Operation Date Escape

They were in rare form that morning.
    “It just so happens she was trying to get out of a bad date,” he attempted to explain.
    “Another one?” Stubby inquired. No doubt referring to the one Cole had rescued her from the day he was seen kissing her at the hospital.
    Cole ignored the question. Kelsie’s personal life wasn’t any of their business.
    Joe cleared his throat, disguising a chuckle. “Must have been one hell of a bad date to have her climbing out of a second story window.”
    “It was.”
    Nate plucked another donut from the near-empty box on the dining room table and carried it with him across the Great room to his recliner. “Well,” he said, pointing his glazed donut at Cole as he settled into the Lazy Boy, “I sure hope you aren’t planning to take ‘Cupcake’ to one of those fancy high-rise restaurants in downtown Columbus on your date.”
    “Date?” several of the men muttered, their gazes shifting Cole’s direction.
    Big mouth.
    “I’m taking her out to dinner,” he muttered.
    “Downtown dining shouldn’t be a problem,” Joe decided. “There aren’t any trees along the street that are high enough for her to perform a high-rise Jungle Jane escape.”
    The Lieutenant shrugged. “I don’t know, Joe. I’d bet there’d be a flagpole available if she got desperate.”
    The men burst into a round of raucous laughter that echoed off the beige walls of the Great room. The only one not laughing was Cole.
    He rolled his eyes. “Kelsie’s not going to be in need of a flagpole on our date.”
    “You sure about that?” Nate mumbled around the last nub of glazed donut he’d just shoved into his mouth. “I mean you did blackmail her into going out with you.”
    Heads snapped around to look at Nate, a roomful of ‘huh’s?’ following.
    “Not exactly,” he argued, drawing their attention back his direction.
    “Well damn. I must’ve misunderstood the situation. I could’ve sworn I saw you holding ‘Cupcake’s’ heels out of her reach and saying, ‘Your shoes for a date. I’m off duty this weekend. Let me take you out to dinner.’” He repeated Cole’s words pretty much verbatim.
    Joe looked to Cole, humor lighting his blue eyes. “You held her shoes hostage?”
    More laughter erupted around him.
    Cole gave a resigned sigh. “Okay, so maybe I did use a little friendly persuasion. She didn’t have to accept.”
    Nate opened his mouth to argue the fact, but Cole cut him off. “One more word from you and you’ll be sliding down the fire pole headfirst.”
    Though Nate knew he wouldn’t actually follow through with his threat, his friend let it go, much to Cole’s relief. He didn’t need the rest of the guys to find out Kelsie hadn’t even accepted his invitation, Nanci had agreed for her.
    Stubby pushed out of his recliner and walked over to the collection of remote control fire trucks beside the TV. Reaching for his, he flipped it over and turned it on, then placed it back on the floor. “Race anyone? First truck to cross the finish line gets to rescue ‘Cupcake’ from her date with Cole.”
    Footrests swung down in unison as the others shot out of their Lazy Boys and hurried to line up their trucks. As it was every time a challenge was issued between the men at the station, testosterone levels shot through the roof.
    Cole opted to forego the early morning competition and head downstairs to begin vehicle and equipment checks. The others were so intent on their race to be Kelsie’s next hero that none of them even noticed his leaving.
    Or so he thought.
    “Cole,” Joe called after him in the hallway. “Hey, buddy, wait up.”
    Cole slowed his step. “Aren’t you missing the big race?” He nodded toward the rec room.
    His friend laughed. “As if any of us guys have a chance with Kelsie. Besides, I can find my own woman. I don’t need your cast offs. As a matter of fact, I happen to have a date with ‘Cupcake’s’ friend. Or will have as soon as I call and ask her out officially.”
    “Nanci?”
    “Don’t sound so surprised. It just so happens that I’m, and I quote, “One hot firefighter.”
    “She said that?”
    “Hell, yes, she said that. It’s not like you’re the only babe-magnet around here. My studliness aside, what’s really up between you and Kelsie?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I saw the way she looked at you when you went up to get her.”
    He had?
    The only thing Cole had thought about at that moment was getting Kelsie down.