“Sweet Jesus.It was The Delicious in the dark shirt and jeans.”

“So here’s the question,” Melinda led in. “Who’s Tall, Dark and Smoldering?”

“I think the first thing we need to talk about is you not running around in tight T-shirts and yoga pants.”“Fine. I’ll stop doing that as soon as you shave.”Jack ran his hand along his jaw and grinned. “You like the scruff, huh?”Did she ever.”

“I will never, ever regret stopping you from walking out of my life a second time, Kyle," she said in an emotional voice. "And I can prove it."She reached for the buttons on her trench coat and undid them, one at a time. Then she opened the coat and let it drop to the floor.And even if she didn't say a single word more, Kyle knew he would never again doubt the way Rylann felt about him.She was wearing his flannel shirt."You kept it," he said softly. "All this time."She nodded. "For nine years, I've held on to this darn shirt, literally dragging it across the country and back."Kyle touched her cheek, gently brushing away a tear with his thumb. "Why?"She paused hesitantly, and then with a tender smile, finally put it all on the line, too. "I guess I always hoped you'd come back for it someday.”

“You’re right,” she acknowledged. “I don’t know you,really. We spent all of about thirty minutes togethernearly a decade ago. Still, I think the Kyle Rhodeswho walked me home and gave me the shirt off hisback would do the right thing no matter how pissedhe was at my office. So if that guy is hanging aroundthis penthouse anywhere, tell him to call me.”

“I’d like to know more about this undercover agent who posed as my daughter’s date. The ubiquitous Tall, Dark, and Smoldering.'Nick put on his best meet-the-parent smile. 'I generally prefer to go by Nick.”

“I love you, Rylann." He cupped her face, peering down into her eyes. "And now I finally have a good answer to the one question everyone always asks me--why I hacked into Twitter. I didn't know it at the time... but I did it to find you again."She leaned into him, curling her fingers around his shirt. "That may be the best justification I've ever heard for committing a crime." She looked up at him, her eyes shining. "And I love you, too, you know.”