Page 54 of Fastlander Fallen

“Honestly? They just said make an offer. They want to get rid of this place.”

“Wait, wait, wait, are you serious right now?” Corey belted out. “Ace!”

“What?” he asked.

“You’re going to be running a Moosey’s?”

“With Captain. I need the pit-boss to make this place produce. I knew that from the beginning. And I’m just a co-owner. Audrey is helping.”

“With what, man?” Captain asked. “You know we’re about to transform this place, and she probably won’t even see it until the grand opening.”

Ace grinned at him. “You want to open this place with me?”

Captain hooked his massive hands on his hips and looked around, a baffled expression on his face. “Yeah.” He looked at Ace and nodded. “Hell yeah, man. Let’s do this.”

Ace finished filling out the offer. Corey took a picture of the spray-painted words, then sent it to Hallie.

The response she immediately got made her giggle. Hallie texted back, Holy shit.

That was the phrase of the hour.

She watched Ace and Captain talking with Marissa, and this overwhelming sense of pride took over her.

Ace was making his move. Some people stayed in the same place their whole lives, scared of change, but he was really doing this. He was changing his stars, and fly or fail, he was going to own his destiny.

Hell yeah. It was inspiring watching him be so in charge and in control, so well-spoken and strong.

And he’d kissed her.

Kissed her until she forgot where she was.

Until nothing in the world existed but the two of them.

Okay.

This man sure had her attention.

Chapter Nine

“What color are you doing your nails?” Ace asked as they came to a stop beside her car.

Captain and Marissa had already left, but Ace had stayed behind to take pictures for his boss, Audrey.

“I was thinking hot pink. Do you have a preference?” she asked innocently.

He lifted his chin higher into the air. “I like hot pink. Or red.”

“Whooo, you like red nails? Scandalous boy.”

“It would look hot with your all-black getup on the back of my motorcycle.”

“See, this is what I mean about you playing with my head. You draw me in, and then by tonight I bet you pump the brakes again. Or you’ll text me ‘I think we should be just friends who kiss in an abandoned gas station sometimes.’”

He chuckled, leaned his back against the driver’s side door of his truck, and looked out toward the woods. “Go to lunch with me.”

“That sounds very bossy.”

“You said you like bossy.”

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