Page 32 of Haunted

“Hey.” Henley looked up from the register, biting her bottom lip shyly as she took me in. “I’m not sure what time I’ll be home, but I don’t think it’ll be any later than six.”

“I’m off at four, so I’ll just meet you there.”

“Your phone is charged, right?”

She scrunched her nose. “I’ll plug it in.”

“Good. If anything feels off, call me.”

“Got it.”

“Better yet”—I reached into my pocket, pulling out my key ring and taking off the one for my apartment—“wait inside. If you text me when you get there, I’ll shut off the alarm remotely.”

“Keaton,” she sighed.

Damn, I loved the way my name fell from her lips.

“Do it for my peace of mind, Little Bird. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“See you in a few hours, baby.”

Turns out, I was way off in my estimation, thanks to a last-minute briefing the mayor of Huntington insisted upon. He wanted updates on our case, which pissed Waverly off to no end. By the time he left our little office, she was on the verge of a rampage. Making nice with local politicians may havebeen in her job description as RAC, but it was not her forte. In fact, she despised them. To her, they were all corrupt in some way, shape, or form. There was a story there, of that I was certain.

“Who the fuck does he think he is; questioning our every move like he has the first damn clue how to run an investigation? Fucking idiot,” she announced loudly, storming to her office and slamming the door.

“Fun times,” Duncan muttered, closing his own door with a soft click.

I finally parked in front of my building sometime after seven. Both Noah and Koen had offered their assistance with the move, but considering all of Henley’s possessions fit inside her shitty blue car, the extra bodies would’ve only gotten in the way.

It had taken every ounce of strength I had to walk away earlier after facing off with that son of a bitch. The only consolation was knowing she had a group of people who had her back. Still, they weren’t me and I couldn’t stop thinking I’d left her wide open…vulnerable in some way.

Looking up toward my apartment then, my chest warmed seeing all the lights on; knowing Henley was waiting for me inside. An overwhelming sense of rightness settled deep in my gut. This was where she belonged. Here, with me, not a few blocks away. We needed time though. Time to get to know one another; to fully trust in the relationship we were building. And time for me to gain the courage to tell her about my past.

Walking through the entryway, the delicious aroma of oregano and garlic assaulted me, then as I moved farther inside, I was treated to the most heavenly sight. Henley standing barefoot in my home, stirring a pot on the stove in the kitchen.

Home.

Funny how I’d never considered my apartment as anything more than a place to lay my head. Sure, I’d spent a ridiculous amount of money between the mortgage and the furnishings, but what good did that do when you didn’t have anyone to share it with.

“Oh.” She startled when I cleared my throat. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Whatever you’re cooking smells amazing.”

Closing the distance between us, I cradled her face between the palms of my hands, pressing my lips to hers.

“Spaghetti,” she breathed when we parted. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Never, baby.”

“It’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

“I’m going to change.”

Leaving her with another brief kiss, I jogged up the steps, quickly switching into a pair of black sweats and an old T-shirt, before rejoining her at the table. The meal was good; the company even better, which I told her repeatedly while we cleaned up the dishes afterward. She lit up with my praise, so much so it was disturbingly apparent she wasn’t used to getting compliments. I swore, then and there, not another day would pass where she didn’t know how amazing she was.

Lanie’s townhouse was in a decent neighborhood with a small park in the center. There were plenty of spaces available out front to park, which made it easier to haul Henley’s small load inside. Regardless, it only took two trips.

---