“I could sleep,” he admitted, rubbing the circles under his eyes.
“What do you say we get the kids to bed early so we can do the same?”
“I like the sound of that.” He gave me one last kiss before letting me lead him out of the closet.
We came downstairs and found Vero and the kids already sitting at the table, chattering with one another in animated tones. They asked her about her trip to Maryland and began telling her all about their adventures at home while we were gone. They were so excited to see one another, none of them seemed to notice we’d entered the room.
“Andthen,” Delia said, drawing out the word with a dramatic flair, “Officer Roddy took us on a ride in his police car. And we got to put on the lights! The sirens, too! And we drove in circles around the parking lot really, really fast!”
“And we ated donuts!” Zach chimed in.
Vero laughed. “Your mom and I got to ride in a police car, too!”
“Did it have the lights and the sirens on?” Delia asked.
“No, but the one behind us did.”
Nick looked at me out of the corner of his eye. “Funny, I don’t remember hearing that story.”
“Because you didn’t,” I said.
“Get used to disappointment,” Vero teased him.
He opened his arms to her. She beamed as he hugged her and kissed her on the head.
“Thank you for letting Finlay come to Maryland.” Vero looked up at him with such gratitude and affection it made my eyes water. “She never would have left the kids if you hadn’t offered to stay with them. And I wouldn’t be here now if she hadn’t come to my rescue. You’re a peach, Detective.”
He ruffled her hair. “We’re all just glad you’re home. It wasn’t the same without you.”
“Quieter?”
He laughed. “Much. But I’m sure we could all do with a little more excitement around here.”
“Speak for yourself,” I said, smiling in spite of myself.
We sat down to eat, gorging ourselves on takeout while the kids regaled us with stories about their field trips to the police station. Vero told them all about Javi’s fall from the window and the crazy antics of the Fantastic Four. Zach sat contentedly in my lap, and I relished every wiggle and spilled crumb during the meal. Delia huddled so close to Vero, she might as well have been sharing her chair, and Vero didn’t seem to mind that one bit.
When all the food was gone, I stood to gather the dinner plates. Nick stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. “You’ve been gone for more than a week. Both of you sit and enjoy some time with the kids.” He proceeded to clear the table and clean the kitchen himself.
As Nick was loading the dishwasher, Zach turned around inmy lap. He looked up at me with wide, pleading eyes. “Cookie?” he asked me as he played with a lock of my hair.
“You already had two. That’s enough for tonight.” If I gave him any more, I’d never get his sugar-fueled butt to bed.
He frowned. After a mournful pause, he scrambled off my lap and scurried up the stairs. Vero and I exchanged a look as we waited for a tantrum to erupt. But there was no fussing or crying. Just a loud creak as his toy chest opened, then a series of clatters and bells as plastic toys were tossed out. Vero and I listened, exchanging befuddled looks as Zach raced down the steps and ran back into the kitchen, holding something in his chubby fist. He climbed into my lap and held it out to me. “Cookie now?” His eyes were expectant as he handed me a tiny velvet box.
Vero sucked in a breath.
Delia gasped. “Look, Nick! Zach found the present you got for Mommy!”
Nick’s head snapped up so fast, he nearly dropped the stack of plates he was holding. Our eyes caught across the kitchen. A lump bobbed in the column of his throat.
I swallowed, too. “You can each have one more cookie,” I said numbly to Delia and Zach. “Why don’t you both go upstairs with Vero? You can eat them while you help her unpack.”
The children cheered.
Vero dragged her gaze from the velvet box, her expression unreadable as she took the children and the cookies upstairs.
Nick stood frozen at the sink. I rose slowly from the table and came to stand in front of him, the velvet box in my hand. This was what Nick had been searching for when I’d called him, the mysterious item Zach had stolen and hidden in the house. This was the errand he’d been running with Sam at the mall. I felt a lump form in my throat, and my mouth went dry.
