Bear No Malice | Paul Lahote

Seventeen

"We've got incoming!"

I looked up from my position at the charge nurse's computer to see the ambulance pull in hot, the staff jumping to life as the ER doors opened to let in our next patient. I watched Kara take charge, giving out commands and assigning roles to the staff. Dr. Cullen assessed the patient just as the door to the trauma bay shut, stopping any more noise from crossing.

"Good to see you back, Emma." I looked up to see one of the paramedics smiling down at me, a clipboard in hand. "Mind signing some paperwork for me?"

"No problem, Eric. And it's good to be back," I smiled in return. I finished filling out what I needed to and handed it back. "Busy day?"

"Kinda. But it gets better seeing you when I come through those doors," he winked back.

Fucking hell.

Thankfully his radio crackled to life, signalling another call and ending our awkward encounter. He waved goodbye and climbed back into the driver's seat before they sped off.

"Well, that was interesting to see." I turned to Kara, noting her mischievous grin as I made no effort to hide my disgust.

"It's been four months since Rhett's funeral. Is that the magic time period for guys to start making unwanted advances?" I shook my head and tossed the paramedic papers on the desk next to me. "Is there really no line anymore?"

"Depends on who you're talking to," Kara admitted. "It's been two weeks since my split and I've happily moved on to many, many better things."

I groaned and covered my ears. "As happy as I am that you're enjoying yourself I don't want to hear about it."

Kara had called me the night her and her girlfriend split up, sobbing into the phone and cursing her name. The time she had been with me in West Virginia had apparently been enough time for her partner to decide that Kara and I must have been sleeping together in secret and decided to take matters into her own hands. She found a new girl, kicked Kara out and changed the locks, throwing her things into the grass. I'd graciously offered to let her stay with me, I had more than enough room. After two nights Kara decided to get her own apartment, tapping into her savings to furnish the place as her own. I worried about her but didn't press it. She would talk when she was ready.

"You know, you're right. We should be talking more about you and Paul. You two seem to be getting closer," Kara pushed. "What's all that about?"

"We're just friends, you know that," I grumbled. "I'm not ready for anything more than that. I'm not sure I ever will be."

"How are you not exploding inside?" I furrowed my brows and waited for an explanation. "How do you keep yourself satisfied? I mean you've gotta be dying."

I blanched as my faced morphed into a horrified expression. "Kara! Can we not talk about this at work of all places?!"

The woman in question cackled with laughter and held her stomach. "You're too easy to embarrass Emma. Honestly we've talked about worse than your nonexistent sex life."

I knew she was right but that didn't make it any better.

"Come on, you gotta have something for me," Kara pressed. "Anything? No steamy romance novels or realistic dreams?"

"No, Kara! Nothing," I hissed as I felt my face turn an unattractive shade of red.

I was a terrible liar.
++++++
"Thanks again for picking me up, Leah. Paul said he was on patrol." I walked up to my friend and gave her a hug as she leaned against her beat up car.

"No worries, I needed a drive anyway." I smiled gratefully and moved to get in the passenger seat.

"Emma! You forgot your badge!" I turned to see Kara jogging out of the ER doors with my badge swinging in her hand. As she got closer, she looked over to Leah who seemed to be watching her every move. "Is this Leah?"