Shades of the Past

Kiefer looked sad again.

As soon as Ray walked out of the smoke-filled house, his gaze had begun to search for the thin paramedic. Ray had heard the call from dispatch, saying they were sending a rig to check out the inhabitants of the home. He’d also heard the number of said ambulance…625.

For the past five months, those three numbers had been burned into Ray’s brain. Not because he had a special affinity for that particular rig, or because he’d decided they were his new Powerball lottery combination either. No, it all had to do with one certain medic assigned to that ambulance.

Kiefer.

Ray’s gaze finally found and locked in on the medic. Even under the crappy illumination of the flashing sirens and weak streetlamps, Kiefer looked perfect. So much so that Ray’s breath hitched a bit.

Kiefer stood at the back of his rig. The doors were open and a small girl sat on the edge, her bare feet dangling in the air. Her tear-streaked face turned up into the medic’s direction as a tiny smile covered her face.

The medic wore a heavy, blue raincoat over his usual dark navy uniform. Even though the rain no longer fell in a heavy torrent, drops of water still clung to Kiefer’s dark hair. He’d allowed the front to grow a bit longer so a lock fell over his deep, blue eyes. Although a smile graced his young face, it never reached his troubled gaze. Not that Ray expected it, not after everything that’d happened to the guy.

One minute. That’s how long it’d taken for Kiefer’s life to become forever changed. Sixty seconds of terror and the man’s life had gone into the crapper. The worst part is, while Ray wanted to help the kid out, he’d quickly found out there was squat he could do.

After he took off some of his heavier equipment, Ray grabbed a teddy bear from his fire truck and made his way over to the ambulance. With each step closer he took to Kiefer, Ray’s heart pounded a bit harder and his stomach clenched nervously.

Damn, he really needed to get a grip. Kiefer never looked at him as anything other than a friend and here Ray was nearly tripping over himself—all from the prospect of being able to have Kiefer’s attention, if just for a moment. It was crazy because even if Kiefer showed a spark of interest, the kid wasn’t emotionally ready to start any kind of relationship.

Try telling that to Ray’s heart though, because it’d long ago given itself up to Kiefer.