"Lee, Rachel - Lost Warriors" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lee Rachel)

With justification. When had he ever behaved like anything but a rabid dog
around her?

The moment called for a friendly, casual smile, an equally casual hello and
an invitation to come on in. He couldn't manage it. He just couldn't manage
it. Instead he stood staring at her with about the same feeling he would
have felt toward his executioner and said only, " " Wendy. "

She took a step toward him, a determined step, then stopped. He saw her
hands clench into fists just before she spoke. " " I acted like a crazy
child six years ago, " she said to him, only the faintest tremor in her voice
to betray her agitation'I-It still embarrasses me to think about it. I'm
sure it embarrasses you, too. I just want you to know.. .I'm not a kid any
longer. I won't act that way anymore. I'm here to work, nothing more."

He managed a nod. He needed to say something, he realized If he didn't say
the right thing now, the past would never be left in the past but would
always loom miserably between them. This girl-woman, he amended honestly,
for she surely was a woman now-this woman had done nothing except care about
him. She didn't deserve his bitterness , his scorn or his lousy temperament.
"Forget it," he managed finally. "Forget it. It was probably the sweetest
thing anybody's ever done for me in my entire life, but past is past."

Then, realizing one thing more was necessary, he stepped forward and offered
his hand. "Welcome aboard," he said as they shook.

If only it would be this easy from here on out. But he knew better. He
never dealt with Wendy Tate without feeling as if he were juggling
nitroglycerin. He didn't want to hurt her, he didn't want to hurt Nate, and
he didn't want to get hurt himself. It was a hell of a triangle of fears to
be racked on. "I.et me show you around."

She smiled. "

" Sure. "

Conard County's Emergency Response Team was necessarily small, partly because
of budgetary restrictions and partly because demand wasn't heavy. All the
sheriff's deputies and volunteer firemen were trained in first aid and CPR
and could handle most medical emergencies until the

ERT could respond. Similarly, a group of trained volunteers stood ready to
answer calls for rescue and disaster assistance

Which left only a few full-time positions. Yuma filled one. He piloted and
maintained the Medevac helicopter that was so necessary in the vast distanoes
served by the emergency team. He also maintained all the medical equipment
and the ambulance. 'two emergency medical technicians also filled full-time
slots, as did Wendy now, and there were four other part-time positions.