A Paramedic to Tempt Her - chapter 3 (2024)

The night was calm at the station, but no one was going to talk about it. You could jinx it by calling it out.

“That smells delicious, Mia. I bet Lacey will love it.” Her older brother, Adam, smiled as he looked at the chicken dish she’d fixed up. She, Lacey and Nick were the only fire station employees that routinely used the kitchen. Most of the guys and gals brought in frozen dinners, pizzas or lunch meat.

All of them tended to wander in when the aroma wafted through the station, though.

“Mm-hmm.” Lacey walked in and took a deep breath before sliding next to Mia. “That smells delicious. Any extras?”

“For you, she always has extras.” Adam winked, then walked out.

“He’s not wrong.” Mia smiled at Lacey. They’d stood outside her place for an hour, but neither had worked up the courage to do more than hold hands.

“I feel very spoiled.” Lacey squeezed her shoulders, then walked over and sat at the small table.

If they were at her place, or at Lacey’s, would she have kissed Mia’s cheek? Or lips?

“I got an email from Isla. She just got her degree. We’ll see her at Hope Hospital soon. She’s working there part time. Lucky.”

The wistfulness on the last word caught Mia off guard. Isla had worked at the station part time up until six months ago. She’d been Mia’s first partner when she was transitioning from the life of an overstressed bakery owner to paramedic.

Not that the stress of first responder work was much better, but it was different. And she came from a family of firefighters and EMTs.

She’d found her place. Even if her parents still joked that this was just another stop in Mia’s tumbleweed life. Even if part of her worried it was, too.

“Lucky? Are you wanting to shift to part time?”

Lacey’s chuckle filled the room. “Even if I wanted to…someone has to pay the bills, and the last time I checked—” she held up the bare ring finger “—it was just me.”

“And Pepper.” Mia laughed, not wanting to admit how much the idea of taking Lacey off the market made her soul sing. They’d been on one date. A good date. A great date.

But Mia rushed into things. Found her way out, if necessary, while Lacey…well, she was pretty sure Lacey would spook easily.

“Pepper is great at unconditional love, but she isn’t much on bringing home a paycheck.” Lacey took a plate from Mia.

Mia fixed her own and called over her shoulder to Nick, who was not hiding well by the door. “There’s enough for a plate, Nick, just put a bit in the jar I keep for replenishing supplies.”

“You’re the best.” He made up a plate, but before he could sit down his phone buzzed. “My daughter wants to video chat. Think I will take this outside. Thanks, Mia.”

“So you are jealous of Isla working at Hope?” The average career life span for EMTs was five years. Between stress and burnout, and the higher-than-average suicide rate, it was a tough field to stick around in.

“Of the nursing degree.” Color coated Lacey’s cheeks. It would be cute if Mia thought it was desire, but it seemed like shame rooting in her eyes.

Why?

“You want a nursing degree?” That was nothing to be ashamed of, but Lacey generally kept the conversations about herself to a minimum, so it wasn’t surprising she didn’t know. Getting Lacey to open up was something Mia craved. She wanted to know all about the woman across the table from her.

“It was what I wanted to be when I grew up.” Lacey let out a laugh that held no humor. “My parents were doctors. Are doctors?” She tilted her head, tapping a finger against her chin. “No one really discusses how to talk about parents you no longer talk to. Past tense? But they aren’t dead or retired…at least not that I know.”

“Lacey.” As much as Mia craved information about Lacey’s past, it felt like she was rushing past the nursing idea. “You would make an excellent nurse. You can do that. Lots of paramedics transition to another medical field.” This wasn’t a huge deal. Mia had switched professions twice before thirty. That was more than the average, but most people didn’t do the first thing they picked forever.

“It was just a dream once. Why did you become a paramedic? Not sure you ever told me why you closed the bakery.” Lacey reached across the table and took Mia’s plate. “You cooked. I do the dishes. That is the rule. Tell me about the bakery.”

***

The water was scalding, but that was all right. Lacey needed something to focus on so she would stop spilling all her secrets to Mia. She’d bottled away nearly everything the day she’d left home with a suitcase, her backpack, and the three hundred bucks her dad had pressed into her hand.

She’d lived in a shelter for a while. Hoped, for far longer than she should have, that her parents might forgive her. But the sin of failure was unforgivable to the Brooms.

But with Mia, everything just seemed to want to tumble out. And that could not be allowed to happen. Mia was successful…at three things before she even turned thirty.

Lacey worked as a waitress and receptionist while earning her GED. Then through night school. It took her two years to complete the one-year paramedic training. At heart she was a screwup.

Sure, her home was bright, and she’d painted murals on the wall. She danced when no one watched and let herself have fun. But never when anyone could see.

“I loved it. But the hours are rough—and I say that as a paramedic.” Mia slipped beside her, leaning on the counter, her hip barely touching hers. They were friends talking if anyone walked in, but the gentle touch grounded her.

“Rough? It’s cookies and cakes, right?”

“Right. And wrong. It’s cookies, cakes, pies, and they all need to be decorated andfresh.” Mia placed a hand over her forehead, pretending to swoon. “The average baker is upand inthe bakery by four. And I usually worked until at least six.”

“Wow.” Lacey appreciated homemade treats, but she’d never considered when they had to be made. “So you just quit?”

“I sold it.” Mia shrugged. “Made a tidy profit. Just like with the wedding photography business. Let others deal with the bridezillas and their monsters-in-law.”

How could she just shrug?I sold them. Moved on to another profession. Picked up another new thing.

“You are amazing.” Lacey leaned her head against Mia’s shoulder for just a moment. “I could never do that.”

“Yes, you could. Walking away is easier than most people realize.” Mia wrapped an arm around Lacey’s waist. Squeezing her.

“What if someone comes in?”

“Then they will see me comforting my friend. Who is hopefully a little more but stop changing the subject. You could do that. And youcanbe a nurse.”

Lacey appreciated the sentiment. She did. But Mia said it with the ease of someone who succeeded at all they did.

“Why on earth do you think you can’t?”

“You don’t need to get upset on my behalf.” This was silly. She should have just been happy for Isla.

She was getting her wish. And because her partner was the top salesman at his company, she could afford to work part time. She really was living the dream.

And my petty butt complained about it to the woman I am seeing.

“You won’t get upset, so maybe you need me to do it for you.”

Such a sweet sentiment. “No one ever got upset for me. At me? Yes.” Lacey cleared her throat. That was something she understood all too well.

She was in Mia’s arms before she could even think of anything else. Mia squeezed her as if she was trying to drive all the bad thoughts away. “Can’t breathe.” Lacey made fake strangling sounds, but that only made Mia squeeze her tighter.

“You deserve whatever you want.” Mia kissed the top of her head and stepped back. “Whatever.”

“How about dinner at my place tomorrow? We can whip something up together. My kitchen isn’t super fancy, but—”

“Nope. No excuses.” Mia clapped her hands. “I have never made it past the front door of your place. You bet I want to have dinner with you and cook with you and do it with you at your place. I didn’t mean. Oh my. I just meant…I…” Mia’s mouth hung open, but no other words escaped.

Silence clung to them, and heat raced to Lacey’s cheeks. The double entendre was unexpected, but the idea of Mia spending the night… Desire didn’t begin to describe the emotions tripping through her.

“Why is Mia’s mouth hanging open?” Adam walked back in and started to wash his dish.

“She made an unintentional sexual joke.” Lacey raised her brow, daring Mia to contradict her.

“Ah, well, it happens.” Adam rolled his neck from side to side “Provided you didn’t take any offense, Lacey. Harassment is serious.”

Lacey made sure Mia was looking at her as she shook her head. “I took exactly zero offense, Adam. Don’t worry.”