Page 3 of Rescued Dreams

As she approached, Amelia saw Izan had sat up. Zoe pushed away Trace’s hand and did the same.

Amelia deposited her helmet, mask, and air tank on the grass, then sat and leaned against her gear. Fists tight on her knees.

Cops had arrived, easing people back from the scene.

“Another bus?” she asked Trace, sweat rolling down the sides of her face.

“Almost here.”

“How is the patient?” She tipped her head to his ambulance, asking about the resident caught in the initial blaze.

“She needs to get going.” Trace’s expression held a shadow.

“So go. We’re good.”

Zoe said, “Go.”

Izan nodded. “Get the patient to the hospital.”

Trace grabbed up his gear. “The other ambulance will be here in a minute. No one gets up until they’re cleared. Got it?”

Amelia lifted her hand and gave him a salute.

Trace ran for his ambulance.

Zoe said, “Did you see Della?”

Amelia shook her head. “Looked like the gas fireplace exploded.”

“No way.” Izan frowned. “I turned the gas off from outside before I went in.”

Amelia shrugged. “It blew.”

“That makes no sense.”

Zoe turned to watch the apartment. She had a smudge line of ash on the shoulder of her turnout coat and sweat on her hairline at the back. The dark-haired state women’s hockey champ two years running had two brothers who were Marines, and she’d married a US Army soldier—much to her brothers’ dismay. Her husband had been deployed for eight months and wasn’t due back for at least another year. Her mother pitched in to watch their two kids, aged four and seven, while Zoe worked long shifts.

Izan hadn’t had a girlfriend in a while. Amelia got the feeling he had a thing for Olivia Tazwell, but since Amelia had her own unrequited thing going on, she wasn’t going to get into it.

Eddie was first out the door, Zack on the other side of him with Della between them. They held her upright, walking at a rapid pace.

Amelia stood, shielded her eyes with her hands, and waited for them to get close enough. “Where was she?”

“Behind the dining table. She’s awake, just dazed.” They set her down on the grass, laying her back. The EMTs who had just arrived ran over.

Amelia wanted to sink back onto the grass.

“Takes two of you to bring out one of us?” Izan grinned. “Amelia dragged me out on her own, then went back for Zoe. She got us both out.” Izan brushed imaginary lint from his shoulder. “But that’s Truck versus Rescue for you, I guess.”

Amelia bit the inside of her lip so she didn’t smile. She lifted her brows.

Zoe twisted around. “You really did that? Never mind, of course you did.”

“We go back for each other,” Amelia said. “No matter what.”

Zoe nodded. “No matter what.”

Izan reached over and squeezed her shoulder.