“Something you’re good at giving,” I told him. “It was a terrible day. But it was good night.”

“Yeah.”

“Though, in all honesty, you don’t get all the credit. Peanut butter Rice Krispie treats with chocolate chips did a fair amount of the work.”

I heard the smile in his voice when he asked, “A fair amount?”

“However, I must admit to being alarmed Mrs. McMurphy knew about my secret coding machine.”

His body started shaking with his chuckles.

I cuddled closer and kissed his throat.

I settled in and shared, “But you did help. A little bit.”

“Good I could help…a little bit,” he replied, still lightly chuckling.

“And you may be the only man on earth who notices toiletries and has the courage to brave the cosmetics section of the mall to buy his girlfriend moisturizer,” I remarked.

I felt him shift and tipped my head back to see him looking down at me.

“Selfish,” he stated.

“I’m sorry?” I asked.

“Break this seal, can’t be resealed. And it’d suck for you since you’re gonna be in my bed a lot to have to drag your shit back and forth all the time. So now that won’t suck for you.”

Oh my God, he was right.

The seal was broken and now…now…

Now I got more time with Mickey.

His tone lowered when he noted, “Nighties, you can tuck in your purse then shove in my drawer.”

He was okay with my shoving stuff in his drawer!

I shivered even as I smiled, big.

He saw the smile but I knew he felt the shiver when he said, “Fuck you in the morning, baby, when I know the kids are out.”

“Okay, Mickey.”

“Now kiss your guy so I can turn out the lights.”

“Okay, Mickey.”

I did as ordered. It didn’t get hot and heavy, but like any kiss with Mickey, I liked it a lot.

Then he turned out the lights and re-tangled himself with me.

I lay in his arms in his dark room in his bed and realized he had really good mattresses.

Mine were good too.

But I could be happy sleeping on those mattresses.

Very happy.

Doing it sleeping with Mickey.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Obviously

“Nada. Zero. Zilch. Zip. Nothing.”

Robin was reporting back on what she’d found after studying Magdalene’s finances.

“No discrepancies?” I asked, rushing around my bedroom, finishing getting ready for the evening’s festivities. “Nothing fishy?”

“Nothing fishy,” she answered. “I did some research. You know, found towns of the same size, in the same region with around the same wealth distribution. Even looked up job descriptions and salary structures. It’s all copasetic. Except maybe Magdalene’s Fire Chief has a slightly elevated pay packet. But then again, as a coastal town and county, your wealth distribution is higher, as is cost of living, so that isn’t surprising.”