Unremarkable, like any other mass-produced computer desk. The tower and monitor sat side by side on a low shelf while the keyboard slid underneath. Neat, tidy, nothing special.
In this dream she was relegated to mere spectator status with no control. Dream Laura reached out and turned the computer on. The screen came to life and she brought the email window up.
A message blinked at her and she clicked on it. Instead of text, a picture assembled like a jigsaw puzzle, forming a black skull inside a red circle with a slash through it. Once all the pieces were assembled, it blinked off and on, the skull’s empty eyes menacing.
She jumped as she heard someone pounding on a door. In the dream she stood and walked down a hallway. Yes, she suspected this was her home. And as she stared at the door, it rattled in its frame, bowing in and out under the force of the blows as someone knocked, and knocked, and knocked again until it started to open—
Laura’s eyes flew open and she let out a startled cry at the form bent over next to her bed.
The nurse put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s all right. I’m sorry I scared you.”
Her heart thundered in her chest, eventually slowing as she got her wits about her.
She was safe. In the hospital.
“What time is it?” Laura asked.
“A little after three in the morning.”
She took a few more deep breaths and tried to go back to sleep, hoping there wouldn’t be any more dreams like that.
Chapter Twelve
“This might sting a little,” the PA warned as he carefully snipped at the stitches on her forehead Monday morning.
Laura winced, but kept her eyes closed, her hand clamped around Rob’s. She was definitely going home today. Due to the size of the gash in her forehead and the urgency of her condition upon arrival, the doctors in the ER who treated her had used stitches that wouldn’t dissolve.
The plastic surgeon’s PA studied the result. “I think you’ll have minimal scarring,” he said. “But you need to follow the care instructions. You can call our office to schedule a follow-up appointment for us to evaluate it and go over your options.”
She blinked her eyes to clear them after they’d watered in pain. “Thanks.”
Rob took the sheet and glanced through it. “We’ll follow it to the letter.”
She squeezed his hand again. The comforting, protective way he’d said it only reinforced her trust in him.
He’d already packed everything, including the dozens of cards and the flower arrangements and stuffed animals, and loaded everything into his car. He’d also got the prescriptions for anti-anxiety meds and painkillers filled. All they were waiting for was the final paperwork releasing her. Even the deputy had been sent home.
“Det. Thomas will meet us at your condo,” Rob told her once they were alone again. “He wants to be there when you get home in case any memories are triggered.”
She nodded, nervous. As anxious as she felt to get home, she wasn’t oblivious to the problems that presented. Her first firearm lesson was already scheduled for Wednesday. Sully would drive down and pick her up from the shop late that morning. Rob, unfortunately, had to work, but had assured her that Steve had met him before, and that Bill would go, too.
Left unspoken, she knew Rob meant Steve wouldn’t let her go off with someone if he wasn’t sure of their identity.
Despite her nerves, and, admittedly, her fear, she couldn’t help but be fascinated by the landscape as Rob drove her home to Englewood. Rob had taken charge of gathering all the release information for her. She was too overwhelmed and exhausted to process any of it.
It was a relief to have him there taking care of her, and she wasn’t afraid to admit it.
Their little community was located on the Gulf of Mexico, straddling the thin strip of land between the northern end of Charlotte Harbor and the Sarasota County line.
“It’s beautiful,” she said as they crossed the bridge at El Jobean. When she looked past him, she could see south to the harbor.
“You love it here. You grew up here.”
“Where did you grow up?” In retrospect she felt bad that they hadn’t talked more about Rob’s family and history.
She didn’t miss his pained expression, but his voice hid it well. “Phoenix.”
“Your family’s there?”
“Yeah.”
He didn’t elaborate. “How long have you lived here?”
“I’ve been in Florida since I started college at eighteen. I went to USF up in Tampa. I moved here after graduation and getting a job with the county fire department. I’ve been here ever since. About eleven years.”
“Have I met your family?”
His fingers tightened around the steering wheel. “No.”
After a couple of minutes, she had to ask. “What happened with them?”
“My father is a big-shot attorney. My two older brothers didn’t bother thinking for themselves and went to work for him. I didn’t want to be a lawyer. They basically disowned me.”
“That’s horrible.”
“Yeah.” He took a deep breath and let it out before glancing over at her. “Your parents sort of adopted me when we started going out.”
“Did we invite them to the wedding? Your family, I mean.”
He let out an amused snort. “We were still debating it. You were of the opinion we should at least send an invitation. If nothing else, to let my brothers know about it in case they wanted to come. But neither of us held high hopes for my parents coming.”
“And your opinion?”
“I could care less if they know or not. I think it burns my dad’s bacon that I managed to put together a great life for myself without becoming a lawyer.”
“Are you happy being a paramedic?”
They slowed to a stop for a red light. He looked at her and nodded. “Yeah. It’s not the most pleasant job in the world at times, but I help people. I make a difference. Sometimes I save lives. The one life I save makes up for all the times I get puked or peed or shit on by a drunk.” He smiled. “And if I hadn’t stuck to my guns, I never would have met you. And I wouldn’t give you up for anything.”
Det. Thomas was parked in front of her condo when they arrived. He stepped out of his car when Rob parked next to him.
Laura studied the complex from behind the safety of the windshield while Rob walked around and opened the door for her.