Chapter One

Seven years later…

Jordan Baker was a man on a mission. He’d already been lifting weights on a regular basis because it kept him fit for his work as a paramedic. But lately he’d taken up running, and he’d gotten serious enough about it that training for a half-marathon had crossed his mind more than once.

With his headphones in place, he pounded down the jogging trail that wound its way around the park across from his apartment complex, making his usual two circuits on a sunny spring afternoon. As he ran, he was ever watchful for that shapely figure with the familiar blond ponytail. And as always, his heart skipped a beat when he saw it.

One year earlier, Evan and Karli had bought their dream home in the subdivision on the other side of the park, and Jordan’s sightings of Karli had increased.

Normally, he only saw her from a distance and didn’t have to interact with her.

But this time, Karli was heading straight for him.

Lord help me… Game face, dude, he reminded himself.

“Hey, Jordan!” she said with a smile, waving him to a stop. “How’s it going?”

“Fine. You?”

“Um, good, I guess,” she said uncertainly. “We haven’t seen you much lately.”

The conversation faltered into silence, with Karli watching Jordan, a hopeful expression on her face.

What do you want me to say, Karli? You’re married to my best friend, for crying out loud. The only way I can make sure I don’t tell you I love you is not to talk to you at all, his mind answered. Especially not when we’re alone.

But he kept a stone face and shrugged, even as he inwardly cursed Evan once more.

Dammit, dude, of all the subdivisions in Arlington, Texas… You just had to pick that one…

“Work and training. Keeps me busy.”

“Oh,” Karli said, her smile faltering.

“Okay, so, see you around, I guess?” she managed.

“Yeah,” he replied curtly, and jogged away, with the hurt look on her face burning into his core.

He could feel her troubled eyes watching him as he moved away from her and down the jogging trail, and he kicked up his speed almost to capacity to outrun her gaze.

“I’m gonna propose, bro,” Evan had said. “Will you be my best man?”

And six months after that, I had to stand there and watch the woman I’m in love with walk down the aisle – and marry the guy standing right next to me.

Neither of them had any clue what it cost me to stay quiet when the preacher asked for objections…

With a flood of memories chasing close behind him, Jordan sprinted until he was certain he was going to drop.

***

I don’t understand it, Karli thought mournfully as she slowly jogged along the path.

He’s never liked me, and I have no idea why. I’ve always been nice to him... he’s Evan’s best friend, so I know he’s important to Evan. I just wish he and I could get along better.

She recalled the first time she’d told Evan, “I don’t think your friend likes me very much.”

Evan had chuckled, then dismissed her concerns, saying, “That’s just Jordan. He doesn’t like anybody. Don’t take it personally.”

I didn’t buy that then, and I still don’t, Karli realized as she ran.

He couldn’t get away from me quickly enough just now… I think Jordan Baker has a problem with me.

I just wish I knew why.

***

Because he’d pushed so hard on the trail, Jordan took his time on the walk back to his apartment to make sure his legs wouldn’t cramp up. He prayed he wouldn’t run into Karli again along the way, and by some small miracle his wish was granted; she was nowhere in sight.

When he got back to his apartment, he threw his keys on the counter and took a long drink of water. Then he stripped off his sweaty clothes to head for the shower, and Jordan happened to glance in the bathroom mirror as he passed it.

Even now, it shocked him to see his toned and muscled reflection – after all, he’d been a bit pudgy for most of his life.

All this exercising I’m doing has paid off, he noted. Of course, finally breaching six feet helped too, he concluded with a grin, and turned on the shower.

***

“So, when are you coming back?” Karli asked Evan on their nightly call.

“I should be home tomorrow night around ten,” he said. “At least, that’s the way it looks right now. If I have to stay longer, I’ll text you and let you know. Okay?”

“Okay,” she answered, even though it really wasn’t okay at all.

He had not spent more than two nights in a row at home in three months and counting.

She knew he had no choice – as a regional sales manager, his career involved extensive travel – but it still irritated her how much time his job was carving away from a life together.

“I love you,” she said earnestly, and didn’t notice the brief pause before Evan replied, “I love you too.”

***

“Another day, another dollar, right, Baker?” Tim quipped.

It was the twentieth day in a row that Tim and Jordan had been assigned overnight shift on Fire Station Number Two’s EMT crew.

Jordan grinned.

“Yep, that’s what I hear. What I want to know is, who did you piss off to get us stuck with overnights for this long?”

Tim raised his hands in a gesture of defeat.

“Not sure, but I’m sorry.”

“Makes it hard to have an active social life, man,” Jordan mock grumbled.

“Oh, totally, because I just know the babes are beating down your door,” came the barbed response from his rig partner.

“Hey, you don’t know for a fact they’re not,” Jordan fired back.

“Whatever, dude. Get clocked in, and let’s go,” Tim said. “We need to go fill up the rig – again.”

“Seriously?” Jordan exclaimed. “Day shift can’t be bothered to stop at a gas pump once in a while?”

“Guess not. Let’s roll, buddy.”

They climbed into the back of the ambulance and did the pre-run check of supplies before heading out to the gas station a few blocks away. Tim manned the pump while Jordan went in to pay the cashier.

Now armed with a full tank of gas, they pulled away from the pumps, and Tim waited for cross traffic to clear before pulling back onto the road.

From the corner of his eye, Jordan noticed a familiar car approaching from Tim’s side of the ambulance.

Hey, that’s Evan’s car, he realized. Thought he was out of town for work…

Then he took a second look and frowned as Evan’s car passed in front of them, and the rig’s headlights illuminated the interior.

And who is that in the passenger seat?

His jaw clenched, Jordan pulled out his cell phone and fired off a text.

He didn’t get an answer until after his shift was over.

***

Jordan climbed the stairs to his apartment at eight-forty a.m., emotionally and physically worn out from his night. What had promised to be a relatively calm Thursday overnight shift had turned hectic in a hurry. A four-car pile-up at three-forty a.m. involving eight passengers and four drivers had both he and Tim moving quickly to assess and assist the injured.

Two victims had been pinned in the wreckage for over an hour, and Jordan had tried his best to keep them awake and talking as the jaws of life were used to extricate them. But one, Kevin, a young boy no more than thirteen, had drifted into unconsciousness and died before Jordan could get close enough to help him.

He set his keys on the counter and ran his hands over his face, then through his hair.

He reached for the decanter and had just begun to pour himself three fingers of whiskey when his phone buzzed in his pocket.

He pulled it out and scanned Evan’s messages.

“What the hell are you doing, Evan?” he muttered as he typed back a terse message.

You said you stopped. You obviously lied. Karli doesn’t deserve this, Evan. Either you tell her – or I will.

Disgusted with it all, Jordan plugged in his phone, downed his drink, and headed for a hot shower, then bed.