“Have you come from a shout?” I ask, seeing he’s wearing his gear. I stand to the side and hold the door open as he passes me and walks in.
“Yeah. A wreck on the 54. We’ve swung by on the way back to the firehouse. If we get another shout, we’re all here and ready to go.” He looks around. “So, what’s going on?”
“Do you believe in love at first sight?” I ask him.
“What? Are you drunk?”
I laugh. “No!”
“Love at first sight? Why are you asking me that?”
I shake my head. “I was just thinking about it.”
He furrows his brow. “Okay. Is this what you wanted me to come around for?”
“No. I need your help moving some furniture.”
He looks around again. “What furniture?”
“It’s for my new neighbor. She’s on her own and can’t move the heavy stuff. It’s just her sofa, bed, and dresser.”
He smirks. “New neighbor? Is she the reason you’re asking me about love at first sight?” I nod. “You remember when I first met Blaire, right? I’m pretty sureIbelieve in love at first sight, but you…” He trails off.
“What does that mean?” I ask, a little offended.
“It means that I know you. You don’t do love, let alone love at first sight. How long have you spent with this woman?”
“Long enough,” I mutter, knowing I sound like a crazy person.
“Lucas, I’ve known you for years. No chick has ever got you worked up like this, and there have beena lot.”
I rake my hand through my hair and shrug. “She’s beautiful,” I tell him, ignoring his comment about me being with a lot of women. I can’t argue with him. He’s right.
“So, it’slustat first sight. She hot?”
“Insanely so.”
He laughs. “There you go, then. Lust, Lucas. Not love. You just want to bone her!”
“Aiden!”
“What?”
“I don’t want to bone her!” He raises his eyebrows in question. “Urgh, okay, so maybe I do, but it’s more than that…” I trail off. “Never mind. Will you help me bring in her stuff or not?” He stares at me. “What?” I ask when he doesn’t say anything.
“Youreallylike this woman.”
It’s a statement, not a question, but I answer anyway. “Yeah.”
He grins. “I can’t wait to meet her.” He turns and walks to the front door. “You coming, Romeo?”
“Don’t fuck this up for me, man. I mean it,” I tell him as I walk toward him and punch him playfully in the stomach.
“Hmphhh,” he groans, bending over. “What was that for?”
I chuckle as I grab the box of smoke detectors I’d gotten out of the garage earlier and walk out of the house, Aide following.
“What do you have there?” he asks, gesturing to the box once he’s caught me up.