busyness—of accomplishment—for so long that the unbidden tingle of awakening felt more like panic. She tried to ignore the sensuous feeling sneaking through her, but as she wrapped up her lecture, she was aware of his every move.
“These animals are sentinels,” she said, dragging her focus back. “They tell us about the health of the oceans with their bodies and their lives. When they go down, we know there’s a problem in the system—and too often it’s a problem people cause. But we’ll cover that next week.”
She turned off the projector and signaled to Gage to bring up the lights.
“Just make sure you really want to do this,” she said, scanning the group but avoiding Alex. She crossed her arms and widened her stance. “There’s a lot at stake.”
Gage grimaced at her as he joined her at the microphone.
“If you like teamwork,” he said, leaning close to the microphone, “and you want to make a difference, it’s a good gig.”
He paused and smiled at Jackie.
“And we do have fun,” he added. “That’ll be my lecture next week.” Over the laughter he said, “For now, let’s dig into the chow that the Wednesday crew brought. All this work talk makes me hungry.”
As the volunteers filtered toward the refreshments, Jackie wound the projector cord into a neat S and then zipped the expensive machine into its case.
“Wouldn’t hurt if you lightened up a bit,” Gage said as he helped her fold up the projector table. “You make us sound like boot camp.”
“If I let you run the intro, you’d make it sound like a spa for lost souls.”
But she had to smile. He was right. They needed more help, lots more help, and they just might have to smile to get it. When had she stopped smiling? Maybe it was the lack of sleep. For weeks now there had been too many emergencies. She should call in a vet from Davis, take a weekend off.
Right . Like she’d be able to do that.
“The food’s better at spas,” Alex said as he reached to help Gage fold the table. His arm brushed past Jackie’s, and pinpricks of nerves raced through her.
“I wouldn’t know,” she said, moving away. “I haven’t been to a spa in years.”
“That’s easily remedied.”
He’d said it with a breezy, confident tone, the tone that people use when they think they have all the answers and that whatever one needs can be easily summoned. And behind the tone lurked something more dangerous, almost inviting. She was in no mood to be summoned.
“Chow,” Gage said, nodding toward the group clustered around the food table. Alex helped him heft the projector table and lean it against the wall and then he followed Gage to the table.
Jackie nestled the projector in its spot in the equipment closet.
“Brought you a plate,” a voice said from behind her.
She turned to face Bev, the Wednesday crew chief.
“Food. Remember what that is?” Bev’s eyes crinkled with her smile. She tilted her head toward the back of the room. “Join me?”
Jackie took the plate Bev offered and followed her to a table near the door. The aroma of rice and beans and herbs made her stomach growl.
“He’s quite a looker.” Bev chuckled, pointing in Alex’s direction with her fork. “Should be great for morale.”
“Don’t get used to him. I give him ten days.”
“You’re a hard one, Jackie Brandon.”
No titles were necessary between them; Bev was a retired surgeon and they’d worked side by side for three years. More than that, they were friends.
“Your resistance makes me think your night rescue caper shook you in more ways than one.” Bev glinted her challenge at Jackie. “You should hear the tales being told in the fish prep room.”
“Not interested,” Jackie said, ignoring the ripple of energy that insisted on rising under her ribs.
Gage bounded over to their table with Alex in his wake.
“Ladies, I have brought you the most delicious indulgence on the planet,” Gage said, placing a plate of cheesecake slices
“These animals are sentinels,” she said, dragging her focus back. “They tell us about the health of the oceans with their bodies and their lives. When they go down, we know there’s a problem in the system—and too often it’s a problem people cause. But we’ll cover that next week.”
She turned off the projector and signaled to Gage to bring up the lights.
“Just make sure you really want to do this,” she said, scanning the group but avoiding Alex. She crossed her arms and widened her stance. “There’s a lot at stake.”
Gage grimaced at her as he joined her at the microphone.
“If you like teamwork,” he said, leaning close to the microphone, “and you want to make a difference, it’s a good gig.”
He paused and smiled at Jackie.
“And we do have fun,” he added. “That’ll be my lecture next week.” Over the laughter he said, “For now, let’s dig into the chow that the Wednesday crew brought. All this work talk makes me hungry.”
As the volunteers filtered toward the refreshments, Jackie wound the projector cord into a neat S and then zipped the expensive machine into its case.
“Wouldn’t hurt if you lightened up a bit,” Gage said as he helped her fold up the projector table. “You make us sound like boot camp.”
“If I let you run the intro, you’d make it sound like a spa for lost souls.”
But she had to smile. He was right. They needed more help, lots more help, and they just might have to smile to get it. When had she stopped smiling? Maybe it was the lack of sleep. For weeks now there had been too many emergencies. She should call in a vet from Davis, take a weekend off.
Right . Like she’d be able to do that.
“The food’s better at spas,” Alex said as he reached to help Gage fold the table. His arm brushed past Jackie’s, and pinpricks of nerves raced through her.
“I wouldn’t know,” she said, moving away. “I haven’t been to a spa in years.”
“That’s easily remedied.”
He’d said it with a breezy, confident tone, the tone that people use when they think they have all the answers and that whatever one needs can be easily summoned. And behind the tone lurked something more dangerous, almost inviting. She was in no mood to be summoned.
“Chow,” Gage said, nodding toward the group clustered around the food table. Alex helped him heft the projector table and lean it against the wall and then he followed Gage to the table.
Jackie nestled the projector in its spot in the equipment closet.
“Brought you a plate,” a voice said from behind her.
She turned to face Bev, the Wednesday crew chief.
“Food. Remember what that is?” Bev’s eyes crinkled with her smile. She tilted her head toward the back of the room. “Join me?”
Jackie took the plate Bev offered and followed her to a table near the door. The aroma of rice and beans and herbs made her stomach growl.
“He’s quite a looker.” Bev chuckled, pointing in Alex’s direction with her fork. “Should be great for morale.”
“Don’t get used to him. I give him ten days.”
“You’re a hard one, Jackie Brandon.”
No titles were necessary between them; Bev was a retired surgeon and they’d worked side by side for three years. More than that, they were friends.
“Your resistance makes me think your night rescue caper shook you in more ways than one.” Bev glinted her challenge at Jackie. “You should hear the tales being told in the fish prep room.”
“Not interested,” Jackie said, ignoring the ripple of energy that insisted on rising under her ribs.
Gage bounded over to their table with Alex in his wake.
“Ladies, I have brought you the most delicious indulgence on the planet,” Gage said, placing a plate of cheesecake slices
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