Sudden Response (EMS #1)(32)

She shook her head as she climbed into her car. "Don't bother."

*******

"You can't still be mad at me."

Joe continued scrapping the garage as she ignored the man who wouldn't take a damn hint and go away. She'd been doing this for two hours, hoping that the hard work and the sun would exhaust her and dull some of her anger, but so far it hadn't. She was still super pissed about getting screwed over.

"I brought you a Milky Way milk shake," Nathan said, sounding hopeful and damn him for knowing her weakness.

With an annoyed little sigh she stopped scraping the cracked white paint off the garage door and turned around. She took the large fast food cup from Nathan and took a long sip and couldn't help but let out a little moan as the delicious mixture of chocolate, caramel and vanilla hit her tongue.

"So, you forgive me?" Nathan asked, rolling back on his heels as he sent her a puppy dog look that had her rolling her eyes as she continued to drink the delicious beverage.

After taking one last healthy sip she sighed heavily and handed him the scraper. With a frown he took it, sending her a questioning look.

"Fine. I forgive you," she said, gesturing regally towards the garage, "now you may help me."

Chuckling, he stepped forward and began to work. "You're so generous, Joe."

"I know," she said, nodding in agreement as she turned her attention back to the delicious beverage that required her focus.

"You want to tell me what he did to piss you off this much?" Nathan asked, reaching back and swiping her drink. Before she could launch an attack to retrieve her drink back he took a long sip and was handing it back to her.

She decided not to hurt him since he was helping her and of course since she'd be sending him out later to get her another one. Not that he knew that, but he would. Nathan was such a pushover when it came to her and Alice. He could never seem to do enough for them and she normally wouldn't take advantage of his giving nature, but this was a Milky Way shake, the king of shakes. Besides, he had no one but himself to blame for getting her addicted to the damn things in the first place.

When they were in high school he got a part time job at a burger joint so that he could earn some money to buy a computer. She would have loved to work with him, but she'd already taken a job with Eric at a lumber yard. Every day she stopped by on her way home and he'd make her a Milky Way milkshake before walking her home.

"Well?"

"Well, what?" she asked, enjoying the last sip of her drink. Yeah, he was definitely going to have to go out and get her another one.

"What did he do?"

"Who?" she asked, playing stupid since she didn't feel like talking about the big jerk that screwed her over. She dropped the empty cup in one of the trash cans she'd pulled away from the garage, grabbed another scrapper, and went back to work.

"You know who."

"If you're speaking of your brother then you should know that he's dead to me," she said with a sniff as she focused on her work.

"Uh huh," he said like he didn't quite believe her.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" she demanded, perhaps scraping a little more forcefully than what was needed.

"Exactly what it sounded like," he said, pausing in his work to use his tee shirt to wipe sweat off his face.

"Meaning........," she prompted, feeling her annoyance with the man renew. If he kept this up she was going to tell him to leave.......

Right after he got her another shake.

"You've never been able to stay mad at him for more than a few hours, a day at the most. By tomorrow night you'll forgive him for trying to get you to quit and find another job and the two of you will be back to.....to....to.....oh....shit." Nathan's words trailed off when he looked up and met her glare.

"What the hell are you talking about, Nathan?" she demanded, gripping the scrapper in her hand tightly as she ran his words through her head again.

"Um, what are you talking about?" Nathan asked, trying to backtrack as he dropped the scrapper and stepped back.

"He's trying to get me to quit?" she asked, stepping in front of him and blocking his exit. "Why?"

"You'd really have to ask Eric about that," he said, shifting nervously.

"I'm asking you," she said, tossing the scrapper away so that she could cross her arms over her chest to intensify the effect of the glare.

"I-I don't think I should say," he said, licking his lips as he moved to step around her only to find his exit cut off.

"You can."

"I can't."

"I'll cry," she threatened, knowing she just might have to do the unthinkable and shed a few tears to make the big softie confess.

He narrowed his eyes on her. "You wouldn't."

Oh, but she would. Her bottom lip wasn't quivering ten seconds before Nathan broke down and confessed. An hour later she was sitting on the hood of her car, sipping a new milkshake and contemplating manslaughter.

Chapter 15

He couldn't remember the last time he'd been this relieved that a shift was over, but he was. When dispatch dismissed him after holding him over for five hours he damn near kissed the ground in thanks.

Wincing when the muscles in his right shoulder protested in agony, he grabbed the two bags of takeout and shut his truck door. Thanks to Greg he'd f**ked up his shoulder when the little bastard lied about being able to lift a hundred and fifty pounds.