house on the settlement date. With Dylan happy at his new preschool he was redundant for hours.
Jess had told him about the rescue service’s need for a temporary paramedic and had offered to look after his son before and after school if he took it up. She was probably sick of him hanging around the house during the day.
The airport loomed ahead far too quickly, and Hunter was pulling into the rescue centre long before he’d prepared himself. Bren wasn’t just a part of his past. She was still real, and, for a few weeks at least, a piece of his life again. Hopefully she was still always late to everything, and he’d get a few more minutes to pull himself together.
His palms were damp on the steering wheel. His ears filled with a thumping sound coming from behind his ribs. Was she as beautiful as he recalled? Would that regret over what they’d lost, which he’d felt the day he’d married Dylan’s mother, return?
Would Brenna shoot him on sight just for turning up?
Hunter put the gear stick in Reverse. He was out of there. Doing a runner. He’d head for the hills until it was time to pick Dylan up.
His foot remained on the brake pedal. He had to stay and go into the hangar, sign on and do his job. Twelve hours and he’d be able to quit—until tomorrow, when it would be a little bit easier. The ice would be broken. With a sigh he turned the ignition off. Since when had he become so gutless?
Stepping inside the cavernous hangar, he headed in the direction of the voices coming through an open door. Kevin, the base commander, and—He stopped. It was Bren’s voice he was hearing. His skin tightened. Brenna. Not Bren. Those days were gone, over, finished, because he might stumble in his determination to make this move work if he allowed any feelings from the past to beat him around the head. As were the days over when he dropped everything and everybody to be there for his parents. He did love them, but they weren’t playing the guilt card any more.
Brenna was saying, ‘Sorry I’m late. A burst water main on my avenue had traffic diverted all over the show.’ A metal locker door banged shut.
‘You’re fine. Nothing’s happening so far,’ Kevin said.
She thought arriving right on time was late? Change number one.
‘Good. I want to go online and book the car onto the ferry before it’s too late. When I got home late from Whistler last night I was exhausted and figured I’d find time today. Mum was supposed to do it but she ran out of time too. She’s busier than ever now she’s retired.’ Brenna laughed.
That laugh, warm and endearing, and much too familiar, crunched Hunter’s gut. His feet dragged towards the doorway, her voice winding around him, reminding him of sultry nights between the sheets. Spinning around to run for the car park was tempting. Instead he clenched his hands and tightened his leg muscles. Running wouldn’t solve a thing. Beneath his ribs a heavy thudding felt as though he was being beaten with a stick.
This was far more difficult than he’d believed. The past would be harder to ascend than Mount Baker, and it seemed Brenna still had the power to make him aware of her. Right down to his toes. He’d once loved her with all his being. Now he didn’t. Didn’t? Or shouldn’t? His mouth dried. He still loved Bren? Had he been in denial all along? No. He couldn’t have. Then why these wild emotions brought out by the sound of her voice?
‘Find anyone to cover for Patch while that broken femur heals?’ she was querying.
‘Yes. I heard about the man who’s taking over as head nurse at the hospital’s emergency department next month. He’s had experience as an ambulance paramedic. Figured I had nothing to lose by approaching to see if he’d help us out. He was more than happy, which takes the pressure off for now.’
I’d still be a full-time paramedic if I’d been able to make the hours work around Dylan.
Hunter stopped in the doorway. Exhaled hard. His gaze was rooted to the woman before him. Beautiful, still as curvy. Those caramel eyes still sparkled with fun, her crazy curly auburn hair was still long and tied back in a ponytail, her mouth still soft and enticing and undeniable. Bren, as he remembered her, as he’d loved her. Brenna.
Tying up her bootlaces, she laughed. ‘The man never stood a chance once you got your teeth into him. Who is he? Anyone we know?’
That beating against Hunter’s ribs became a whipping. On a deep breath he stepped right into the room.
Kevin said, ‘Probably not. He’s shifted across from Kamloops. Name of Hunter—’
* * *
‘Ford,’ Brenna finished as she stared at the sexy apparition strolling towards her with all the panache of someone totally at ease with his world. Her head spun. This wasn’t a vision brought on by a restless night. Only one man she knew swung his left leg slightly outward as he walked, thanks to a quad-bike accident as a kid. ‘Hunter, what are you doing here?’ she squeaked, thoughtlessly launching herself at her past.
‘Hey, Brenna. Great to see you too. Oof.’ He put his hands on her shoulders, keeping her from plastering her body all over him.
‘I can’t believe it’s you.’ Damn it, she was pushing close, wanting to lay her face against his chest like she’d always done back when they’d been together. Then reality got in the way. She jerked backwards. Hunter had dumped her. He hadn’t wanted her any more.
Hunter gazed down at her, not a hint of enthusiasm in his eyes. ‘You’re looking good.’
Brenna took his reaction on board and reacted accordingly. ‘Why wouldn’t I?’ He wasn’t about to find out how hard it had been to get over him. ‘You’ve scrubbed up okay yourself.’
The boyish good looks of six years ago had hardened into a strong, handsome face. Looking closer, she noted the weariness blinking out from those steel-grey eyes where there used to be laughter shining. Then his apathy registered. They were not lovers, not even friends, nothing but colleagues for the next few weeks. Brain slap for being such an idiot. Throwing herself at Hunter like she’d been waiting for this moment, like she had to have him, was ridiculous.
Stepping away, she flattened her mouth, swallowed her annoyance at having been so stupid. This was the man who’d phoned to say that after three years together they were over. Finished. Told her to go get a life and forget him.
What did people say when they first met each other after a long time apart? With their history? She said tartly, ‘So you’ve returned to Vancouver.’ Hope fluttered awake. She squashed it. Don’t go there.
Hunter’s hands fell to his sides as he too took a backward step. ‘Yes.’ This man used to talk non-stop, not coming up for air for hours.
His reticence spurred her on. ‘How long have you been in town?’
Why haven’t you got in touch? This is me, us. I’m not going to blast your head off for walking away from what we had going. Or am I?
Six years ago, she’d wanted to, but not now. What was the point? It couldn’t be undone. Except there was a flame of attraction scorching her inside and out.
He left you. Don’t forget that.
Like she could.
‘We
