Chapter 2

The snow had been causing trouble for everyone lately.It was thicker than what Keith was used to,and cars were skidding all over the place.It was a wonder more accidents hadn’t occurred,especially with the Christmas rush.People wanted to get their shopping done,and with only five days to go before Christmas Day and the rules of the lockdown lifted a little so people could spend Christmas together,everyone was going a bit nuts.

Keith had no idea what the fuss was over Christmas.To him,it had been just another day since he started university.He had always worked on Christmas since that year,and it was just stressful.He did like gifting things and getting presents and spending time with his family,but he didn’t like the bells and whistles.They felt pointless.

His neighbor had told him he just didn’t have the Christmas spirit.Keith didn’t mind;he was content with what he had.

They pulled up into Greenwood Avenue North and saw a car on the grass verge,bumped up against a tree.From their angle,they could see the car’s hood was sporting a very nice dent and the tyre was blown.It wasn’t wrapped around the tree,and it looked like the driver had been able to get out,but that car was not going to see the road for a while

Then Keith took a closer look.That car looked familiar.Then again,he saw a lot of cars.They would all look familiar at some point.Getting his hat,he got out of the car and zipped up his coat.God,he hated snow.He loved Seattle,but he hated the snow that came with winter.

Slipping on his gloves,Keith followed Casey across the snow-mushed road towards the ambulance parked across the street,Keith holding onto Casey’s arm as she gingerly made her way across.

“Get off!”Casey swatted him away.“I’m not an invalid.”

“Would you like to explain to your husband how you ended up in hospital after falling over with his child?”

Casey grumbled and grabbed Keith’s arm.

“Fine,but I’m taking you down with me.”

Keith bit back a smile.Casey was a good cop but she wasn’t the best on her feet when the ground wasn’t just flat.And he wasn’t about to get it in the neck from Casey’s husband about making her go out in the snow;Keith was glad he didn’t have to worry about that,either.

Pregnant women were far more stubborn than women who weren’t carrying a life around for nine months.

The back of the ambulance was open,one of the paramedics standing outside the doors as he scribbled on a clipboard.He looked up as Keith and Casey approached,his eyes widening when he saw Casey.

“Jesus,Casey,you shouldn’t be out here in this weather.”

Casey rolled her eyes.

“Shut up,Justin,you sound like my husband.How’s the driver?”

“Just some bruises,from what we can tell.Nothing’s broken,but she is complaining of a sore neck and her head hurts.Thinks she hit it on the window.”Justin gestured inside the ambulance.“Marlene’s checking her out now.She’s refusing to go to hospital.”

Keith looked in,and then he froze.A curvy,very curvy,blonde was sitting on the gurney,Marlene checking out her eyes with a torch flickering across them.The driver was paler than normal,a shell shocked look on her face.Almost like the expression Keith had seen on her when he first met her.

“Shit.”

“What?”Casey frowned.“What is it?”

“That’s Julia Chisholm.She’s my neighbor.”

Casey stared.Then she cleared her throat.

“Well,I was going to talk to the driver while you assessed the scene,but do you want to take Miss Chisholm?”

“What about you?”Justin frowned.“What if you fall over?”

“Then you can hold me up.”Casey didn’t take her eyes off Keith.“You cool or do you want me to talk to her?”

“I’m talking to her.”

Keith wasn’t about to let anyone else talk to Julia.Taking a deep breath,he hoisted himself into the ambulance.Julia looked up,her blue eyes widening when she saw him.

“Keith?”

“Hey.”Keith glanced at Marlene.“Can I have a few minutes?”

“Fine by me.”Marlene shrugged and stepped around him.“She’s fine,but she should go to the hospital for an MRI.”

Julia sighed.

“I’ve got a headache,it’s nothing.”

“Honey,you could have a concussion and they need to be checked.”Marlene shook her head.“Honestly,you young ones are so stubborn.”

Keith had to stop himself from smiling as Marlene vaulted out of the ambulance.He often bumped into the matronly woman while working and she was always lamenting about the younger generation.He slid onto a seat and focused on Julia.God,just being this close to her had him itching to reach out and touch her,to feel that warm,soft body in his arms.

You’re beginning to sound like an idiot again.Focus.

“I…”Julia shifted about on the gurney.“I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“It’s my job,Julia.Where else would I be?”

Julia’s cheeks flushed and she looked away.She bit her lip,and Keith had an image of biting that lip himself.He pushed that aside.What they did before was nothing to do with now.She was involved in a crash,and Keith had to do his job.Even if he couldn’t stop thinking about touching her.

“What happened?”

Julia took a deep breath and let it out in a shaky sigh.

“I had gone to drop a couple of things at my dad’s place.This car came out of nowhere when I was driving back.It was making me nervous following me so closely,so I came off the freeway and tried a circuitous route.Then…”Julia shuddered.“It bumps into the back of my car and forces me off the road.”

Keith looked out towards the car.He could see it clearly,and from the tyres tracks in the snow,Julia’s car had mounted the kerb further down the road.He could see at least three mail boxes that had been knocked over.To anyone else,it would have looked like someone had lost control of the car and was trying to cover it up.But this was Julia.She was too honest for her own good.Keith had only known her four months,but he knew that she wouldn’t lie about something like this.

Do you really know that?Or are you thinking with the wrong head?

“Am I going to get into trouble for knocking over a couple of mail boxes?”Julia asked.Then she winced.“God,that sounded silly.I was forced off the road and I’m concerned about mail boxes.”

“You let us worry about that.”Keith turned back to her.“Right now,you need to go to the hospital…”

“No!”

Keith blinked.Julia’s face had gone so pale he was worried that she was going to pass out.As it was,she was beginning to hyperventilate.Keith shifted over to sit beside her,awkwardly rubbing her back.