Page 37 of One Last Shot
Perfect.
Axel offered him a shoulder, but he shook his head. “You really thought that would be funny?” He limped, aware that the camera caught every expression.
“Sorry.”
He looked back just before they pushed through the doors to the outside. Boo sat at the top of the stairs, holding his helmet, just watching him, something dark in her expression.
He climbed into the back of the SUV and managed to keep a grim smile all the way to the hospital, then through the ER exam, and even X-rays.
Not broken, just bruised, and yeah, he was lucky. Or stupid—he couldn’t quite decide.
“Sorry, man, this is all my fault,” Axel said as they walked out of the ER, Oaken’s ankle wrapped. He could walk on it, though, so it wasn’t a disaster. “If Ihadn’t spooked you...”
“It’ll make for great television,” Oaken said. He’d given an interview for Huxley in the ER, and now she and Beto headed for the hotel.
But really, he should book his ticket home right now.
What. An. Idiot.
“I’m going to head upstairs and check on Mike,” he said to Axel.
“Dude,” Axel said. “Listen. First day. Accidents happen. You’ll figure this out.”
“I dunno. Boo looks?—”
“Naw, that’s just Boo. She’s just... driven. And maybe a little dark. I don’t really know her that well—she’s only been here a couple months. She’s the cousin of one of our pilots in Copper Mountain, and Moose likes to hire family—” He zipped up his jacket, then pointed to himself.
“You’re related to Moose?”
“Brother. But I came by the job honestly. I was a rescue swimmer with the Coast Guard.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a stocking hat. “Still, Boo is... well, she’s like a ghost... She’s around but appears when she wants to. Disappears. A little chilly around the edges.”
A little?
“Listen, we’ll be at the Tooth going over today’s training if you want to swing by. There’s usually pizza. Or takeout from the Skyport.”
“Not sure I’m allowed to hang out with you without Huxley around.”
“We won’t tell anyone.” Axel clamped him on the shoulder. “We’ll give you an official Air One welcome.”
“Now I’m scared.” He smiled, sort of.
“Don’t be. This isn’tSurvival Quest. No one is going to kick you off the team.” He bumped Oaken’s shoulder with a fist. “There might be a real rescuer in you somewhere. We’ll find it.” Then he walkedout the door.
Oaken turned and headed toward the elevator. Took it upstairs to ICU. The place was quiet, but he spotted Seraphina sitting in the waiting room. Alone.
She was on her phone. He walked over to her.
“How is he?”
She put her phone down. Clearly she’d had some sleep, her face less blotchy, her eyes clearer. She wore a pair of leggings and an oversized sweatshirt. “The same. But no code blues today, so...”
He sat next to her. “Where are the kids?”
“They’re with my parents. They flew in. We got an Airbnb this morning. Sorry to abandon you at the hotel.”
“Reynolds is supposed to be getting me an Airbnb too. I’m starting to run out of clean clothes.”
She nodded. “The coffee there could kill a person.”