“Sorry,” one of them yelled over her shoulder as they joined the camper lunch line.
I took the outdoor stairs up to the second level of the cafeteria, where staffers ate, already imagining the freezing interior. The line snaked outside the door by about thirty people, and the sun was beating hotter up here.
Amazing.
Not that I was surprised. All of today had sucked so far. For starters, I’d overslept. June had to shake me awake, saying how worried Hailey was that I wasn’t at work. I only had time to slip on a pair of ripped acid-washed jeans and a flowy peach tank, throw my hair in a high messy bun, and brush some mascara on. I’d also grabbed my brand-new stark-white Triple Kick Keds. They were covered in grime by my first break of the day and it took my whole break to clean them. Not that it mattered now.
The coffee shop had been swarming with new campers all day which meant no breakfast. Not to mention the totally annoying teenage dude-bros who wouldn’t take no for an answer. Why they thought I’d ever consider dating sixteen-year-olds was beyond me. Hailey, my new fave, told them they were about to miss the ice-cream fight at the Rec field. After they left, she told me the ice cream fight wasn’t for another two hours. Total rebel.
Ha.
Oh, my gosh, it was so hot out.
Five brutal minutes in the blazing sun, and my skin was burning, my mouth parched, my ears on fire. The line started moving and I finally made it inside. A wave of cool air washed over my skin, but my nausea got worse, and I was so cold my legs were shaking.
June saw me from the front of the line. “Lauren? Are you okay?”
Hailey gasped beside her.
My stomach turned again, and my teeth chattered, the floor swaying beneath me, and my vision narrowing as my heartbeat thrummed behind my ears.
“Lauren?” June rushed over, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as she led me to the closest chair. “You look like you’re about to pass out.”
-CARTER-
My relief at finally getting inside the cafeteria was short-lived. Everyone in line was staring at someone sitting, doubled over, on a chair beside the tables.
Lauren.
A brunette knelt beside her, rubbing her back, and another girl, a little redhead, crouched over her, eyes widening as she spoke to both of them. The morons in line were doing absolutely nothing to help.
I hustled over. “What’s going on?”
The brunette shook her head. “She almost passed out. June made her sit down.”
Lauren’s face was flushed, but she wasn’t sweating. I’d seen this a million times on duty. Heat exhaustion. That’s what happened when you dropped a group of marines, dressed in full gear, in the middle of a searing dessert.
“She’s overheating,” I barked. “Lay her down.”
I rushed to the soda machines and filled two cups with ice cold water, then hurried back and helped June ease Lauren onto the floor.
“You,” I said to the brunette, “lift her feet up.”
She nodded and did as I asked.
“Lauren?”
Her eyes fluttered. “Mmm.”
She seemed unable to speak. I cradled her head in my palm, tilting it back as I trickled water across her hairline.
“Lift her arms. I know it sounds weird, but get water on her armpits and her chest.”
As June doused her, Lauren gasped. She blinked a couple of times, looking confused.
“We’re just cooling you off,” I said, trickling another trail of water over her hairline. I watched as it disappeared into her thick black hair. “You overheated.”
“Thank you.” She closed her eyes, releasing a sigh of relief. “That feels so much better.”
The brunette set Lauren’s feet down and got me some paper towels. I pulled one from the top of the stack, dabbing the excess water off Lauren’s forehead. “Doing good.”
“Thanks, Hailey,” Lauren said in a quiet voice. “Thanks, June.”
“Should I notify the clinic?” June asked, brows furrowed.
“Affirmative.” I nodded. “She’ll probably need to be monitored for a while.”
June rushed out the door.
Lauren’s eyes shot open. “I can’t.” She sat up, jerking away from my grasp. “I-I’ll just go to a doctor in the valley. I’ll go now.”
“Sorry, but you’re not safe to drive.”
“I’m okay.”
I put gentle pressure on her shoulders, wanting her to stay down. “You almost passed out and your body’s still weak. Hold off a minute, all right? Let’s just get you to the clinic.”
“Get off me.” She wrenched herself from my grasp and stood up. “I’m not going to the clinic.”
I lifted my hands. She stuck a few paper towels under her arms, blinking a couple times. Her body swayed. Lauren’s incredible copper-honey eyes narrowed on mine like she was focusing on the crosshairs of an M82.
“I’ll be fine.”
“You should at least drink this.” I offered the rest of the water in the cup I’d been using.
She drank quickly and handed it back. Her knees shook and she gripped the table. I frowned.
“Lauren. Seriously. You need to sit down.”
She started walking.
“Wait up,” I shouted, following her out of the cafeteria and back into the suffocating heat. “You shouldn’t be out here.”
“I said I’m fine. I’ll go to the valley.”
There was no way I could let this girl, barely able to stand, drive a car.
“If you can wait two more hours, I’ll be off duty. I can drive you down there.”
“Look, I don’t need to see a doctor, okay? I’ll go to my room and chill for a minute.”
I crossed my arms. “It’s the clinic here, or the hospital in the valley.”
She shook her head, holding the railing as she descended the steps. Again I followed her, gripping the railing on
