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I glance to the right, “Uh, Caleb. Where’s your dad?”

He glares at the empty space. “Doing what he does best, disappearing.”

“I’m sorry.” I shake my head.

He grabs both of my cheeks. “Don’t be. You just wanted me to have a family, but sweetheart, I already do. It’s you. Connor and Maddi—”

“Oh no, Maddie!” I break out of Caleb’s arms and sprint out of the building with him on my heels. I race around the back and find Maddie…and “Connor?” I breathe.

Connor lets go of the death grip he has on Maddie to pull me into the hug. “I can’t believe you got yourself in danger again,” he groans.

“Really? Because I don’t find it all that unlikely.”

“No more.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Connor’s eyes flick to Caleb over my shoulder. “Do we need to have another talk, man?”

Another talk? When did they have the first one?

“Believe me, I’m doing my best.” Caleb chuckles, pulling me into his arms. “But this woman can hold her own. This time she saved me.”

“One more time for the people in the back.” I grin up at him.

But instead, he lowers his voice, dropping his mouth next to my ear. “You’ve saved my life. In every way.”

I grab his cheeks, squishing them because it’s fun, and he looks adorable. “Let’s not make a habit of it.”

Chapter 17

Caleb

“AreyousureVegasis safe now?” Amelia asks as we ride the elevator to the top of the STRAT. “Did you get all the bad guys?”

I wish. “Not even close. But nothing will happen to you ever again because I’m never letting you out of my sight.”

“Even in the bathroom? Because that’s where I draw the line.”

I roll my eyes and approach the hostess, who directs us to our table next to the windows. The view is stunning. But I’m not looking out the windows. The woman in the bright pink dress has all my attention. She always has, since the moment I met her.

We order appetizers and a main course, then a dessert that makes Amelia do a happy dance in delight. The evening is calm and perfect.

I don’t want any more surprises after this day.

“So.” Amelia sits back, talking for the first time since she received her chocolate mousse cake. “I guess I don’t get to be a P.I.” She scrunches up her nose in a way that makes me think she’s not all that upset by it.

“You know I’d support you in anything,” I whisper, grabbing her hand across the table.

“Yeah, but…” She lifts a shoulder. “I was wrong. The secret wasn’t your dad. And I came all the way to Vegas, intruded into your case, and nearly got us all killed in the process.” She looks up at me with blue eyes that break my soul in two.

“It could have happened to anyone.” It wouldn’t because somehow these things only follow her around, but it could have. “You are brave and smart, and you got us out of that mess.”

Her lips tip up in the corner. “I did do that, didn’t I?”

I rub a small circle over the back of her hand. “You did.”

“I did something else too,” she says, her voice turning light and airy.