Jessica Meigs - The Becoming Read Free Page A

could agree to Jonathan’s idea, a burst of static came from the radio in the cab, followed by a loud, almost melodic tone. Both of them froze, and Theo’s shoulders tensed as the sound jabbed into his skull like a knife. A smile broke out across Jonathan’s face.
    “Definitely not washing the outside of the truck today, my friend,” he declared. “I have a feeling we’re about to get sent on a call.” He dropped out of the back of the truck and hurried to the front, swinging into the cab to listen to the dispatcher’s message that followed the tones, snagging a notepad and pen out of his pocket in the process. He scratched out the address as Theo closed all the ambulance’s doors and climbed into the cab’s passenger seat. Jonathan turned to him with a grin. “Got a cardiac. Time to rock and roll.”

Chapter 3
     
    The crack of pool balls drowned out the country music being piped in through speakers strategically hidden around the bar, but Gray paid the sound no mind as his eyes followed the yellow ball Jack Abernathy had struck. It rolled easily into the pocket for which Jack had aimed. Gray sighed and shook his head, taking a deep swallow from his beer as Jack tilted his head to look at him and give him his old, familiar shit-eating grin.
    “Carter, you are going to owe me some serious money when I’m done with you,” Jack warned. Gray rolled his eyes and tugged a pack of cigarettes from the back pocket of his jeans. He pulled one free and lit it up before he bothered to reply.
    “I said I liked playing. I never said I was any good at it. Besides, you’re probably just going to give the cash back anyway, like you do pretty much every time we play.” He propped the end of his pool cue on the floor and leaned on it, dragging on his cigarette as he watched Jack take entirely too long to line up his next shot. “You going to take that shot anytime soon, or are you too busy waggling your ass for the ladies at the bar?” Jack laughed and tapped the cue ball. The green ball for which he’d aimed bounced off the table’s side before rolling to a stop in the center of the table. Gray heaved a sigh of relief and ashed his cigarette into the tray on the edge of the table, then lifted his stick from the floor. “‘Bout damned time.”
    Jack smirked and leaned against the edge of the table as Gray began to slowly circle it, trying to choose his best line of attack. “I don’t think you’ve noticed, G, but I’m not the one the ladies at the bar are staring at,” he said. “That hot brunette near the end has been watching you the entire time we’ve been in here.”
    Gray stretched over the table to line up his shot, resting the pool cue against his hand, and cut his eyes upward in the direction Jack mentioned. He huffed out another impatient breath. “Come on, man, there’s like three of them down there,” he said casually, though a jolt of recognition wormed its way down his spine as his eyes met the girl’s in question. He stuck his cigarette between his lips again and exhaled a puff of smoke around it, feigning casualness, before taking his shot and missing miserably. It was an easy shot, and Gray could only account his failure to make it as a bad case of sudden nerves, brought on by the eyes that, even now, he could have sworn he felt on his back.
    “The one in the skirt and red top,” Jack replied. He passed behind Gray to get to the other side of the table, slapping him on the back in the process. Gray flinched and side-stepped away from him, gripping the pool cue he held tighter. “You should go talk to her, see if maybe you can get laid,” he suggested. “Then maybe you’ll quit being so damned cranky all the time.”
    Gray shrugged and cocked his hip against the edge of the table. He took his cigarette out of his mouth and snagged his beer bottle from beside the ash tray. “I don’t know, man. Do I look that desperate?” He took a deep swig of the beer before he added, “At least let