“I’ll miss you,” I whisper.
She smiles. “Me too.”
We each stand, watching as she walks away.
“You’ve made progress,” I tell Ezra.
“Not enough. Bloody hell, that woman is going to make me work for it.”
I pat his shoulder. “She’s worth it.”
“That she is.”
Twenty
Walking into the living room, I spot Drake on the couch with his laptop in his lap.
“Hey, man. Happy birthday.”
Drake looks up and smiles. “Thanks.”
“What are you looking at?” I ask as I walk behind him and brace my hands on the back of the couch, leaning over him.
“I was trying to look up different properties in Vegas.”
His tone sounds off. “Nothing sticking out to you yet?”
“Unfortunately, no. I honestly don’t know why I’m struggling so much to find a place for this one.”
“That one doesn’t look bad,” I say, pointing over his shoulder. It’s an industrial building with enough square footage if the listing is right and it comes with several acres of land.
“It’s not bad, but it’s not right either. It’s on the edge of the city with no hotels close by. I don’t know if it would be a good investment.”
Leaning over his shoulder, I shut his laptop and move it off his lap, setting it on the couch.
“Come on, let’s get out of here.”
Drake stands, stretching his arms above his head. “Where are we going?”
“Out.” I shrug. “It’s your birthday, so you choose.”
He looks over at his laptop, then looks back at me. “I don’t know, man, that sounds great and all but Ezra is on my ass about finding a place.”
“Come on. We can talk it over while we’re out. We can go hang out, drink some coffee, and you can tell me all those fun facts you love so much.”
Seriously, let me get you out of the damn house so we can sneak Aurora in to surprise you, I think to myself.
“It’s tempting…” he murmurs to himself.
“Then come on, let’s go. You know I forget the facts you tell me. It’ll be like a whole new history lesson. You’re favorite.”
He chuckles. “Fine.”
I pull him up from the couch, pushing him toward the door.
“I need my keys and wallet,” he says, pointing down the hall toward his room.
“Nope, my treat. Let’s get out of here before Ezra comes out and stops us for slacking during the workday.”
