“Yeah. Who knows what time they were let out of the arena. But Kimmy’s a lawyer in California. Family law, but maybe she knows someone. I mean, fuck. The dude’s from Boston. We’re in Nevada, but he commits a crime in California. This has massive mess all over it.”

“Not to mention what he said about Hayes—”

“Which is why we’ll call Megan as soon as we can.”

His jaw shoved out, and he cursed. Lowering his voice, ice slid down the back of my neck. Kane braced his hands on the counter across from me, prepping me for whatever bad news he was about to spill. “There’s another phone call I should make after I call my parents.”

There was worry in his eyes, a hint of sadness. I wasn’t a genius, but didn’t need to be to know what brought that look on. “Ava.”

He nodded. “Ava. And I know. I know maybe I don’t have to, but I at least feel like I need to call her to end things with her on a different note than we did last time. I think I might need that closure too.”

I fucking chose you. His words bounced around my brain, easing the knot of fear knitting itself together around my avocado toast. “Okay.”

“You’re okay with that?”

I smiled, feigned a braveness I didn’t quite feel, but he needed it. “You chose me, right?”

“Every day. For as long as you’ll have me.”

Which, hopefully, would be forever? “Then why would I worry?”

He prowled around the counter, grabbed my hands, and tugged me to my feet. He slipped his hands up my arms, creating a river of delicious friction following in their wake until his palms cupped the sides of my neck, thumbs brushing my jawline.

“You almost said something to me last night on the phone. And stopped yourself.”

Oh dear. He was bringing this up. “Yeah.” Nerves dried out my lips, and I licked them. “But—”

“No buts. You were sleeping last night—”

“I wasn’t. I heard,” I admitted, and if I didn’t have a fierce grip on his hips to stay standing, I’d be gnawing on the side of my thumb.

“Good.” His dark eyes danced back and forth between mine, and crinkles dug into the outer corners of his eyes as he smiled. “Then let me apologize that the first time I told you I was falling in love with you, it wasn’t to your face where you could see how much I mean it.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, Em.” He chuckled and brushed his lips over mine. “I wasn’t prepared. Wasn’t ready. Everything happened so fast, and I know there’s going to be a lot to dig through in the next few months, but I meant it when I said I love you, and I meant it when I said I’m here for you as long as you want me.”

“Then be prepared to be saddled with me for a very long time, Kane Andrews, because I’m falling in love with you too.”