"I imagine it's that way with any career, or anything at all, don't you?" she asked. "If you're not excited about it, then what's the point?"
"Good point," I nodded as I started the truck. "Where can I drop you off?"
She gave me her address, and I drove her home in an oddly comfortable silence. I pulled up in front of her building and prepared to walk her to her door.
"No, it's okay," she said, pointing to a second floor balcony. "My apartment is right there, you don't need to escort me."
"Alex, I really enjoyed this," I began, uncertain if she wanted to see me again.
"I did, too, Cam." She smiled. "Next time it's my treat, though. Don't forget."
"Okay, that's good to know," I said before adding, "But, um, could I get your phone number?"
"Huh?" she replied.
"If we're going to go out again, I'd rather call you to arrange it than having to take a chance on running into you at the hospital," I said as she burst into laughter.
"Oh my gosh, you're so right! How silly of me!" She laughed as she pulled out a pen and wrote her number on my hand. I breathed deeply as I felt her hands cupping mine and smelled the fresh scent of her hair inches away from my nose. I fought the urge to grab her and kiss her again. When she was done, she looked up at me for a moment before leaning in and quickly kissing my lips, and then she was gone.
I watched her walk to the door and let herself in. She turned and waved before disappearing into the building. Only when the light went on in the second floor apartment she'd pointed out did I start the truck and drive away.
The whole ride home, I wondered how long I needed to wait until I called her for a second date.
#
When I reported for duty the next morning, the overnight crew ribbed me about my new role as station tour guide.
"So, you've decided to pick up a second job, have you, Connor?" Mike Kelly laughed as he and Victor cooked breakfast.
"Who told you that?" I asked as I poured a cup of coffee and sat down to read the paper, ignoring the wolf whistles coming from the couch on the other side of the room.
"The guys going off duty said you were pretty hot and heavy up in the bunkroom with some little blonde you'd offered to give a tour to," Mike said as he flipped pancakes on the griddle.
"Yeah, they said the only thing that stopped the action was the alarm," Victor added as he moved the sizzling bacon from the pan to the plate on the counter. "You take her home and get some?"
"Jesus, Vangel," I said, shaking my head. "It's always about the score with you, isn't it?"
"What else is there?" he asked, looking mystified by my disgust. “We’re young, red-blooded, American males, and women love guys in uniforms.”
“You’re a dick, Vangel,” I said. “I happen to view women as human beings, not a means to an end.”
"Ooooh, it's love!" Newsome said in a singsong voice that made even me laugh. "Conner's in love!"
"Dude, I just met her, it's not likely," I said, waving them all off as I tried to focus on the Tribune's headlines. It wasn’t love, but I certainly liked Alex more than any woman I’d dated in the past few years.
"So, why'd you bring her here?" Kelly asked.
"We went to O'Neil's for dinner and got to talking about our jobs, and I offered to show her where I work since I'd already seen where she works." I shrugged. "Nothing terribly complicated."
"You've seen where she works?" Victor said. "I didn't know you were attracted to strippers, Connor!"
"Vangel, shut the hell up," Newsome said without a smile. “No one wants to hear any more of the offensive shit you have running around in that little brain of yours.”
"What did I say now?" Victor asked as he looked back and forth between me and Newsome. “I’m just talking about getting very real needs met.”
"Why do you always have to take it a step too far, Vangel?" Mike asked as he flipped the last batch of pancakes onto the platter and yelled, "Breakfast is served! Come and get it!"
Victor shot me a smug look that told me he knew exactly what he was doing. I let it go, knowing that pursuing it would not end well, and asked Newsome if he'd heard anything about promotions.