Page 132 of Unexpected Redemption

“Slow or fast song, Boss?” Mia asks.

“Little of both, I think.”

Squinting both eyes closed, he taps his fingers against his knee, bobbing along to music only he can hear.

And then he starts humming the melody.

Chillingly familiar.

What are the frigging odds?

“Do you think you’d recognize it if you heard it?” I reach for my phone, following a hunch. “Perhaps it was something about butterflies flying free?”

His eyes spring open. “You know what? It might be. Why? Do you think you know it?”

Swallowing a jagged lump, I unlock the phone and tap exactly four times. Music reverberates through the air, echoing from my phone’s paltry excuse for a speaker.

Everyone grows silent as we look at him and wait with shallow breaths.

The song starts slow, sounding quite unlike the ending he was humming. His initial reaction is a minuscule shake of his head.

My heart sinks.

But hope floats.

On a whim, I drag the player bar toward the end of the song, hoping this jogs his memory. Hell, even if it isn’t the right song, I’d take a bullshitmaybe, kid.

As Elton John repeats the closing lyrics again and again, his facial features brighten. His chest puffs with a deep inhale.

“Yeah. I think that’s it.” He hits me with an awestruck grin, making my heart pound fervently. “How in the hell did you know?”

“A hunch.” I give him a lopsided grin, fighting off the emotions. “My Papa used to play this song for me when I had trouble falling asleep as a little girl. I’m guessing my mother used to love it, and perhaps it comforted him after she died.”

An undecipherable look sours his features. Looking at him, one might think someone stole his puppy.

My squirrel brain latches onto that, sending my thoughts careening in another direction.

Oh yeah.The dog. Sue.

I whip my head to the side to catch her attention. “Hey, Sue. Sammy said you’re training a dog that might be up for adoption.”

She doesn’t answer or offer anything in response. Just looks at me.

Then I remember to add an actual question like I occasionally need to do for Tomer. “Is that true?”

“Yes. He isn’t quite ready for a new home yet.”

Sammy nudges me with the side of her arm. “See?”

Sue quirks her head low on one side, looking past Sammy to me. “Why? Do you know someone interested?”

“I might.” I gulp and nod, feeling oddly shy. “Let’s talk about it later, okay?”

Her reply is cut off when Mia addresses the team. She’s suddenly in action mode. “Listen up, guys. We’ve got eyes on your destination. A car just parked behind the building. Looks like they’re early.”

Sammy and I trade glances, four eyebrows reaching for the sky. The guys were supposed to be there a half hour before the meeting time to do somerecon—that’s what they called it. Nipple hardening recon.

And there goes the knee, bobbing like I’m biking on a cobblestone road. My fidgeting and jitters aresomuch worse now that I can’t take my ADHD meds due to my pregnancy.

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