“I only found out myself an hour ago, and I didn’t want you to worry until there was something to worry about. Turns out, there probably isn’t.”

“Still, you should’ve told me only so I could reassure you and tell you everything would be okay. That’s my job, so you’ve got to let me do my job.”

Sam smiled as she walked out to her car. “It’s very sweet of you to want to reassure me. Thank you for that.”

“How’re you feeling?”

“Shitty, so I’m heading home. I’ll see you there?”

“As soon as I can possibly get out of here. Get some rest and dream of Bora Bora.”

“Mmm, I can’t wait.”

“Won’t be long now. Love you, babe.”

“Love you too. Wake me up when you get home.”

Sam hadn’t expected to drive home from her meeting with Forrester with a smile on her face, but Nick’s call had cheered her up considerably. The best news of all? Tomorrow she could go back to work and hopefully close this baffling case once and for all.

Chapter Thirty

CHAPTER THIRTY

GONZO STOPPED FOR flowers on the way home. He asked the florist for something exceptional, and she’d come through with a huge bouquet that was so fragrant, he’d had to open the car windows so he could breathe. By the time he reached the landing outside their apartment, the grand gesture felt silly rather than romantic. As if a bunch of smelly flowers would make up for the shit he’d put her through.

He was on the verge of taking them downstairs to trash them on the street when the door flew open.

“I thought I heard you out here.”

Keeping the flowers behind his back, he said, “How’d you know it was me?”

“I’ve listened for you for more than a year now. I recognize what you sound like coming up the stairs.”

“And I’m supposedly the detective.”

“I’ve got mad skills,” she said with the flirty smile that reminded him of life before disaster struck. “What’re you hiding?”

“Oh. Right.” He unveiled the flowers and held them out to her, feeling like an idiot until he saw her face light up with pleasure.

“Tommy... They’re beautiful! Thank you.”

He followed her to the kitchen where she found a vase and arranged the flowers to her liking.

When she was finished, she turned to find him watching her. “What?”

“Nothing. Just enjoying the view. It’s nice to see you smiling.”

“You make me happy when you bring me flowers for no reason.”