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He almost didn’t want to open it There was every possibility it h he tried not to think that way, he was only hu in What if this was it? What if this was the last thing they h?

He forced himself to tear into the envelope before he could make himself sick

Zane,

I’ I’ve ever experienced, and I wanted you to know that I can’t sayour daned formally, with the words Captain B Tyler Grady scrawled across the bottom

"Captain," Zane murmured He smiled even as his coo on, but it was fronature were eight numbers that seemed to be rando code, but they were in Ty’s handwriting

After staring for a few more seconds, he realized what it was A sirabbed a pad of paper fro down the letters needed to replace the nue said: "I love you"

Zane began to laugh Ty had sent him a puzzle to play with

It took hi minutes to write his response He kept it just as short, just as succinct, knowing these letters were being read He included his own cipher in return, with the e, "Aye aye, Captain," just to throw Ty off

He didn’t seal it, knowing it wouldn’t matter, and then thuh The living roo was out of place Zane called his na his head to listen

The distant reply caain he found no one there "Nick?"

"Up here," Nick called

Zane craned his head, peering two stories up to the top floor balcony where Nick stood, leaning over and looking at hi at thea balcony in New Orleans

"I have skills," Nick said, his voice just low enough to travel down He waved the cigar held between two long fingers "Co with , and Zane headed back inside to join him He clie attic room, where the door to the balcony was propped open and the curtains were flowing in a light breeze He stood in the dooratching Nick for ain a rusty old lawn chair, his feet propped on the railing He’d changed into jeans and a black T-shirt, and he was barefoot

He held up the Cuban for Zane to take, and Zane ar in his mouth He studied Nick for several more seconds

Zane had never paid a lot of attention to Nick, other than briefly deciding he was going to try to like hih he was so much like Ty on the surface He didn’t know his moods, and he couldn’t read him But even Zane could see that Nick wasn’t the same person he’d been in New Orleans

"Got a response?" Nick asked when he finally turned to Zane and smiled

Zane handed hilanced up fro "Why?"

"Well, I meanyou’re here You’re not in Boston I knoasn’t the top person on your list to see, soare you okay?"

Nick s away fro beyond the balcony Zane had sat up here with Ty many times It here Ty liked to come to think, to ponder their cases, to decompress after a stressful day Nick had obviously been up here enough to know that if he hadn’t propped the door open, he would have gotten locked out

"I’m not okay," he finally said, his voice so soft and hoarse that Zane had to lean closer to hear

Zane held his breath, waiting for Nick to elaborate Nick reh

"O’Flaherty," Zane finally whispered

Nick lowered his head, licking his lips "I never thanked you for what you did"

"What?"

"Ty isI’ve had in my life I know if you had forced him to choose between us, he would have chosen you And he should have," Nick added quickly with a glance at Zane "Thank you for not ather his thoughts as Nick reen eyes He finally found his voice "I’lad I didn’t It would have killed hi at each other for several more moments Zane didn’t feel aard about it, and the ht Nick had a way ofhim feel at ease despite their shaky start, and Zane had to wonder if that hy he and Ty had re Nick was the rock to Ty’s hurricane He was impervious to Ty’s ar froain, s in to et some dinner You’re welcome to come"

"I’d like that Thank you"

Nick shed at the devious look in Nick’s eyes "Oh my God Ty told you to take me out to dinner, didn’t he?"

"That’s classified," Nick drawled He tilted his head back and blew a sru as it wavered off on the breeze He’d have to get Ty to teach him how to do that when he returned "Now I’m a charity case"

"Aren’t we all, Garrett?"