Absentminded Angel(Divine Creek Ranch 20)(22)

Jared handed Whit, who was still squalling, over to one of the on-duty EMTs who did a quick once over of his extremities and reactions on the couch in the living area of the firehouse before zipping him back into his sleeper and wrapping him up in his thick blanket. “Poor little guy,” he said as he handed Whit off to his mother. “He’s fine, ma’am. I think he’s more pissed off about the disruption to his routine than anything else.”

Her cheeks were red as she took Whit back from the EMT and Jared noticed that his coworker’s cheeks had also turned a ruddy hue. She said, “Thank you, Robert. I appreciate you checking him. I need to get my shoe.”

“Got it,” one of the firefighters said as he appeared at her side, wiping the mud off with an old dishrag. “It’s soaked clean through and I’m not sure you’ll want to wear them again, but it’ll get you home.”

She blushed even darker as she looked at the firefighter and her bedraggled little shoe in his hand, and took it from him with a whispered “thank you.” Seeming agitated, she turned to Jared and Kendry and quietly said, “If it’s okay to go, I really need to get him home.” Her eyes were a little bloodshot and she looked worn out.

“Of course, dear,” the chief said as he patted her shoulder. “Jared and Kendry will see that you get inside your apartment all right. Gentlemen, make sure she gets warmed up, too.”

The chief’s words seemed to embarrass her, and she nodded. Jared saw a spark of spirit in her eyes but she only nodded and pressed her lips together.

Once they had her across the street, Jared carried the large, heavy box up the stairs for her. Her apartment felt like a refrigerator. Still dressed in her mud-spattered clothes and muddy shoes, she kneeled beside the tub and filled it with warm water and undressed Whit, murmuring to him as she laid him in his bath seat in the tub. The second he was enveloped in the warm water, his wailing ceased and she heaved an audible sigh of relief. The boy had a seriously loud set of pipes when he tuned up.

She looked up at Jared and said, “There are matches in the medicine cabinet. Would you mind lighting the wall heater for me? I don’t want him to get chilled when I lift him out.”

“Sure.”

The apartment wasn’t much warmer when she came out of the bathroom carrying the towel-wrapped infant. With speed and efficiency, she grabbed everything she needed and laid him on her bed to diaper and dress him. He started whimpering when the cool air hit his bare skin.

Jared said, “It’s still pretty cold up here. Is the bathroom heater your only means of heating this space?”

With a shake of her head, she said, “Marvin gave me a space heater but I don’t like using it, especially at night. It’s pretty old and it scares me to think of accidentally leaving it on and it starting a fire.”

That didn’t sit well with Jared. Granted, the winters weren’t as harsh in Divine as they were in other parts of the country, but it was still too cold in the apartment for them to be comfortable. The need to fix the situation for her was hard to ignore.

“What if we got you a new space heater? Would you use it?” he asked.

“I don’t need you to do that. On nights like this, I keep Whit in bed with me so he’s plenty warm. We do just fine together.”

He let a breath out and said, “There’s nothing wrong with accepting a little help if needed, you know?”

Holding Whit against her shoulder, she looked at him again and he saw that trace of fire in her eyes that exhaustion couldn’t dim. “There is if you’re the spoiled and entitled daughter of one of this town’s leading businessmen. I can take care of myself and my son.”

Kendry held up his hands. “Whoa, now. We’re not trying to give you a handout or charity. We care about you, both of you, and we just want to help make you more comfortable.”

Her dark blonde brows knit together as she nuzzled Whit’s cheek, and then she said, “I don’t understand why. I think if you knew me a year ago you wouldn’t feel the same. You think I’m exaggerating but ask your coworkers, Robert, the one who checked Whit out, and Martin, the one who gave me my shoe. I dated them but never even knew where they worked. They probably can’t wait to tell you what I was like when you get back.”

Kendry shook his head. “Everyone deserves a second chance and we could care less about what Robert or Martin think or say. Besides, they already knew we were interested in you and they never said one word to us. I don’t think you give yourself or them enough credit.”

“Guys, I’m a mess. A new single mom. I have little free time, and what free time I do have is about to get even tighter,” she said gesturing to the box containing the machine. “I’m not worth your time, and I’m…”