Page 210 of Perfect Pitch

Safe and sound.

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CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THREE

Sometimes, computers overwhelm me. Give me a pen and paper and I can cause the exact same amount of damage.

—StellaNova

I reach for my cell to check who is calling me to see if it’s worth answering. With a smile in my voice, I ask, “Should I say good morning or good afternoon?”

Her laugh is soft against my ear. “Kane just left. I feel like some sort of superhero with all this gadgetry.”

I lean back in my chair. “It’s just backup, Beats.”

“I have no idea what to do with it all, Mitch.”

“For right now, leave it on the counter. I’ll show you how to use it when I get home.”

“Hmm, I love the sound of that.”

“Of what? Home.”

“Precisely. Oh, by the way, Trevor called. Again.”

“He texted me too. Wants to know if he can take you out for lunch. I said no.”

“He sounds lonely, Mitch. Remember, he thinks I’ve been at a spa. Not that I’ve... that we’ve... he doesn’t know,” she concludes.

I weigh the pros and cons before agreeing. “If you think you’re ready to see someone outside the inner circle, then yes. I’ll tell Chin to clear him up.”

There’s a difference in her voice when she responds. It’s stronger. “I’m ready but that’s because of last night and you.”

My voice drops. “If you keep talking like that, Austyn, you’re going to get us both in trouble.”

My heart flips over when she teases, “Is that a threat?”

“No, it’s a promise.”

I can tell she’s smiling by the sound of her voice. “And you always keep your promises.”

“To you I do.”

Just before she hangs up, I hear her whisper, “I know.”

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CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FOUR

Schadenfreude is the experience of pleasure that comes from learning the troubles, failures, or humiliation of another. Psychopath is the word for the person who causes them.

—@PRyanPOfficial

I hook my arm through Trevor’s and rest my head against his shoulder as we pass the guard at the desk. I give a little wave when he lifts the receiver. A relieved smile crosses his face before he calls out, “Have a nice afternoon, Ms. Kensington!”

“I will!”

Trevor spins me around and around the rotating door until I’m dizzy and laughing like a loon. Finally, I stumble out to the sidewalk and so does he. We collapse into each other’s arms. Without hesitation, I press a quick kiss to his cheek. “I missed you so hard.”

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