I counted down the minutes until my shift at The Blackbird was supposed to end. There were fourteen left to go. Fourteen long, unending minutes. Staring at the clock, I swore time was ticking backwards.

I’d taken the early shift and actually passed when offered the opportunity of a double. I was more than happy only taking a handful of hours—restocking the bar, getting everything set up for the afternoon and night crowd. Normally I would have jumped at the chance for a bit of extra cash, but compared with the chance to spend more time with Gavin?

Gavin would win every single time.

Things might be tight for a while. If I had to pack up and leave now I’d have to lean on dad for some money. Possibly borrow a little something from Gavin in the worst case scenario. But in the end, time with Gavin was worth more than my pride.

As much as I tried to deny it, I knew our time together was running out. Maybe not immediately, but it was rare we spent more than six months in one place. True, we’d only been here a little over one, but with the complications that’d already cropped up, six months seemed like a dream. More likely it’d end up being two, possibly three at most.

It wasn’t enough.

The little hand hit noon and my purse was already on my shoulder, my feet moving toward the exit. A man held the door open for me, and I breezed past him to the sidewalk, turning right outside the door, in the opposite direction of Gavin’s place. As much as I wanted to head straight there, I knew the smart choice was to wind my way there, make sure I wasn’t leading anyone directly to his door.

While he’d been at the studio yesterday, I’d taken a quick trip to my apartment and grabbed my duffel bag. It was my go bag—always packed, always ready. Everything important that I owned was inside of it so that I could take off at a moment’s notice. Now, it resided at Gavin’s. If he let me, I planned to spend whatever time I could there. There’d be plenty of lonely, shitty apartments in my future.

I finished circling the block, gave a quick check that I wasn’t being followed, and slipped inside Gavin’s building. I waited impatiently for the elevator and rode it up to his floor. The door was unlocked, but the place was pitch black when I opened it. Odd given the time of day. It was like someone had walked around the entire place and purposefully closed all the blinds.

Unease skirted down my spine. “Gav? Are you home?” My hand slipped into my purse, fingers curling around my gun. With my other hand I reached for the light, and flipped it on with one finger.

“Surprise!” Gavin shouted.

I flinched, and immediately shoved the gun back deeper in my purse. I blinked around the room in confusion. A swath of balloons clustered together in the dining room. There was a big bouquet of flowers, a handful of takeout containers spread across the dining room table, and . . . presents?

Gavin rolled his eyes at me. “You didn’t think I forgot, did you?”

He hadn’t forgotten, but clearly I had.

The smile on his face drooped. “Tell me you don’t even know what today is.”

I frantically ran through a mental list. Not Valentine’s Day. Not our old anniversary—that was sometime in the fall. Not the first time we had sex—also in the fall. I was at a complete loss.

“How the hell do you forget your own birthday?”

It was definitely not my birthday. But . . . oh. Well, shit. Today might have been the birthday of that other Dani, the one he’d met in college. I honestly couldn’t remember.

“Wow.” I set my purse down on one of the dining room chairs. “This is amazing. And so thoughtful. I can’t believe you remembered.”

He studied me for a second. “You don’t like the surprise, do you? Man, I almost had everyone here, threw you a little party, but I figured that might be a little much. I promise, it’s just some good food, and a little something I got for you. It’s not a big deal.”

“It’s not that.” I sawed on my lower lip. Lying wasn’t in the cards anymore, not when it came to Gavin. But I had a feeling telling him the truth might hit a sore spot. Especially after my epic lapse in judgment yesterday when I almost spilled everything. I blew out a breath. “Today isn’t really my birthday.”

“What?” He screwed up his face. “But I saw your ID in college. Remember, we were at that bar and I made that comment about how smart it was that you used your actual birthday on your fake ID and just changed the year. And you laughed, and said something about how you were smarter than you looked most of the time.” He sat down. “Today was the date on your ID.”

I pulled out the chair across from him and sat down. I’d assumed, incorrectly it seemed, he’d have put together these pieces. With the running and the way my life was it just seemed obvious. “All of it was fake, not just the year. You caught me in the lie and I couldn’t figure out how to work my way out of it.”

His gaze turned distant. “I mean I know the last name was different than the one you have now, but I just assumed it was because it was a fake ID so you could get in the bar. God, I must sound so stupid.” His fingers raked through his hair and then he was looking at me again. “Was all of it fake?”

I knew the question was coming, but it still made me cringe. This was beyond dangerous territory. “I can’t.” I reached for his hands, but he pulled them back.

“You can’t tell me?” He stood, one hand drifting behind him to squeeze the back of his neck. “Is Dani even really your name?”

And there it was.

“Gavin, I told you—”

“Yeah, right, there are things you can’t tell me.” Frustration rolled off him in waves as he paced in front of me. “I just didn’t expect your name would be one of them.” He huffed out a laugh. “Then again, I don’t really know your birthday. I don’t have your phone number or know where you live. I don’t know why you just disappear or what you’re running from. When it comes down to it, I’m not really sure I know anything at all.”

I grabbed his hand and squeezed it with both of mine. “You know me. The person I am. My name, the day I was born? Those are just inconsequential details.”

“Well, if they’re so inconsequential then why can’t you just tell me?”

“We’ve already been through this.” My name, my birthday, those were all things that, ultimately, he could use to find more information about me. And I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that when I left he’d start looking. I had to make sure he couldn’t find me and get wrapped up in this mess.

“What could possibly be the harm in me knowing where you live?” Creases formed at the corner of his eyes as they narrowed. “Unless you don’t live there alone?”

A jolt of panic flashed through me. There was no way in hell I was bringing my father into this. I caved. “Is that what you want? To see where I live?”

A muscle twitched in his cheek. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Yes, I live alone.” I glared at him. “And now you didn’t answer mine.”

“You’ll really take me there?”

I quickly analyzed the risk. The apartment was still safe, I’d given them my current name, paid in cash. My father had never been there. Other than the minimal risk that it could become compromised in the future, it was the safest option I had to satisfy his curiosity and still keep him safe.

“If that’s what you want, then yes, I’ll take you there.” I glanced back at all the food on the table. “Do you want to eat first?”

“I’ll pack it up, bring it with us. We can eat there.”

I tried not to wince.

* * *

I slid my key into the thick lock on the industrial-style door, jiggling it just a little like I’d learned to do. My gaze drifted back to Gavin. He was trying his best to look unfazed, but wasn’t completely succeeding. “This is it. Home sweet home.”

The door squeal as I slid it open, the metal grating. I let him go through first, more so that I could observe his reaction than anything else.

The door across the hall squeaked open. “Dani, girl, how’re you doing?”

“Doing good. How about you, Glen?” I pasted a smile on my face, cursing my luck. If the neighborhood wasn’t enough, I doubted Gavin would react well to my drug dealer neighbor.

“Good, good. You know.” He offered a quick wave to Gavin. “Later, guys.”

I waited until he’d disappeared down the stairs before turning back around. Gavin’s gaze was roaming my apartment. He walked the length of it in ten steps, turned around and came right back. “This is where you live?”

I spread my hands. “The city’s an expensive place.”

“But here? God, Dani.” He pressed his knuckles to his mouth. “You walked here that night? The night you wouldn’t let me call you a cab? Seriously? What were you thinking?”

I shut the door behind us and slammed the bolt. “I was thinking that I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

“I’m not arguing that point. What I can’t wrap my head around is why you wouldn’t let me call you a freaking cab.”

I ran a hand over my hair and sat down on my crappy futon. “I didn’t want you to think I was using you for your money.”

“Because of a cab?” His hands dropped to his hips.

“I realize it sounds a little stupid.” I picked at a loose thread in the futon cover, tugging on it.

“A little stupid?” He snorted. “Dan, if you need the money, I’ve got it. And honestly—” He did another sweep of the apartment. “—look I don’t want to be that guy, but I’d prefer it if maybe you don’t stay here anymore.”

I grinned at him smugly. “I wasn’t planning on it.”

He frowned. “I was kind of expecting an argument here.”

“I already brought my bag over yesterday. I had every intention of staying with you since I knew you wouldn’t fight me on it. The only reason we’re even here is because you demanded to see it.”

“You’re telling me that tiny duffel bag is everything you have?” He plopped down on the futon next to me, and set the bag of take-out on the floor.

I shrugged. “I don’t need much.”

“Well, I’m not sure you need them, but I did get you something.” He reached into the bag and pulled out the three presents I’d seen before. The paper was turquoise with little multicolored balloons on them, a swirly yellow ribbon stuck on top. “Happy early birthday.” He looked to me for confirmation.

I took the packages from him gingerly and gave him the tiniest tidbit. “I’m a summer baby. So yes, early birthday.” My fingernail hesitated in the fold of the wrapping paper.

“C’mon, open it.” He grinned.

I tore into it like an overexcited kid, making confetti of the colorful paper. Tears gathered in my eyes as I looked down at what lay in front of me.

“I asked the guy at the art store and he said these are definitely some of the best micron pens. Same for the colored pencils. And I got the smaller sets since I know you need to be able to take them with you. The pad of paper is a little bit bigger, but I figured you could make use of it until you have to go.”

“Gav, this is just . . .” I gave him a watery smile. “It’s just perfect.”

He beamed, his expression bordering on smug. “I do have a reputation of being an excellent giver. But,” he held up a finger, “I think you should give me a present too. An early one, or late since you missed it in February.”

I leaned back on my hands. “Did you have something in mind?” If I had to guess I’d put my money on some type of sex favor. Which, let’s be honest, was just another present for me too.

“Your number.” He held out his phone to me. “Purely for emergencies.”

I snatched it and pulled up his contact list. “You realize that this number will only work while I’m here in the city. Once I leave, this number will be dead.” My fingers flew over the screen while I keyed it in.

Before I could hand it back, his phone started ringing. A number flashed across the screen. Gavin glanced at it, shrugged, and answered the phone, leaving it on speakerphone. “Hello?”

“Hello, can I speak with Gavin MacCormack?” a woman said.

“You’ve got Gavin.”

There was a pause, a hushed whisper. “I told you it was him.”

“Who is this?” He picked up the phone, the easier to yell at it.

“Please don’t hang up. We are your biggest fans—”

He snarled at the phone and immediately disconnected the call. For good measure, he turned the whole thing off and tossed it across the futon. “How the hell do they keep getting my number? I literally just got this changed like two days ago. I haven’t even gotten to give it out to everyone who needs it yet.”

“It sounds like someone is playing a prank on you.” I smirked at him while I leaned over to grab the bag of food. Birthday or not, I was starving.

“You think so?” He took a tin of fettucine from me and sat it on the mattress next to us.

“I mean, how else are they getting it? There are millions of different phone numbers out there. It’s not like it’s just happening by random. Especially if it’s happening so frequently.” I pulled out a greasy bag of garlic knots. “So, I think the question you need to ask yourself is: who’s trying to push your buttons?”

“Huh.” Another tin of something landed on the bed. A feast spread out before us. He nudged me with his foot. “Well, just for the record, I’d let you push my buttons anytime.”

I shook my head at him. “Sorry, you already got your birthday present.”

“But I got you three.” He waggled his eyebrows, crawling toward me. His lips met mine in a quick kiss.

A laugh bubbled out of me. “Gav, what about the food?”

He paused for a second, cocked his head to one side. “I’m sure we can add that in.”