People meandered around the circular space. They snapped photos and headed through glass doors that led outside, to the outer ring of the deck and the darkening purple city, lights twinkling on while the last orange rays of the sun sank on the horizon.
I swung around, heart racing, looking for the next clue—anything recognizable. And when I turned back around, I found it right in front of me.
Leather jacket with the diagonal zipper. Hair pulled back into a samurai topknot.
Daniel.
My frightened-rabbit heart thumped wildly with joy.
“Hi,” he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “You made it.”
“You left a trail of bread crumbs,” I said.
“I knew you were a good detective.” He took a couple of steps and stopped in front of me, tugging his ear and looking more than a little nervous. Guess he couldn’t always hide it. Or maybe I’d gotten better at recognizing it. “What do you think about it up here? Was I wrong? The view’s not too shabby, yeah?”
I’m sure it was amazing, but I couldn’t possibly look at the city right now. My chest constricted painfully, because suddenly all I could think was how much I’d missed him over the past few days.
I missed his cheerful smile and his jokes.
I missed the way he looked at me right before we kissed.
I missed the thud of his heartbeat under my palm.
I missed all of him.
“Birdie,” he said in a low voice. “I’m sorry for everything. I was an idiot and I’m sorry. I should have told you right from the start about Darke. I was stupid. I know you have no reason to trust me, but I’m asking you to try, Birdie—please. No more secrets. Forgive me. I need you to forgive me. I need... you.”
I stared at him. He stared at me. And then I nodded.
“Because if you wanted to bail again, I wouldn’t blame you.”
I shook my head.
“Is that a no, you don’t want to bail, or—”
I blurted out, “I’m in love with you.”
He stilled. His eyes became glossy. He blinked rapidly, shifting his gaze to the side, blowing out a quick, huffed breath. Then he reached for me.
His mouth came down on mine. He kissed me quickly—small, desperate kisses all over my mouth, until I flung my arms around him and kissed him back. Earnestly, rapturously. Like he might disappear at any moment.
Warm fingers cradled the back of my head. He rested his forehead against mine, breathing heavy, eyes teary, and whispered, “I love you too.”
I let those words cascade through me, soaking them up like sunshine. “Are we going to be okay now?”
“We’re going to be okay,” he whispered back. “I told you fate would find a way.”
“And I told you there’s no such thing as fate.”
“Sorry. Can’t hear you,” he teased, his mouth turning up at the corners. “Can you repeat that?”
“Listen,” I said against his good ear, and then I told him I loved him again. And again. I couldn’t stop telling him. I didn’t care that we were standing in the busiest tourist attraction in the city and that people were gawking.
I didn’t care about any of it; I wasn’t afraid.
I didn’t have to count my fingers; I was awake.
I didn’t have to track down any clues; I’d already solved the mystery.
