Page 40 of Rescued Dreams

“Hey, you good?”

She turned to see Bryce beside her. “Why?”

He frowned. “Because you’re you. That’s why.”

Well, what did that mean? Amelia didn’t know how to ask about her being “her” and that being a reason she might not be all right. “I’m doing my job.”

Bryce studied her for a second. “Let me know if you need anything. Like help.”

He really wanted to offer? Fine. She folded her arms. “So make a call. Get me a lieutenant’s test scheduled. Seems like I have to do it again.”

“Okay, I will.”

“Good.”

The corners of his lips curled up. “Fine.”

Amelia rolled her eyes, then realized she’d decided not to do that anymore today. Good thing it was Bryce, not Ridge.

He said, “Let me know if you need anything else. Anything at all.”

This was what opening herself up to Ridge had achieved. They all thought she neededsympathyorhelp.“My life sucks.”

Bryce walked away laughing.

Amelia had to smile, even if there was nothing funny about it. The fact was, she lived with a whole lot of good people, even if she’d never told them the truth about who she was or let them into her life.

Apparently, they thought she was worth caring about—worth helping out.

And if they thought that?

Maybe it was true.

FOURTEEN

For a little while, Ridge had managed to set aside the conversation with his stepdad. How the old man had figured out who Amelia was and where she lived was anyone’s guess. None of it made sense, and with back-to-back calls, it was easier to push it away and worry about it later.

All of it had added up, and in the heat of the moment, after he and Amelia had almost died—that had been a seriously close one—he’d found himself frustrated with her distraction. She seemed to be more than a little shaken about everything that was going on, making him wonder if she needed to take a break from work for a couple of days. They could get a floater to take her place on the truck, but the last thing he was going to do was make the suggestion.

If she thought he was looking to bench her, even for good reason, she would hit the roof.

“Lieutenant Foster.”

He turned from the sink, where he’d been rinsing dishes, and spotted the receptionist in the doorway of the open-plan kitchen.

She said, “There are two cops here to see you.”

He grabbed a towel and dried his hands. “Thanks.”

Officer Thomas and Officer Tazwell stood waiting in the entryway, looking around at the space.

“I’m pretty sure this firehouse is bigger than your whole precinct, am I right?” Ridge grinned.

Thomas stuck his hand out, and Ridge shook it. “Because we don’t sleep in our house. We’re out on the streets arresting criminals, not at the station all shift. Or out spraying water on people’s stuff.”

Ridge laughed. “What brings the two of you here?”

“Just a follow-up about everything that’s been happening in the last few days.” Tazwell looked around. “Is Patterson here?”