What The End Looks Like | ✓

15: lacey

 "What?"

Chase's smile remains on his face, unfazed by the shock in my voice. "Would you be interested in going on a date with me Friday night?" I mean Chase is extremely cute, don't get me wrong. I just never considered the idea of us going out.

I'm sure I look like a fish right now with my jaw hanging open. Lacey you need to say something. Seriously, you need to say literally anything.

"You don't have to give me an answer right now if you need time to think about it," Chase says continuing the conversation after my speechlessness.

Chase is a nice guy. He's the kind of guy that you always picture ending up with. He's got the whole tall sexy carefree thing going on and his eyes are so kind.

"No." I blurt out finally making my voice work and his face falls and I backtrack, realizing how it sounded. "I meant no, I don't need to think about it. Yes, I'd love to go out with you."

And then his smile has grown even bigger than before. "Really?"

I nod, biting my lip to keep him from seeing how big my smile is. This is exciting.

"So dinner Friday?"

I don't think I have anything going on Friday? Except- "Actually, how would you feel about going to an art exhibit? My boss gave me tickets and I have one for a plus one."

"That sounds perfect; I'll pick you up at seven." Chase seems really calm and nonchalant about this whereas my heart is beating a thousand miles a second. I hadn't planned on running into Chase on the apparatus floor when I was coming to find Dean on my lunch break. I found an account with some discrepancies and I wanted to ask Dean before I took it to Grayson.

I feel bad asking where Dean is, but I don't have a whole lot of time especially with how they get called away every time I come to the firehouse. "I can't wait! I'm so sorry to ask this right now, but do you know where Dean is?" I hold up the file I snuck out of the office so he hopefully understands this is important.

To my relief, he laughs. "He's working out in the weight room. For your sake, I really hope that isn't anything relating to his family's company."

"It's not... it's someone else's company." I admit sheepishly, "I promise I'll give you more details before I go back to work, but I really have to find him."

"I'm not stopping you, just come find me before you leave and we'll sort out the rest of the details. Good luck."

I flash him a quick smile as I turn away to walk towards where I think the weight room is. Not entirely sure, but I get a chorus of hellos when I walk in from the guys on shift. By now they all treat me as if they haven't only known me for six weeks.

"Hey Lace, what's the big rush?" Vince asks from where he sits on the couch reading a book.

"Gotta ask Dean about some paperwork, can't talk!" I say buzzing past him. My heels can barely keep up with me and I guess there isn't a better place to twist my ankle in.

When I burst into the weight room, Dean is sweaty, shirtless, and his muscles are rippling with every move. Hot, sweaty, shirtless. Wait I think I already thought that. I think my brain is broken and my jaw is definitely on the floor.

Holy fuck.

I do my best to tear my eyes away from his stomach, but it's so hard to look away. And then Dean is laughing and I feel my face turn extremely red. More red than it was when I remembered I told him that riding a mechanical bull can't be any different than riding a man. My face was pretty damn red after I remembered I said that.