Me: Did we see anyone matching Falco’s description entering the building that night?
Dan: We weren’t looking for him, but now that we’ve seen him. I’ll look again.
Me: Thanks.
Dan: No problem. Now quit working and have a beer.
Me: Yes, sir.
Dan: Good. Life’s too fucking short. You take this job too seriously, trust me, you’ll wake up and what you considered your real life is gone.
Wow, that’s the most the guy has ever said to me. And it was personal.
Me: Got it. Thanks. **says as he takes a drink of beer**
Dan: Ha. Good.
Placing my phone on the arm of the lounger, I lean back and sip my beer, wondering where the hell my girl is. I’d call her, but she doesn’t have a phone.
“Shit.” Now I’m going to worry.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Daisy
I get home around nine, much later than I’d anticipated, but it can’t be helped. I had things to take care of today. Things that took time. “Hello?” I ask as I step into the house. “Gage?”
“In here.”
By that I assume he means the bedroom since he’s not in the living room or kitchen. With bags in hand, I stop in the spare bedroom and am about to set everything on the bed but notice the cat’s asleep right in the middle. I’m not sure how I feel about that. Does he really need a cat? He’s got me now.
Giving the yellow creature my best evil eye, I set the bags on the floor. When I turn, I catch a glimpse of myself in the little mirror above the dresser. I feel a gasp is in order because I look like I’ve been caught in a wind tunnel. My hair’s a mess, my shirt’s wrinkled, and my leggings… well, they’re fine. I quickly search for my hairbrush to work out the knots and tangles. It hurts, but I get it done in no time.
Stepping up to his bedroom door, I knock.
“Why are you knocking?”
I jump, startled, because I didn’t expect him to open the door. Placing my hand over my heart to get it to calm down, I laugh. “Wow. You scared me.”
“Sorry.”
It’s right then I notice Gage. Well, I notice what he’s wearing: a pair of dark gray sweatpants. Nothing else. The heat of a blush creeps up from my neck onto my cheeks. I know I shouldn’t be blushing because I’ve seen this man naked, but still….
“You blushing, honey?”
“No.” The lie makes my cheeks even warmer. “Yes.”
Leaning down, Gage kisses me softly. “You’re pretty when you’re all pink.”
Oh shit. Here it comes again.
“Glad you’re home.” I hear emphasis in the last word. And I know why. When I wrote that note, it felt weird to call Gage’s house home, so I crossed it off. I probably should have rewritten the note, but I was in a rush.
In an attempt to change the direction of this conversation, I smile up at him. “Me too.”
“Where’d you go?”
“I had some business to take care of.”
“Like?”
“I got a new phone for one. I’ll be sure you have my new number later.” I also did some more shopping, looked at a couple apartments, and bought a car. A used one, but it’s reliable-ish and should last me long enough for me to get the rest of my stuff in place. But I don’t want to tell him all of that, so I just give him the obvious one. The one that’s parked out on the street in front of his house. “Also some shopping. I bought a used car.”
“A used car?” He sounds surprised. “By yourself?”
I’m not sure why, but his comment bugs me. “Yeah. By myself.”
“Where’d you get it?” He sounds a tad judgmental.
Déjà vu is hitting me. My dad questions me like this. “From a student.” Who was desperate for cash. I feel like we helped each other.
Gage chuckles. “Daisy. Have you ever bought a car before?”
“No.” Duh.
“And you just decided to buy one today. By yourself?”
“Yep.” I could tell him I did my research, but why bother?
Turning, I step out of his bedroom into the spare room. I’m very close to packing up my stuff and leaving. I think I was right in my note earlier. This isn’t my home—just like my apartment wasn’t my home.
“Daisy?” He’s close. Probably standing in the doorway. “I’m sorry. I just thought about what I said to you and how I said it. I didn’t mean to sound like an asshole male.”
“Well, you did.” I reach for one of my bags from earlier, trying to decide if I should empty it or fill it with the rest of my stuff.
When his arms wrap around my waist, I flinch. “Gage. Not now.”
“Honey.” He kisses my neck. “I’m sorry.”
Sure he is.
“I shouldn’t have said anything.”
No shit.
I feel his hands on my waist, urging me to face him. I go ahead and do it. When he sits on my bed, he pulls me closer. “I mean it. I know I sounded like a macho jackass just now. I didn’t mean to suggest that you didn’t know what you were doing.”
“Uh-huh.” I still haven’t looked him in the eye.
“Please look at me, honey.”
I can’t.
“Please?” he repeats.
Damn it. I turn my head just enough to look at him with my left eye. “Happy?”
“No. I won’t be happy until you accept my apology, and even then, I’ll feel like shit all night.”
“You should.” I’m just going to say what I need to say. “I don’t need a guy telling me what to do, Gage. My dad’s done that forever. Hell, he still thinks he can do it. It’s my money, my car, and my decision.” My voice is getting stronger the more I say. “So, even if the car I bought is a piece of junk, it’s my piece of junk. I’ll live with it like I’ve lived with all my decisions. You got me?” I’m pretty much yelling now.
“I do.” Gage nods several times. “I get you. I’m sorry.”
Breathing hard, I give him one nod. “Okay.”
“Okay,” Gage mimics me. “We
