Page 75 of Deceiving Grier

“No, not at all,” Collins said, and a little of the tension that gripped me loosened. “I just wanted to let you know there’s been an update in your case.”

I sat up straighter and looked at Grier as he gingerly lowered himself to the edge of the bed.

“You found the person who broke into our house?” I asked.

Grier’s eyes widened.

“We arrested someone robbing a house a few blocks away from yours,” Collins explained. “He’d hit a few houses in your neighborhood. We suspect yours was one of them, and your roommate surprised him before he could take anything. I thought you’d be relieved to know we apprehended someone.”

“Oh my god, we are,” I said, frowning a little because I was confused too. There’d been other times, when I thought someone was in the house, when Jett was sure someone had been lurking around his room.

Actually, that wasn’t true. Jett had been convinced Oliver McKenzie had been haunting our house until an intruder had caused Grier’s fall down the stairs.

“Thank you,” I said. “For letting us know. We appreciate it.”

“My pleasure, and if you need anything else, feel free to call.”

After thanking Detective Collins again, I ended the call and turned my attention to Grier. “They arrested someone burglarizing a house about a block from our place. He’d apparently hit other houses in the neighborhood.”

“The police think this guy is the same person who was in our house?” Grier asked.

“It would be a strange coincidence if it was someone else,” I said with a shrug. “The cop thinks you probably surprised him before he took anything from us, and he took off.”

“That makes sense,” Grier said, a frown furrowing his brow.

“Except,” I prompted.

“Didn’t we think this person had been in our house more than once?” Grier asked, echoing my own thoughts.

“Maybe we were wrong,” I said. “Maybe Jett was right, and there really was a ghost.”

Grier snorted. “You know, when we tell him about this, that’s exactly what he’s going to believe.”

I chuckled and leaned back against the pillows on the bed. Grier curled up against my side.

“I can live with that,” I said. “I’m just glad we know, and we don’t have to worry about someone trying to break in again.”

“Should we tell Finn so he can cancel installing the alarm system?”

I shrugged again. “We should tell him, but I hope he goes ahead with the alarm system. Better safe than sorry.”

Grier nodded, and we both fell silent. Each of us were lost in our own thoughts. Did something about this feel off to him too? Almost as though it was all just wrapping up too easily, too neatly. Still, what were the chances of more than one burglar targeting the same neighborhood? Especially,ourneighborhood. Saltwater Cove wasn’t exactly known for its high crime rates, after all.

“So,” Grier said, tipping his head back to meet my eyes, “what were you going to tell me?”

“Right, that.” This had seemed easier before Collin’s phone call, more natural. Now, the conversation had lost its flow, its rhythm, leaving it feeling awkward, like a kid telling his crush he liked them for the first time. “I know we haven’tofficiallybeen seeing each other for very long, and it’s kind of weird because we already live together, but I think things are really good between us.”

Grier smiled up at me, genuine and beautiful, and for a second, I could barely remember to breathe. “I think so too.”

“Okay, good. Um… that’s good. Um… so, I’m…”Just say it, already. I drew a deep breath. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”

Grier’s smile widened. “I think I’m falling in love with you, too.”

Relief and love burst in my chest like fireworks. I tightened my arm around him. “I also want you to know that when you have to come back here next year, I’ll move here with you.”

His smile fell away. For an instant, I wondered if I should have just kept my mouth shut. That I’d done exactly what I was afraid of, and I’d scared the hell out of him.

I opened my mouth, ready to backtrack, ready to try some damage control. But before I could say anything else, Grier sat up and looked down into my face. “You would do that for me?”

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