‘Doctor Prita!’
She jumped and turned around as Cherry burst through the door, phone in hand. Hell. She’d completely forgotten her nurse was in the house. Had she heard anything? She opened her mouth to explain, but before a single word fell out of her mouth, she noticed the distress in her friend’s eyes, the way she was thrusting the phone out towards Prita. Oh hell. Not again. She couldn’t deal with any more threats. Hadn’t she been through enough in one day? ‘I don’t … I can’t ….’ She couldn’t take the phone. She couldn’t.
‘It’s not him, Prita. It’s Nat. There’s another fire.’
‘What?’ Her hand was shaking with fury as she grabbed the phone, cold racing through her. Carter! ‘Nat? The kids. Papa. Reid. They’re out for a ride.’
‘No, no, it’s fine, they haven’t left yet. Reid’s heading out to meet the fire trucks now.’
‘Where’s Flynn?’
‘I’m not sure. Your dad’s going to take the kids to my house and keep an eye on them. But we need every hand on deck. Can you come? We’re heading out from the cafe in a few minutes.’
She wasn’t CFA trained, but that wasn’t why they needed her. It was a scorcher out there and she was needed to look after the men and women who were fighting the fire. They were counting on her and she wasn’t letting them down. She was wrong before. She might be shit at personal relationship stuff, but she wasn’t a shit mother and she sure as hell wasn’t a shit doctor. She was a bloody good one.
‘I’ll be right there.’ She hung up and turned to Cherry. ‘I’ll grab whatever first aid stuff we’ve got.’ She had her doctor’s bag—it had been in her car when she’d run into her burning home. But it wouldn’t be enough alone. Luckily, someone had donated a couple of backpacks, so she’d put stuff in there. ‘We’ll need to take bottled water as well to make sure we keep everyone hydrated.’
‘I’ll call Barb. She’ll be able to bring what she’s got up at the restaurant.’
‘Great.’ Cherry ran out, knowing what needed to be done without being told any further, leaving Prita alone in the kitchen once more. She looked down at the bunched-up t-shirt in her hand and dropped it on the table.
Flynn was out there. Did he know about the fire? How could he not if he was outside? The scent of it would be all around if it was as big as Nat said. Was he holed up somewhere, terrified?
She had to find him.
But she couldn’t. She had a responsibility to everyone who was fighting back the fire, trying to protect their community. Flynn would have to wait.
At least his terror would keep him safe now he didn’t have the release of sex with her to set him free of it. He wouldn’t be anywhere near the fire.
Comforting herself with that fact at least, she turned and ran to the office to rustle up whatever she could use to take out into the field with her to help those she knew how to help.
Chapter 24
Flynn slammed the door behind him, the sound ricocheting through the valley like a shot, but it wasn’t enough to cool his temper. How dare she! They’d had a deal. And she’d broken it. What the fuck was he going to do now? He’d been relying on her, on the mind-blowing sex he had with her, to help him deal with fire season and push through his weakness. He’d felt so strong when he was with her, like there was nothing wrong with him, and now she’d done this. And then thrown in his face the worst of his fear.
Living in the past. Of course he was living in the past. It was all he had left of himself. Everything worthwhile had died that day with Anna. Couldn’t she see that? Understand it? And who was she to throw stones? She who had married a gay man so she would never have to be in a real relationship. What the fuck did she know about real love and how it affected a person? What if he didn’t want to let go of the past, huh? What if he liked the way his life was? Had she thought of that?
He had a mind to go back and tell her. In fact, he was going to go back and tell her. She might be an amazing doctor but she was a bloody horrible psychologist. She’d got him so wrong.
Hadn’t she?
He stopped, hands clenching at his sides, his breath a mad rush in his chest, heart thumping hard. Fuck. He had to calm down. Had to get control of himself. See? This is what happened when you let emotions cloud your judgement. He should have known it was a bad idea to get involved with her. What was he thinking? She was a passionate woman. He’d always known that despite her calm doctor act. She would never have lived the life she had if she wasn’t passionate, hadn’t wanted more than she had. It was what had drawn him to her, reminding him so much of Anna.
Anna.
Had he betrayed his promise to her? No. He hadn’t forgotten her. Would never replace her. What he’d had with Prita wasn’t a replacement. It was something else. Something completely and utterly foreign and wild and … and necessary.
What the fuck was he going to do without it?
He looked around blindly, hands opening and closing at his sides. He needed to do something. He wanted nothing more than to go up to the stables and get on a horse and ride hard until his head cleared and life had returned to some semblance of normality. Yes, that’s what he’d do. It always helped when things got too much. He couldn’t
