Page 68 of Can You Take It?

I laugh. “Honestly? I don’t know. I’ve spent so much time chasing after the next goal, the next big thing, that I’ve never really thought about it.”

“Maybe you should,” she says, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Maybe you need to figure out what makes you happy.”

“Maybe I do,” I admit, feeling a strange sense of calm settle over me. “Maybe I need to take a page out of your book and find my own piece of paradise.”

“You should,” she says with a grin. “There’s a whole world out there, Richard. Don’t let it pass you by.”

“You’re right,” I say, reaching into my jacket pocket. “Maybe it’s time I start figuring out what makes me happy.” I pull out two tickets and slide them across the table to her.

“Happy birthday, Izel.”

She looks down at the tickets. “Costa del Sol? You’re kidding, right?”

“Nope,” I reply, leaning back in my chair, feeling pretty pleased with myself. “I thought we could use a break. Some sun, some sand, and a whole lot of relaxation.”

Izel’s eyes light up with excitement, but there’s also a hint of something else—maybe relief, maybe appreciation. “Richard, I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” I tell her. “Just pack your bags and be ready to leave as soon as this case is wrapped up. The tickets don’t have a date on them, so we can go whenever we want.”

She looks at me with genuine surprise in her eyes. “Thank you. I really didn’t expect this.”

I have no idea why I picked Costa del Sol. Maybe I was hoping she’d reject it, and that would push me back into the safe, professional distance I needed. But seeing her reaction, I realize I’d made the right call, even if it was by accident. She’s happy, and it’s making it harder for me to focus on anything but her.

Last night, I came so close to telling her how I felt. It’s insane, and it’s only getting stronger by the second. I don’t care if she’s involved in all this mess, if she’s an accomplice, or if she’s just playing me. Every rational thought I have about this case is being overshadowed by how much I want to be with her.

We’re still at the restaurant, the night’s been full of surprises, and I decide to make a nice gesture. I appreciate the food and call out for the waiter, saying, “Hey, my girlfriend here really enjoyed the food. Would it be cool if she could give a shoutout to the owner?”

The owner comes over, and he looks slightly puzzled as he glances at Izel. “Sure, we always love to hear from satisfied customers,” he says.

Izel’s smile is radiant as she thanks the owner. “The food was amazing, thank you so much!”

The owner’s face seems to twitch with surprise as he looks at Izel. “Do I know you?” he asks, his eyes narrowing in thought.

Izel, a little puzzled herself, shakes her head. “I don’t think so.”

The owner furrows his brow, leaning in a little closer. “You’re sure we’ve never met before? You look awfully familiar.”

Izel’s still confused but stands her ground. “I’m pretty sure we haven’t.”

At this point, I’m getting a bit creeped out by the owner’s intense scrutiny. So, I clear my throat and decide to intervene.

“You know,” I say with a chuckle, “Izel here has one of those faces. She’s got that ‘I’ve seen her before’ kind of vibe. You know how it is, right?”

The owner’s eyes dart between Izel and me, and he seems to get a little nervous. He lets out a nervous laugh and turns back to Izel.

“Well, I’m sorry. You just look strikingly similar to someone I knew a long time ago. It’s uncanny, really.”

“No problem at all. I get that a lot.”

We exchange a few more words with the owner, and he leaves us to enjoy the rest of our evening. But there’s something odd about the whole encounter. Izel’s pretty distinctive, sure, but that reaction from the owner was just... strange.

We’re wrapping up our night at the restaurant. Just as we’re about to leave, the owner gives me a look. It’s that look I’ve seen countless times in my line of work – the look of someone who’s got something they need to share. He glances back at me, and it’s like a silent invitation to step into the shadows of secrecy.

Izel’s beside me, but I can’t ignore that look. I turn to her, smile, and say, “Hey, babe, I just realized I forgot my keys inside. Be right back, okay? Don’t go anywhere.”

“Of course, go do your thing.”

I head back inside the restaurant. The owner’s waiting for me, and he leads me to a more secluded area, away from prying eyes and ears.

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