Free Heartbeat by Faith Sullivan

distance. I can handle it.
    As we continue to wait, I think I see what looks like the front of an ambulance across the intersection. I’m not completely sure since I am a few cars back and there’s a building in the way. After seeing so many ambulances lately without spotting Adam, I don’t pay much attention to it.
    Traffic starts to move as the cop lets a few of the cars ahead of me proceed, but he stops me when I reach the front of the line. In order to ease things on the other side, he starts waving them through.
    Shelby whines at the delay.
    “I know. It would have to be us he stops, right? Hang in there, Shelbs,” I urge.
    Distracted by her distress, I look up as an ambulance does indeed pass in front of me. For a split second, I make eye contact with the driver. He has shaggy blonde hair like Adam, and the same type of build—super skinny. Time seems to freeze for a minute.
    I swear he looks at me, like I look at him. Thunderstruck.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Adam
    Wait a minute. Was that her?
    I have to turn around. I have to find out.
    But I’m not on with Charlie and Tommy. I’m working with Brickhouse Bonnie and Fat Ass Chuck. She’s a stickler when it comes to protocol, and he will tease me mercilessly if he finds out what I’m up to. What can I do? I’m trapped in a no-win situation.
    I remember from the file that Katie lives around here somewhere, and we are pretty close to her neighborhood. But what’s my plan? Flash the lights and blare the siren? Yeah, like that won’t freak her out. I’ll have to bide my time, and try again another day. But I saw her…
    I start to smile involuntarily.
    “Rookie, wipe that stupid grin off your face, would ya? For Christ’s sake, you’re driving an ambulance, not a freakin’ chick magnet,” Bonnie yells. She is in the back looking at me through the rear view mirror. “I saw you checking that girl out that drove by. Now put your dick in your pants, and get back to work.”
    What a joy she is to be around.
    “Yeah, rookie, put your dick…” Chuck starts.
    “I heard her the first time, asshole,” I respond, cutting him off.
    Chuck and I never get along. He is one of the perviest guys around, and working in a male dominated environment, that’s saying a lot. I hate when he’s the one working on the patients, especially when they are women. He takes every opportunity to feel them up when they are unconscious, and even sometimes when they’re not. When I have a shift with him, I try to intervene and have him drive instead. But being the low man on the totem pole, I don’t always get my choice of assignments. Chivalry may be dead, but I’m not going to stand by and let him get away with it.
    I talked to Charlie about him a while back.
    ***
    “Chuck’s related to the company’s owner. He’s his nephew. So don’t go shooting your mouth off about him, kid. It won’t do any good. Trust me,” Charlie warned.
    “But he can’t go around molesting unsuspecting women, Charlie. C’mon…” I urged.
    “He’s usually on with a more senior staff member, and we have an unwritten rule among us to keep an eye on him so he doesn’t get outta hand,” Charlie explained.
    “Really?” I questioned. “Because I think you’re the only one who gives a shit.”
    “In this job, kid, you’re gonna learn there’s only so much you can do. You can work your ass off trying to save someone, and they die anyway. You know how it is,” Charlie remarked. “Same rule applies to Chuck. We can try to keep him in line, but that’s about it.”
    “Yeah, well he better not push me too far,” I replied. “That’s all I’m saying.”
    “Sometimes you gotta let things slide,” Charlie advised. “You’re building a whole new future for yourself here. Don’t go and blow it on account of some prick, who’s still gonna be here no matter what kind of stand you try to make. Besides, I didn’t put all this training into you for you to go and get fired.”
    ***
    Charlie’s