Joker in the Pack (Romantic Suspense, Completed, Watty Winner)

Chapter 39

Nye leaned back in his chair and glared at his laptop screen. This was the part of the job he hated. The admin. Jannie did her best, but there were always things left over that he had to deal with, especially when he took a couple of weeks off at the last minute.

For years, he'd resisted promotion to a managerial post, preferring the challenges of being in the field, but the directors had kept asking him, and in the end they'd come to a compromise—he'd take the job, but he'd have an assistant and a big enough team that he didn't spend his whole time stuck behind a desk.

He had to admit the role had grown on him, and being Head of Investigations for Blackwood's London office was a good career move. Even his mother had been grudgingly impressed by the title.

The screen full of emails in front of him was a worthy trade-off for what he'd gained in the last fortnight. Sure, he'd missed out on a hell of a lot of sleep and had to flee a burning building, but that was nothing compared to his past escapades.

And now he had Olivia.

He took out his phone and snuck a glance at the last photo he'd taken of her, blonde hair spread out over his pillow as she'd slept beside him. That was exactly where he wanted her to stay. She wouldn't be moving back to Upper Foxford, not if he could help it, but there was still so much she didn't know about him. How would she react when she found out?

No, he didn't want to think about that, not at the moment.

Instead, he shoved his chair back and headed to the kitchen. The coffee machine was burbling away as Max wandered in, whistling a remarkably tuneful version of "Love is in the Air."

"Knock it off, would you?"

Max shrugged. "Tell me it's not true."

Nye couldn't, not when Liv had taken over his heart and mind. "You wait. It'll happen to you one day."

"Not likely. I've got enough on my plate with work and house renovations."

"Fifty quid says I'm right."

Max held out his hand, and they shook.

"Easy money," he said as he disappeared with an apple.

One meeting left until Nye could escape for the rest of the day. If it had been anything but the monthly conference for all the heads of department, he'd have sent his apologies and gone to find Liv already, but one of the directors was in the UK, and an excuse wouldn't work with her.

Back at his desk with an espresso, he wondered how the hell to tell Liv how he felt. He'd never declared his love for anything more than a prime beef burger with bacon and extra cheese, and that only happened after a few beers.

Should he buy her flowers? Chocolates? Jewellery? His previous girlfriends had liked those things, but Liv was different. The vacuous socialites had been pretty on his arm but not so pretty inside, while Liv was real and beautiful to her core.

He pressed the intercom on his desk. "Did you confirm the reservations for tonight?"

"For the third time, yes." Jannie's voice came through loud and clear and just a little bit peeved. She hated it when he questioned her efficiency. "Quiet table for two, candles, music, the works."

For his first proper date with Liv, Nye had chosen a mid-range Italian place that served excellent food without being overly pretentious. Unlike most of the women he'd dated, Liv actually liked to eat. His hand strayed to his lap. Yeah, she definitely liked to eat. He'd hit the fucking jackpot with that woman.

Twelve thirty. Finally! He could get the meeting over with and finish up the rest at home. Blackwood allowed staff to work flexibly, and he'd done enough overtime during the past nine years to justify a couple of easy days.