“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Nick said. “I can barely move.”

Freddie hated to ask him to come outside, but he couldn’t take a chance on Sam overhearing what he had to tell Nick before they could figure out how to handle it. “It’s about Sam. You have to come, Nick.”

Freddie could tell that Nick was now fully awake. “I’ll be right there.”

“I’ll wait for you in my car.”

Chapter 33

Fifteen minutes later, Nick opened the passenger door and grunted from the effort it took to lower himself into the car. Glancing over at Freddie, he said, “This had better be good.”

Freddie flipped on the inside lights so they could see each other in the murky pre-dawn. “The Reporter is going to run a story that Sam had an abortion years ago.”

Nick’s pale face drained of what little color it had left. “What? What did you say?”

“It’s not true. It can’t be true. She could never—”

Nick sat perfectly still. “Tell me what you know. Everything you know.”

Freddie relayed Darren Tabor’s warning.

“Patient records are private. They couldn’t possibly get the record.”

“Are you saying it’s true?” Freddie asked tentatively.

“I can’t talk to you about this. I’m sorry. It’s her personal business.”

“Which is about to be splashed all over the news.”

“Oh my God. This can’t be happening.”

“You need to warn her.”

“No.” Nick shook his head. “She’s hurt. I don’t want her to know about this.” He reached for the door handle. “I’ll take care of it.”

“What’re you going to do?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Call me if I can help.” With a quick nod, Nick worked his way out of the car and disappeared into the night.

Freddie sat there for a long time. He didn’t envy Nick the task he had before him, but he did envy his love for Sam. What they seemed to have was something most people only dreamed about. Freddie started the car to head home, but home held zero appeal. Even though he knew he had no right, he called Elin.

“Hey,” she said, sounding sleepy and sexy.

He yearned for her. “Sorry to wake you.”

“S’okay.”

“Can I come over?”

“Now?”

“Yeah.”

With only the briefest of hesitations, she said, “Okay.”

“I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

When she opened the door to him ten minutes later looking adorable and disheveled, he realized he’d missed her. Not the sex. Her.

“I’m sorry. I acted like an idiot.”

She looked up at him with those bottomless blue eyes. “I missed you.”