Danny: Please help me
Phoebe: Would this be in reference to Lacey?
Danny: It would
Phoebe: I believe the story was that you dumped her when shit got rough, tell me I'm wrong
Danny: Phoebe, I need to fix this
Phoebe: Bye now.
Danny: I was wrong
"Jesus, who are you texting now?" Lacey pressed her boy crazy roommate, "At least put it on silent, damn."
Phoebe switched her sound off and locked her screen before shoving her phone under her pillow. Lacey snuggled into her plush blankets.
"'Night, Phoebs."
"'Night."
Danny: I'm in love with her
Danny: Please?
Phoebe quietly slid her phone back out after Lacey turned to face the wall.
Phoebe: You're not good enough for her
Danny: I made a mistake
Phoebe: Why are you putting me in the middle of this?
Danny: She never needs to know you helped me
Phoebe: We talked about this. My loyalty is to her, not you. Especially not you, genius
Danny: I want to surprise her, I'm trying to show her how much I want her in my life
Phoebe: If I say yes, what am I supposed to do?
Danny: I just need her out of her room by 6 pm Friday night and over to the dome at 8 pm
Phoebe: No promises
Danny: God, Phoebe, thank you
Lacey busted ass in her classes all week, owning shit that she had felt was so out of control for her last month. Funny how multiple crisis situations can put the rest of your life in perspective. She used the trauma to her benefit, refusing to let the sting prevent her growth.
Danny had put in work too. His schedule took off with new classes and soccer practices. He still managed to bring Lacey coffee at off times, he resumed texting her at the volume they had been when their relationship was on track and he asked her on dates all week, ones that she rejected every time.
"Another coffee?" Phoebe snarked as Lacey walked into their room Friday afternoon.
"Yep, it's made perfectly too."
"Yawn."
"Oh what Phoebs, you got someone paying for all of your drinks now too?"
"I'm sorry but if that's his idea of trying to get you back, I'm majorly underwhelmed."
"Who said anything about trying to get me back?" Lacey shrugged and took a long pull from her cup, "This is how he was when we first met, maybe it's better like this."
Phoebe squirmed more than usual, something obviously weighing heavily on her mind.
"Girl, what is up?" Lacey asked as she yanked off her boots and plopped on the bed beside her.
Phoebe had thought about Danny's request all week. She decided that she would stand behind her loyalty statement and not try to blindside her best friend for Danny's benefit.
Lacey should be in control of her shit and if she decided that she wanted to go, it would still be a surprise because Phoebe had no idea what Danny was up to at the dome.
"I have to tell you something." Phoebe stood and paced a little.
"Dude, it's Friday, why are you so bothered right now? Let's go get some drinks or something—"
"Danny asked me to help him tonight." Phoebe turned to look at Lacey, catching the little spark that flitted across her face.
"Oh? Like a date?" Lacey asked, only half joking.
"No bitch, not like a date—" Phoebe chuckled, "He's planned something for you. I'm supposed to get you out of here by six and get you to the dome at eight."
Lacey stood and wandered to her closet trying to mask her interest, what could he possibly be planning?
"So you're telling me about the surprise? I think you might have to practice how this works." Lacey laughed.
"I'm not letting Danny make decisions for you." Phoebe said plainly, "He can suck it."
"Let's see, he's a guy, so I'm guessing he'll come in here and set up some sort of love shrine all over the place."
"What about the dome? I know he practically lives there but what could he be doing for you?"
"The dome at eight o'clock on a Friday night with no games scheduled? It'll be some candlelit dinner situation, right? It has to be—" Lacey shook her head.
"Do you want to play along or not?"
Lacey sighed, "Yeah actually. I'd like to see what his brand of make-up bullshit looks like I guess. I'll give him a chance to say whatever it is, maybe he really will surprise me. I know he can cook so I wouldn't be sad about dinner, we are friends, you know?"
"Well I'm going too."
"You're going on my surprise date?"
"I am, this is exactly how all the true crime shows start!"
"Danny's not going to hurt me, Phoebs, not like that."
"If it's a dinner I'll chill at Johnny Cakes until you're done. Anything else and I'm going to be the third wheel whether you want me there or not." Phoebe shrugged.
Lacey got dressed, this time choosing a fun royal blue skirt, black faux-leather swing top and a finely tailored white blazer. She felt powerful, sexy.
She picked black heeled sandals and worked her natural curls into more flowing waves. Danny had never seen her like that, might as well show him something new too.
Phoebe went the opposite, picking basic black leggings, a black long sleeved t-shirt and a super cute cropped black trench-coat. She looked like a very chic burglar.
"Let's pre-game." Phoebe suggested just before six and the pair headed out in search of refreshments.
"Oh, good, you're still here." Sarita said flatly as the girls exited their room, "I need to check your smoke detector, you're on my list—" She held up her clipboard which only had one blank scrap of paper on it.
"Wow, you suck at lying." Phoebe giggled.
"Honestly, maybe you could actually check it while you're doing god-knows what in there for my ex-boyfriend?" Lacey added before they both pushed past their RA and walked outside.
Sarita: They're gone
Danny: Cole and Charlie will be there in a second. Thank you again for this, I owe you big.
Sarita: Whatever
At 8 pm the girls began the climb up the pathway to the dome. Lacey spied several well-dressed people coming and going all around the main entrance. Everyone looked familiar but she couldn't place from where.
"Why are there so many people here for your candlelight dinner?" Phoebe wondered out loud.
Lacey stepped inside the dome first, her eyes adjusting to the weird lighting and her brain finally clicking with a few of the people who were inside.
"Oh. My. God." Lacey hushed out, her eyes growing larger.
"Damn, that man is some thing else." Phoebe shook her head, unable to mask her awe.
In the center of the dome was what had to be at least a twenty foot wall fashioned out of the most luscious greenery she had ever seen. The wall was professionally lit and hanging along its length were the six pieces of her dark collection from her first horrible show at Jack's gallery.
The people, Lacey had realized, were a significant number of the patrons that had shown interest in her work from that night. Danny was animated and smiling, engaging everyone and turning to reference her work as he spoke.
Danny was dressed in a more relaxed suit, maroon pants and a floral button down. His shirt was unbuttoned one too far, his hair pulled up high, random tendrils cascading all over. He was beautiful.
"Lacey, welcome." Danny broke away and greeted her, "Wow, you look—" He was lost for words.
Phoebe thought that was so sweet, Danny's honest reaction feeling so organic and loving.
"Phoebe, thank you." He kissed her cheeks as he welcomed her as well.
"I can't believe you did this—" Lacey's mouth hung open a little, searching for more words, "How did you even find these people again?"
Danny licked his lips nervously and gave a single nod as he looked around at his guests. He knew if any part of tonight could send her running, it was talking about Jack.
"I—um." Danny rubbed his hands together and tried again, "I went back to the gallery the night of your show, I walked up to the box with the bids and I just took them and left."
"You—stole the bid cards?" Phoebe was impressed.
"I didn't steal them, they belong to you. This is your work, your career. Lacey, you're a business major, you should be brokering your own sales. I didn't want to watch you miss an opportunity that was literally just sitting in a box inside some douche-bag's gallery."
"Danny, this is—" Lacey shook her head.
"You deserve this, you're so talented. I'm sorry I stole your paintings by the way." He smiled, not sorry at all.
"Lacey Porter? Hello—" A tall man stepped up beside Lacey and reached for her hand to shake.
"Hello, thank you for coming—"
"I was thrilled when Daniel invited me. I would like to purchase the collection, all six." The man got straight to the point, "What is the price?"
"The collection is twenty four." Lacey answered confidently.
She decided that four thousand for each of the pieces was enough for the trauma that surrounded them, upping it by one thousand to account for her dismal gallery experience. Maybe one thousand per crisis was an accurate way to price her work going forward.
The man took out his checkbook and wrote her a check for twenty four thousand dollars. Lacey tried to act normal as she accepted it and thanked him for the business.
"I know you'll want to make sure it clears first, Danny knows how to reach me when it's time for pick up."
Lacey smirked, the man obviously assuming Danny was her assistant. Danny smiled back warmly, a job he could only hope to have.
As the hour wore on, the news of the sale of Lacey's collection did nothing to dissuade the interest in her by the people who were in attendance. Just after 9 pm, Lacey had made her way around to speak with everyone. The guests eventually trickled out of the dome and left Lacey, Phoebe and Danny alone inside.
Danny was right, she could do this. She didn't need help networking, she knew her shit and she was ready to embrace this path. The sale of her nightmare collection was just what she needed to motivate and inspire her next round of work.
"I'm going home." Phoebe announced before giving Danny a huge slap on his back, "Fix it." She said quietly to him, her approval making Danny's heart swell.
"Danny—" Lacey wasn't sure where to begin.
"Congratulations."
Danny took a step back as if her greatness had spread around her so far that he didn't have the room to stand by her side. He turned his focus to the floral wall and began breaking it down.
Lacey turned to help, the two of them tossing the greenery into bins and folding up the moving wall that was stored inside the dome.
"Hey boss." Cole smiled, walking over to Lacey's work with Charlie in tow.
"Thanks guys." Danny said appreciatively, "They'll take the collection back to your place." Danny explained.
"Danny, tonight was—" Lacey tried again, "Thank you for doing this."
"I shouldn't have bailed on us." Danny insisted, wanting her to know where his head was, "I was scared, I never thought my past could creep up on me like that. When the threat came that those dots were about to be connected, I wanted to distance myself from it. I didn't think it through. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
"We were in such a good place, I was crushed I'm not gonna lie. I can definitely understand your thought process, I can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing." Lacey admitted as they walked out of the dome and Danny locked up.
"I want you back." Danny admitted shamelessly.
Lacey didn't respond at first, taking a moment to weigh her time pre-Danny, with Danny and after Danny. He knew that her hesitation probably wasn't a good sign, his chest ached.
"Come home with me for Christmas?" Lacey asked.
Danny stopped walking and squinted at her, he had not expected that at all. Lacey smiled and slid her arms low around his waist, not quite as intimate as they typically interacted, more like a low, lazy hug. Danny mirrored her, thankful for whatever chance this was.
"Our careers are important to us, that's obvious. If you really want me though, let's make sure you can handle the rest. My family is tough, come home and see what it's like."
Danny nervously licked his lips, understanding fully that Lacey was not asking him to be with her again just yet. She was offering the olive branch though and he was all in.
"I'd like that."
Lacey smiled softly and squeezed him a little tighter before stepping back. They walked to the center of the quad, each of them living in opposite directions. This was their stop.
Phoebe: Girl don't hurry back, Cole showed up with your shit and I'm riding that man for a solid hour
Lacey: Have fun ;)
"Come back to my place?" Danny asked as innocently as possible.
He let his eyes fall all over her body, dragging down to her toes and back up to her face.
"I miss you." Danny admitted in the blunt way that only he could.
"You already know the answer to that." Lacey confirmed, "But I do want something—"
"What's that?"
"Dinner." Lacey had expected a dinner date tonight so now she was starving.
"I can make you dinner at my place." Danny offered, stepping into her space and hoping she'd warm up.
"The last time I had dinner at your place I ended up in your bed with two guys."
Danny grinned and stepped in closer.
"I remember. I miss you in my bed too." Danny leaned his face in a bit, his hand finding her chin and tipping her face up toward his.
"I'm going to get some food." Lacey grinned back, breaking Danny's pursuit, "Johnny Cakes?"
"Sure, okay."
Danny couldn't mask his disappointment, the two of them walking side by side toward the diner for some late night snacks. He kept his head down and his mouth closed.
"You're single you know?"
"Okay? Thanks—" Danny didn't like hearing that from her.
"I'm just saying, there's nothing stopping you from getting some somewhere."
Danny's heart seared his chest from the inside after Lacey's words filtered into his consciousness. He stopped and turned to clarify her words.
"I get starting out slower this time, but you're seriously telling me you'd be just fine if I slept with other people?" He was irritated.
"You sulk like a giant baby every time I shoot you down, I just thought I'd remind you that you have options—"
"How kind of you."
"Danny—"
"I should go. I'll text you." He rubbed the outside of her arm and walked away quickly in the direction of his apartment.
Maybe she was testing him a little, she didn't trust him as much as she had the first time. He had slept with thirty one people, why wouldn't he just pick up where he left off now that he was single again.
Lacey ordered some food and ate alone at the picnic tables outside of the diner, wanting to give Phoebe the time alone that she needed. She relished in the comfort she had knowing that Jo wasn't just out wandering around any longer.
Lacey processed her night, her mind returning to the time and the effort Danny had put in to organizing this meet up for her and the resulting 24K in her pocket. No one had ever supported her passion for art before, she was grateful or that.
Lacey: Can we meet up and talk?
Maybe she wasn't ready to just jump back into bed with him, but she really did see a future with him and wanted to stay connected and work on things. Lacey finished up and headed over toward frat row.
As she approached Danny's apartment it was largely dark save for the dim light that illuminated his bedroom window. The shadows that flickered through the lighting confirmed that Danny was up there. Maybe his phone died. Lacey knocked but he didn't answer, was he really this upset?
Danny: Sure. I'm not home now, I went for a walk. Can I meet you in an hour back at my place?
A walk? Lacey stepped back and looked up at Danny's bedroom window, he was definitely home. What game was he playing?
Lacey: You're on a walk?
Danny: I just needed to move and get some air
Why was he lying to her? Lacey's anger grew. She decided to confront him, she had been through too much shit to just play along. She tried the doorknob and to her surprise, it was already unlocked.
She stepped inside and immediately became aware of the very heavy, very masculine breathing and grunting she heard coming from the second floor. She knew it.
Lacey was fuming, unwanting to flee until she could address this and willing herself to listen to the sex happening above her. He worked quick, Lacey realizing that Danny had found a hook up and got to work all within a half hour after he had walked away from her.
Lacey clearly recognized one of the voices as Archie. She leaned against the kitchen counter, feeling like a total idiot while she scrolled through her phone. All of a sudden a very naked Archie stomped down the stairs and came barreling into the kitchen.
"Lacey, holy shit! You scared the hell out of me, what are you doing here?!" Archie said, completely caught off guard by Lacey just chilling in the kitchen.
"Having a good night?" Lacey asked sarcastically.
Archie grabbed a bottle of water and took a long swig, completely unbothered by being totally naked in front of her.
"I mean, yeah—" Archie giggled.
Lacey sneered at him, "Nice. Well tell Danny he can keep you—" She grumbled and made a move to turn and leave.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa—" Archie scooted in front of her, careful not to touch her while wearing his current outfit, "Something's not right."
"You're telling me. Move." Lacey's nostrils flared in frustration, she was trying not to cry or punch Archie in the face.
"Lacey, I don't know what you're thinking but Danny's not here. I'm kind of on a date right now. He just texted me and told me to wrap it up early."
"You're on a date?" Lacey looked at Archie like he was crazy, "You think I'm a moron?"
"What? No—"
As if on cue Danny walked in the front door, eyes landing on Lacey standing with a fully nude Archie.
"Dude—" Danny threw his hands up, "What the fuck is happening right now?" He was pissed.
"I just came down for water, I didn't know she was here."
"Can you maybe go get dressed now that you know?!" Danny shouted at his friend and took a deep breath.
Lacey had run the full gamut of emotions at this point, still shocked that Danny wasn't the one upstairs with Archie. Danny walked past Lacey and rummaged around for a water bottle of his own, not saying a word to her.
Archie came back down a few minutes later, Charlie in tow. Lacey felt like an asshole.
"Hi Lacey."
"Charlie." Lacey gave him a nod.
"See you guys." Archie said as the two of them headed out.
Danny continued drinking his water, leaning his back against the counter across from her, eyes now trained on her face.
"I'm pretty sure I told you I wasn't here." Danny pulled up their text exchange, "Yep, here it is." He pointed to it.
"Danny—"
"Why did you come here?"
"I wanted to keep talking."
"I told you I wasn't home."
"I saw someone in your bedroom window—"
"So you thought I was lying to you." Danny pushed off the counter and walked toward her.
"I—I just—" Lacey couldn't find the words to explain.
Danny reached out and lifted Lacey onto the counter behind her like she weighed nothing. He settled further in between her legs and bracketed a palm flat on either side of her.
"Do you trust me?" Danny asked her, his full focus on her.
"I do."
Danny leaned in closer, his eyes dropping to Lacey's mouth, "Do you want this? A relationship with me?"
"Danny—"
"It's a yes or no question." Danny ghosted his lips along the side of her neck.
"Yes, god yes."
Danny attached his lips to Lacey's neck and peppered kisses up her jawline, joining his perfect lips with hers in a fiery union. He went slow to give her time to stop him if she wanted to.
"Maybe—" He paused, his lips stealing kisses in between his words, "I forgot to tell you that I am not looking anywhere else. I apologize for that. If I wanted someone else, you'd know first."
Lacey needed to hear that more than she realized. She kissed him back, hands moving around to Danny's ass as their mouths searched for more.
"I'm not looking either." Lacey confirmed.
Danny pulled her closer to the edge of the counter and Lacey wrapped her legs around his waist. As he reached down to lift Lacey's shirt up and over her head, Lacey knew it had to stop now or there was no going back.
"Wait, wait—" Lacey tried to catch her breath.
Danny dropped his hands and kept his hips buried where they were, reluctantly pulling back when Lacey untwined her legs from around him. Danny nodded in understanding.
"Come home with me for Christmas." Lacey asked again, wanting to make it clear that she meant what she said at the dome.
"I will." He kissed Lacey's forehead and pulled away, helping Lacey slide off the counter, "In the mean time, please don't stalk me and break into my house?" He joked lightly.
"Deal." Lacey smiled, "What's up with Archie?"
"I'm trying to help connect him with dates other than myself. It's just difficult because he doesn't want anyone to know, so, my place is pretty safe I mean I USUALLY don't have random people coming and going like the frat house does—"
"I won't say anything—" Lacey cringed.
"I know, I know." Danny nodded and leaned in for another kiss, "One more? Please—"
Lacey smiled and kissed Danny back happily.
"Fuck, you sure you don't want to stay?" Danny was not above begging, "I want you, so bad—"
Lacey's crotch throbbed at Danny's admissions.
"Oh I do want to stay, but I'm not going to."
"This is torture, you know that?" He stole another kiss without asking.
"Maybe next time you'll think twice before dumping me." Lacey shrugged.
"I know you need it as bad as I do."
"I'll just go home and take care of it—"
Danny moved in closer and pinned her against the counter, rutting himself against her gently.
"Let me take care of it?" Danny asked sweetly, "Let me taste what I'm missing." He licked her lips, "Let me smell what I'm missing—" He licked them again.
"Damn." Lacey was almost trembling at this point, "You're so fucking rude."
"I know I'm being punished and I accept that, but that doesn't have to mean that you have to go without." Danny held her chin again, offering the low-key control she fucking loved from him, "Let me make you feel good." He wanted her naked, he didn't care how.
Lacey rutted herself against him now, "Nope." She whispered by his ear.
Danny's head fell forward and rested on her shoulder while he tried to get his bearings.
Lacey's phone chimed from somewhere behind her on the counter. Danny stepped back and Lacey reluctantly reached for it.
Phoebe: It's safe to come back ;)
Lacey: Air that shit out, I'm at Danny's, be back soon
Phoebe: You still making that boy work for it?
Lacey: You have no idea