But unfortunately it had, and they had another call, and then another, and it was several hours before Brooke could get another status check on Zach. By that time he’d been released from the hospital and was at his house, supposedly resting.

She wanted to get over there, needed to get a good look at him herself and make sure he was okay, but the chief put their rig on overtime; neither she nor Dustin was going anywhere.

It killed her.

She’d always given her heart and soul to her job, and that had always fulfilled her. But she could see that was no longer the case. Zach’s accident had driven home to her that work was not enough.

Here in Santa Rey, she’d found more.

14

WHEN THE DOORBELL rang late that night, Zach was in bed, nicely doped up, flying high on whatever the doctor had given him. Aidan had already brought him dinner and had stayed for a movie, but was gone now. Jenny had brought another movie and a few of her pole-dancing pals by, but they’d left, too.

And now someone else was ringing…He sat up very carefully, and then stayed there, head spinning. He’d never been injured on the job before and wasn’t quite sure how it had happened. He remembered nearly getting outside the burning building, but that was all until he’d woken up to a headache from hell and Aidan pulling his sorry ass out of the fire just before it ate them both alive.

He knew the dangers of his job. Hell, he knew the dangers of life, but that reality hadn’t hit him since his parents had died.

It hit him now. He could have died.

Morbid thought, but he was a realist. If he’d died, life would go on. People would mourn, sure, but no one’s basic existence would change with his passing, and that meant facing something uncomfortable—he hadn’t made much of a dent.

After his parents’ death, he’d just gone along, minding his business, working hard, playing even harder, and that had always been enough for him, because why go for more when life was so damn short? He’d always looked at his colleagues, the ones who’d tied themselves down with marriages and kids, and had been thankful it wasn’t him.

But now he couldn’t help but wonder if he’d missed out on something that he’d never fathomed.

The doorbell rang again.