didn’t say anything, but she did roll her eyes.
“I know how that sounds,” he said, even with her lack of response. “What I mean is, I don’t really know them. I know you. We probably would have dated for a while. If you were my type.”
“I thought we just established that I do have boobs.”
“Touché,” he said with a tip of his head. “But I’m not into tall brunettes. I like curvy blondes.”
Uh-huh. It did seem that way.
Gabby didn’t analyze her actions. She simply let the blanket fall away from her shoulders as she reached for the Carl-Mart bag.
Conner glanced over and she felt the truck swerve slightly. “What are you doing?”
“I realized you were right,” she said, pulling the candy bar from the bag.
“Right?”
“I’m not your type. So there’s no reason to worry about being modest.”
“Put the sweatpants on.”
She looked at him as she bit into the chocolate. “No. I’m warm now.”
He hit the button to turn the AC on.
Chapter Three
Gabby grinned around her gourmet candy bar.
“Gabby.” Conner’s voice sounded tight and a little frustrated.
“Conner.”
“I was wrong. You’re my type. I definitely realize you have boobs. And I’m going to flirt like crazy. You should cover up since you don’t want to get involved.”
“Well, see, here’s the thing. I’ve only got two months left to worry about being uncomfortable with you at work. I figure it’ll take you at least that long to convince me you’re worth the trouble and then we won’t have anything to worry about,” she quipped.
Then realized her slip.
“Two months left? What do you mean?”
Gabby grimaced. She hadn’t told Ryan—or Conner—about giving the hospital her sixty-day notice.
She was starting medical school in August and would be leaving the crew except for rare on-call instances if they needed her. It was only April, but she needed a couple of months to get her life transitioned from working full time to full-time student status.
For one, she needed to move. Even before the fire, she wouldn’t have been able to keep her apartment without her full-time salary anyway and she was really trying to avoid moving in with her parents. And she needed books and to complete everything that was required for orientation and, most of all, to make sure her family was ready for the big life change. Yes, it was her life change, but in the Evans family, the ripple effect was phenomenal.
She was always around, always available to her family. And she loved it. Brothers and cousins dropped by to watch a game or play poker. Her mom would get in the mood to bake and call everyone over for dessert. Uncle Andy, who owned the bar, would put together game-day or holiday promotions where everyone in the family helped out. If things got busy and backed up at the shop, Gabby and her brothers would spend a Saturday helping their dad and uncles do oil changes and tire rotations.
For Gabby, if you were in someone’s life, you were in someone’s life, whatever they needed—and whether they wanted you to be or not.
So her decision to back off and have more space and time outside of the family was going to be hard on all of them.
“I…um…” she took a deep breath, “…I start med school in August.”
Conner was clearly surprised. He seemed to think about it for a moment. “Here in Omaha?”
“Yes, at the medical center.” A part of the University of Nebraska, it was one of two medical schools in the city.
“But you’re leaving the crew.”
She pressed her lips together and nodded. She loved being a paramedic and she loved their crew. Conner would understand that it would take something big to make her want to leave them.
“Well, congrats.” He didn’t sound particularly enthusiastic.
“Thanks.” She was the least enthusiastic she’d been when telling anyone about her medical school acceptance.
He cleared his throat and shifted on the seat. She took another bite of chocolate.
Finally he