She advanced toward me, gesturing to the door that led to the master bedroom. “Sure you don’t want to…?”

“Thanks,” I said, “but no. I’ve got a meeting.”

No lie there. I did have a meeting, but not for an hour. In the meantime, though, I had other things that needed my attention.

“Your loss.” She walked toward the door. “See you at lunch.”

9

Zee

The nice thing about working nights was that I could sleep in. I’d learned to ignore the sunlight streaming in through my window. Mo, who shared my bedroom, got up earlier, but she didn’t make a lot of noise, so she never woke me.

Until this morning, when she pounced on my bed and shook me.

I jerked out of dreamland with a scream.

“Easy, Zee,” she said. “Where the hell were you?”

Not an easy question to answer. I could have been anywhere. My dreams were nightmares more often than not, but I never remembered the details. Probably a blessing. I gathered myself quickly. I’d learned to in the past decade.

“I’m fine,” I said. “What is it? You know I like to sleep in.”

“I know, but a huge delivery just came for you.”

“Huh? I’m not expecting anything.”

“All I know is that it’s here, and your name’s on it.”

Curiosity won out over sleeping in. I scrambled out of bed and slid my bare feet into slippers. “It’s probably a mistake.”

Sure enough, two boxes—one large, one small—sat on our tiny table, and both were addressed to me.

I grabbed a steak knife out of the flatware drawer and cut the small one open first. Inside was a shoebox. “Oh!” I opened it and found my shoes from last night, the heel now repaired.

“What is it?” Mo asked.

I lifted out the shoes. “The heel I broke. Reid said he’d have it repaired.”

“That’s some quick service.”

“Sure is. I guess money talks.”

Mo giggled. “If that’s your shoes, what can possibly be in the big one?”

“Wait,” I said, picking up a note. “It’s handwritten.”

Good as new. Looking forward to our dinner tonight.

Reid

“What’s it say?”

I handed the note to Mo.

She scanned it. “Hmm. I’m getting more of those third-wheel vibes.”

“How?”

“He says he’s looking forward to his dinner with you.”

“Yes. It’d be impolite to say he wasn’t looking forward to it. This is a basic note.”

“I think I shouldn’t join you.”

“Yes, you should,” I said. “I want you there.”

The thought of dining alone with Reid Wolfe scared the hell out of me.

Mo giggled. “If you say so. Now open the big one!”

I slid the steak knife under the packing tape and flipped the cardboard box open. Inside were packing peanuts, which I hated. They got everywhere!