Page 40 of The Confidant

“Illegally. Stealing it away. Introducing it to shady characters. Setting it up on a blind date with a model. Now alcohol? You’re shameless.”

“I’m only doing what it wants,” he says innocently.

“Sure you are,” I laugh. “The judges won’t agree with you.”

“If I bribe them enough, they will.”

I bark out an unattractive laugh over that assurance.

Once I’ve settled down and his chuckles have faded, we sit in silence, both eating our lonely meals.

“I really do miss you,” I blurt out, playing with my food.

“I really miss you too,” he says, sounding thoughtful. “I’d rather you were here than the raccoon.”

I fake a gasp. “Don’t say that. You’ll hurt its feelings.”

“It needs to know that I only have one person I’d rather be taking photos of.”

“That model,” I sigh as if I’m depressed. “I knew it was too good to be true. Can I be your beard for a little longer?”

“You,” he chuckles. The assurance brings a spreading warmth through my body.

“Why aren’t you in any of the pictures?” I ask curiously. “I’d like to see you too.”

He makes a thoughtful hum of sound. “I can arrange that.”

“See that you do. Is everything going ok there?”

“Yeah. One more day, and then I’ll be home.”

“That sucks,” I pout. I was hoping for a miracle and that he would be on his way tomorrow. I’m selfish as hell.

“Yeah, it does,” he agrees in a grumble. “They added on another model after her schedule cleared up.”

“Her?” I ask with sly emphasis. “Do I need to worry about Vegas?”

“No. Racer has better taste, and so do I.”

I laugh at how firm he sounds. There isn’t much room for doubt with his adamant reaction.

“If she makes any moves, the raccoon knows what to do,” I tell him in a grim voice. It’s hard to stifle my laughter.

“What’s that?”

“Knock over her trash cans,” I whisper in mock terror.

The robust laugh he lets out makes my lips curve in a silly grin. We stay on the phone a lot longer than we should. Sometimes talking and other times quiet. It’s almost as if he’s here with me. If only he actually were.

“This is sad,” I protest with a sigh. “I shouldn’t miss you this much. It’s not like we live together.”

“I have enough room for all your raccoons, siren. Be very careful, or I’ll box them up while you’re at the shop so you’ll have to move in.”

I stop on my way to the trash, my feet sticking to the floor. He doesn’t sound like he’s teasing or making a joke. He’s very serious. Despite all his assurances, it’s surprising. No giving me room to make a joke about it. He’s laying it out there.

It betrays the knowledge that he’s just as in this as I am. We haven’t done anything more than kiss and fool around a bit. Now he’s letting me know that he wants me with him in a permanent way.

“Are you really serious?” I whisper faintly, my brain whirling while my heart spins happily in the other direction.

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