Page 3 of Her Paramedic (Men in Uniforms #3)

T alia absentmindedly passed Courtney a napkin to wipe their eyes as she forked a bite of cake into her mouth.

Kaydence and Axel were sharing their first dance, which seemed to be more kissing than dancing.

She was sure Courtney had been crying since the wedding started, stopping long enough to enjoy the food before the waterworks began again with speeches and now the dance.

She couldn’t say that she blamed them. She’d also shed a tear when the newlyweds said I do. Talia was happy for her little sister. She’d found someone who made her happy, to spend the rest of her life with, and would treat her how she deserved to be treated.

Axel was a good man and had been a good guy in high school.

It took a good one to deal with Alivia’s mood swings back then and deal with the toxicity of it all.

Kaydence ending up with him as her husband seemed right after seeing them together.

Talia didn’t believe there was a better fit for either of them.

This would be a day they remembered forever, which was why Talia had not invited her best friend.

As much as she knew the other woman denied and wanted to believe herself when she said she wasn’t, Talia knew her sometimes better than herself. She knew that Alivia still had feelings for Axel. She would hazard to say that her friend may still love him after all these years.

A part of her could understand it. They’d dated throughout high school, some of the most formative years in their lives.

The relationship had left an impression on Alivia in the same way Talia felt it would have on others.

However, her friend had never let it go.

She’d taken the breakup hard, even when she knew it was the best thing for both of them, even when she was doing dirt while he’d been away at basic training.

Talia was sure Alivia was still chasing after whatever feelings Axel had evoked in her during their relationship all these years later.

From the casual flings she’d watched her have over the last ten years, Alivia had not found what she was looking for.

Maybe she didn’t know what that was. Either way, Talia had kept her away from the day.

To allow her sister and Axel to enjoy their wedding without dealing with anything that might have come out of Alivia’s mouth when she’d gotten tipsy.

When the first dance finished, others joined the couple on the floor as Talia finished her slice of cake. She pushed her plate to the side, reaching over with her fork to steal some of Courtney’s since it still sat untouched. She got two forkfuls before they swatted her hand.

“Keep your fork out of my plate, little girl.”

“You weren’t eating it. I thought all that crying you were doing would cause you to lose your appetite,” she teased.

“You are such a brat,” Courtney responded.

“I wonder where she gets that from?” her dad asked, turning his head to look at Courtney.

“Dad has a point, Courtney. This apple didn’t fall far from the tree.”

“Please do not make me whoop you at your sister’s wedding,” they shot back with narrowed eyes before turning them to their husband. “And you don’t end up getting well acquainted with your hand.”

Talia dropped her fork onto her plate. “On that note, I’m going to go mingle.”

She headed to the dance floor, grabbing Nova’s hand and pulling her along as she walked past her. Talia spun her carefully, since she was holding a pink drink. She placed her hands on Nova’s waist as her friend’s free hand settled on her shoulder.

“Since your usual dance partner isn’t here, I get to be your lucky victim, I see,” Nova stated with an amused smile.

Talia scoffed in mock offense. “This is a privilege that anyone would be lucky to get.”

Nova laughed. “If you say so.” She took a drink as they swayed. “You know, when she finds out, she won’t be happy about missing out.”

“I know,” Talia sighed. “But today isn’t about her, and I want to keep it that way.”

“I suppose that couldn’t be guaranteed if she were invited. Maybe she needs to sign up for some dating sites, or I can hook her up with someone. I’ve got a client who’s single, handsome, and seems like a good guy.”

Talia was sure that Alivia was on dating sites.

It was probably how she was finding the flings she found herself in.

She didn’t think they should try to hook her up with anyone, either.

She’d tried a few times with a few of the single men who came into her shop for haircuts.

The two dates Alivia went on weren’t the best, and she’d almost lost clientele because of it.

That lesson was learned the hard way, and she wouldn’t be repeating it.

She also would not let Nova fall victim to it.

“I don’t think she’s looking for anything serious. So, I wouldn’t hook her up with a client. We don’t want it going wrong.”

Nova raised a brow at her. “In other words, you’ve done it, and it is ill-advised. Gotcha.”

Talia rolled her eyes playfully. “What are you drinking?”

“Some fruity thing the bartender had on his specials menu. I’d let you taste it, but it has kiwi in it.”

She had an Epi vial with her, but she would not risk having an allergic reaction to taste a drink purposely.

“Excuse me, ladies.” Talia turned her attention and found Slate. “Nova, do you mind if I cut in?”

“Not at all,” her friend responded with a smile before throwing a wink at her and walking off.

“May I?” Slate asked, and with a nod of consent, he placed his hands on her waist while she slid her arms over his shoulders. They swayed silently for a few seconds before he broke it. “I recall having a conversation where you were supposed to get my number from Axel.”

“I know. Things were hectic that night after we left, and I meant to get it the following day and forgot.”

“It wounds me to know I’m so forgettable, Ms. Talia. ”

There he went, saying her name like that again. Like the word alone was a seduction he was trying to get her to fall into. It was purposeful, and she wanted to hear him repeat it.

“I didn’t say that,” she defended.

Truthfully, when he asked for her number, she’d been seeing someone casually for a couple of months.

They weren’t exclusive, and she didn’t see the harm in exchanging numbers.

However, a week after that, things had gone to the gutter, and all her focus had been on a hair show she’d taken part in. So she’d honestly forgotten.

“Besides, if you wanted to talk to me, you could have gotten my number from Axel,” Talia added.

Slate raised a brow at her as he wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him. “I could have. I even thought about it,” he admitted. “But I don’t deal in unwanted pursuits.”

“I didn’t say—”

“No, you didn’t,” he cut her off. “You showed me.”

It was her turn to lift a brow quizzically. “If that’s the case, if that’s what you think, then why are we talking about it?”

“A problem is still a problem, even when left unspoken. I’d prefer not to have any unspoken things between us.”

Talia studied him momentarily before rising on her toes when realization hit, lips close to his. “You’re full of it,” she stated, then lowered herself.

Slate chuckled. “Is that so?”

“Yes. You knew I most likely forgot and wasn’t purposely keeping you at bay. You just wanted to hear me say it.”

He smiled at her, and she was sure that damn smile should be illegal. “You caught me, but can you blame me for wanting a gorgeous woman to stroke my ego?” He licked his lower lip as he stared into her eyes. “Among other things,” he added, voice an octave lower.

“I’m sure I could. Blame you, that is.” Though if she were honest, she wouldn’t be opposed to stroking other things.

“Let me take you out next weekend.”

“Mm, I suppose I can grant you that honor if it’s for me to kick your ass again in pool,” she teased with a smile.

“As gorgeous as that smile is, if that’s what you want us to do, I plan on wiping it off your face.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Talia wasn’t sure how long they’d been dancing when the deejay announced it was time for the father/daughter dance.

She was sure that it usually happened right after the first dance, but there was no set order to receptions.

She and Slate stepped off the floor as her dad and Kaydence stepped on.

Her sister would dance with both of their parents, and then Talia would steal her own.

? ─ · ─ · ─ · ─ · ─ · ─ · ─ ?

T he celebration was over. Kaydence and Axel had left fifteen minutes ago, and everyone else had begun to trickle out. Slate double-checked the room they’d gotten dressed in, ensuring no one left anything before he went to find Killian, even though he had a pretty good idea of where his cousin was.

He stepped back into the reception area, where Talia and a couple of others were pulling the tablecloths off. Slate made a mistake last time by allowing her to leave without getting her number or giving her his. He wouldn’t repeat it.

“Are you heading out?” she asked when he approached her.

“I am, but there was something important I needed to do first,” he responded, pulling his phone from his pocket and holding it out to her. She handed it back to him after entering her number. “I’ll see you Saturday.”

“It’s a date,” Talia responded, and he smiled at her.

“Yes, it is gorgeous.”

Slate checked his watch as he went to find Killian. They needed to leave soon if he wanted to make sure he caught his flight. He knocked on the door of the room he’d seen him and Journee dip into after the newlyweds left.

“Killian,” Slate called through the door. “We have to leave in the next ten minutes, or you might not make it through baggage and security on time.”

There was a slight pause before he received a response. “Yeah, okay. I’m coming.”

“I bet you are,” he couldn’t help but tease before retreating. He waited for him in the car. When Killian slid into the vehicle six minutes later, he couldn’t help but tease him again. “Did you get enough to hold you over until you see her again?”

His cousin chuckled. “No, but I’m good for now.” Slate snorted as he pulled out of the parking lot. “And you? Are you finally taking Talia out?”

Slate didn’t have to ask how he knew he wanted to take her out.

Even when Killian didn’t seem to pay attention, he was.

He saw shit that other people would miss, and if Slate was being honest, it was unnerving sometimes.

He refrained from telling Killian that he’d planned to do so months ago when they’d met in October, but it hadn’t worked out as planned.

“I am,” he responded.

“Well, have fun. Do everything that I would do.”

Slate chuckled as he switched lanes. “That’s a lot for a first date.”

“And look where it got me,” Killian countered.

“Touché.”

They lapsed into silence for the rest of the drive.

While Slate would not do everything Killian would do on a first date, he would do everything he usually did.

He could be honest with himself and say it was probably still more than should be done, but mischief lived in Talia’s gorgeous eyes, and he knew she’d engage him.

He dropped his cousin off at the airport, telling him to let him know when he landed before taking the forty-five-minute drive home.

It was a little after six when he pulled into his driveway.

He went inside, tossing his keys onto the entry table, and went to his bedroom. Once changed, he went into his garage.

He spent his free time restoring classic cars. The current one was a nineteen fifty-seven Ford Thunderbird. Finding some parts was like searching for a needle in a haystack, but he’d been able to get what he needed so far. He didn’t want to have to substitute any of the parts.

Slate worked on the car for a few hours before calling it quits for the evening. He went into his laundry room and stripped out of the oil and grease-covered clothes, putting them in the washer and starting it. He entered his en suite, turned the shower on, and stepped in when it heated.

After his shower, he grabbed his phone and went into his kitchen. He warmed up some leftovers from the night before and went into his living room to catch up on the episodes he’d recorded while working last week. When he finished eating, he put the bowl on the table and texted Talia.

Slate: Did you want to go to the same sports bar?

He put his phone aside and turned his attention back to the screen. It was a few minutes before his phone vibrated.

Talia: There’s a different one we can go to. It has more tables, and the drinks are better, in my opinion. There are restaurants nearby if you want to do that too.

Slate: If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were looking for a reason to spend more time with me, but I’m not complaining.

Talia: I’m sure you aren’t. I’ll text you the address. Goodnight, Slate.

Slate: Goodnight, Talia

He tossed his phone aside, grabbed the remote, and rewound the show to the last part he remembered seeing.

He’d gotten through three episodes when his phone signaled he’d gotten a text.

It was from Killian, telling him he’d landed.

Slate sent a thumbs-up emoji before turning the television off.

He took his bowl into the kitchen and washed it before going into his bedroom.

He didn’t have to work tomorrow and decided to look for an original antenna for the Thunderbird.

He might even drop by to see Ace at the office and see how things were going.

They were still working on their expansion, and Slate knew Killian was right when he said he couldn’t remain a silent partner forever if they continued to expand.

He already dropped in occasionally, but would adjust as he needed to.

After putting his phone on the charger, Slate slid into bed and quickly found sleep.