Page 200 of What We Brave
"What do you want me to say, Tony? That I've got it all figured out? That there's some playbook for this? There's not. We're winging it."
"That's your answer for everything today."
"Because it's the only honest one I've got."
He opens his mouth—probably question number forty-seven in what's clearly going to be an ongoing series—but the radio cuts in with a call.
Unit 7, respond to 1847 Calder Street. Chest pains, sixty-three-year-old male, conscious and breathing.
Tony grabs the radio. "Unit 7, copy. En route."
He pulls the rig out of the parking lot, lights on. I plug in the address. And just like that, the conversation's shelved. Not finished. Shelved.
We ride in silence for two blocks. Then Tony says, without looking at me:
"I've got more questions."
"I figured."
"A lot more."
"Can't wait."
Another block. He takes the turn onto Calder.
"The calendar thing. Seriously. You should look into that."
"Got it covered, Tony."
"I'm just saying. Organization is key in any relationship. I read that somewhere."
"You've never read anything in your life."
"I read the back of a cereal box this morning. Very informative. Lots of fiber."
37
LAINE
The hospital has protocols for mass casualties, infectious diseases, and active shooters. I need a protocol for the farmer's market. A flowchart. A binder with color-coded tabs.
"Okay. Ground rules."
Reid kills the engine. I twist in the passenger seat to face them, my fingers digging into the denim of my jeans. Reid is already grinning, vibrating with that kinetic energy he can never quite suppress. Blake is in the back seat, arms crossed, effectively walled off behind three layers of invisible concrete.
"Ground rules," Reid repeats. "For the farmer's market. Are there going to be formations? A playbook? Should I have stretched?"
"Shut up." I poke his shoulder, letting myself enjoy the solid warmth of him for a second, then look back at Blake. "You. Uncross your arms."
He doesn't move. "My arms are fine where they are."
"Your arms are building a fortress."And I would know, because I've been building my own for weeks."Last time we went somewhere together, you were so far behind us at the hardware store the cashier asked if you needed help finding your party."
"I was looking at router bits."
"You were being invisible on purpose and we both know it."
Something shifts in his jaw. Not quite a smile. Not quite not one.
