“I’ve only got a year left.”
He seemed stunned for a moment, but she couldn’t tell if it was her age or her outburst, and she was too busy trying not to cry to worry about it. Suddenly the minor annoyance of re-alphabetizing Weddings every other week and dealing with Julie and Darla’s ongoing conflict seemed endless. She’d be trapped here forever. She would die a virgin with a laundry list of unfulfilled dreams because she couldn’t just jump in with both feet.
He held out his hand. “Kevin Marshall.”
Jessica shook his hand, wondering what he was getting at. Then she realized she’d confessed something only a few people knew about to a total stranger because he had a reassuring voice. “Jessica Decker.”
“I’ll help you.”
“Help me what?” Jessica drew back, stopping just before she fell off the stool. She wanted to run into the warehouse and hide in the magazine back stock until she pulled herself together. This was awful. Only a year before she became too old.
“Help you pass the test.”
She tapped the book in her lap with her finger. “This test?” He must be crazy. Naturally, the day she could least handle the crazy guy she got him. “How are you planning to do that?”
“I’m a firefighter. I took it and passed it.”
“You’re a firefighter?”
“That’s how I know the cutoff age.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
The weight of his hand distracted her by reminding her of wrestling matches, but she needed to be sure he was saying what she thought he was saying before she turned skittish and silly. “You’re really willing to mentor me?”
“Sure. I’m not busy right now. They just did exams about a week ago, so you’ve got ten or eleven weeks to study and get in shape before the next round. From the look of you, it won’t take that long.” He looked her over again.
Jessica started at him with her mouth open. Ten or eleven weeks. With his help, she could have a new job, her dream job, by the time the weather turned. “You really want to do this? Even though I’m a woman?”
“Doesn’t matter to me. We all look about the same in turnouts.”
Jessica threw her arms around his neck, nearly knocking him to the floor. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“No problem.” He reached up and took her arms from around his neck. “Happy birthday.”
“It is now.” She bit back a sob. “You’re going to need my phone number.”
“Yes, and I’ll give you mine,” he said, holding her wrists with just his fingers.
She backed away, pulling her hands away from him, feeling the bright blush on her cheeks. What had she been thinking, hugging him? Still, the overwhelming glee at his offer bubbled around in her veins, and she wouldn’t have been able to control herself if she’d tried. If she’d thought she could get away with it, she’d hug him again. Right about now, she’d have hugged Darla if she’d been handy, although hugging Kevin Marshall was a more exciting prospect. “There’s scrap paper over here.” She led him to the History desk and found paper and a pen.
“I’ll find out when the next exams start, and we’ll plan a schedule for you,” he told her. “You might want to pick up one of those exam books for the questions. And you’ll want to get to your doctor for a physical before we start training.”
Jessica nodded as she wrote down her full name, phone number and address. “I can call the doctor’s office today and set up an appointment. He can usually get me in within a day or so.” She handed Kevin the pen and another piece of paper.
“Call me when you get your appointment so we can meet right away. We’re on a pretty tight schedule.”
“What if I’m not ready by then?” Jessica finger-combed her hair. Her hands trembled, tangling in the ends.
“You’ll be ready.” He handed back the pen and paper and looked at her face. “Don’t worry, if something goes wrong, they’ll have the exams again in December. So I’ll hear from you soon?”
“Today or tomorrow.”
“Okay. We’ll get you into the department, and then we’ll work on paramedic certification.” He held out his hand again.
She shook it. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Finish training and pass the test.” He folded the paper and shoved it in his pocket. “See ya soon.”
“Yes. Very soon.” He had a purposeful, rolling gait and a nice tight rear, which, if he turned around and caught her looking at, would be embarrassing. Blinking at the paper he’d given her, she tried to focus on the thick block letters he printed his name and address with. The address wasn’t far from her house. About ten blocks.
That cute, commanding, deep-voiced guy was going to help her become a paramedic. She had to tell somebody, and Mindi would freak out. No, she needed somebody who would be happy for her.
Jessica scurried across the sales floor, dodging a stroller and a floor stack of books to get to the magazine section. “Guess what?”
Julie turned around with a pile of magazines on her arm. “Aliens just landed, and they think you’re our leader.”
Jessica groaned. Someday Julie would take something seriously. Something other than her battle with Darla. “No. I just met a guy who’s going to help me get into the fire department. He’s a fireman.”
“Really? Is he cute?”
“What do you care? You’re married.”
Julie shrugged. “Doesn’t mean I can’t window shop. So what’s this guy going to do?”
“He’s going to help me work out and study for the test. What’s a good weight-lifting magazine?”
Julie led her to another shelf and pulled out a magazine with a built woman posing on the purple cover. “This one. It’s from the same company that puts out Muscle and Fitness, but it’s for women. Which is why it’s called Her’s Muscle and Fitness and why it’s got a purple cover. Last month it was hot pink.”
“What would I ever do without you to point that out for me?” Jessica flipped open the magazine, looking for the contents page.
“You’d probably be wandering around the interior design section wondering why you couldn’t find what you were looking for. People do it all the time.” Julie tidied the rack in front of her. “So when do you start?”
“As soon as possible. Kevin said–that’s his name, Kevin–he said they’re holding exams in about three months, and I have to get into shape.” Jessica closed the magazine. “I can’t wait to get started.”
“Good. Let me know if you need anything. You better get a piece of birthday cake while you still can. It’s chocolate.”
“Mindi told me.”
Julie finished straightening the shelf. “You looked like you wanted to bite somebody before. Thirty’s no fun.”
Jessica sighed. Julie only had 3 years on her, but she made it sound like decades. “This is about the best birthday present I can imagine.”
“You never said if he was cute.”
“You know him. He’s in here all the time. Black hair going gray. Brown eyes. Pretty well built. About six foot. Good-looking for an older guy.”
“I think I know who you mean. The Fire Apparatus Journal guy? He’s pretty cute. Can’t knock an older man. They’ve learned things. They have experience.” Julie wiggled her eyebrows.
Jessica ignored the innuendo through