Free Fixing Freddie by Mona Ingram

look a bit better,” he said simply.
    “Did you get in touch with Lauren?”
    He nodded. “She was a surprised, but I gave her the address here and she’ll take care of whatever stuff you left in your hotel room and bring it over here in the morning.” His eyes narrowed. “As for the guy you were with, that part is up to you.”
    Samantha stared into the fire. “That’s not a problem. I was going to break it off with him anyway; he’s just made it easier.” A sudden thought struck her. “He has a key to my apartment, though.”
    “I can take care of that. We’ll have the locks changed.”
    “Just like that?” she asked.
    “Just like that.” He stood up. “I’ve got some hot chocolate ready. I think it’ll settle your stomach.”
    “Okay.” She followed him into the kitchen. The bright lights revealed dark smudges under his eyes. “I’ve been so focused on myself I didn’t notice, but you look like you haven’t slept for ages.”
    His gaze drifted around the room, then landed on her face. “I’ve had a couple of rough days.” He handed her a mug.
    “Do you want to tell me about it?” She took a tentative sip of the hot chocolate; it was good.
    “Not tonight.” He seemed far away. “Tomorrow, okay?”
    She nodded. “Whenever you’re ready.”
    He swayed, grabbed the counter for support. “We need to go to bed.”
    She looked up at him, alarmed.
    “Not together, Samantha.” His gaze held hers. “At least not tonight.”
    Her throat went dry. She nodded.
    They walked down the hall together, his arm around her waist. She went into the guest room then stopped, turned to see him framed in the doorway. “Freddie?”
    “Hmmm?”
    “Did you call me Sweetheart tonight? Back in the parking lot?”
    He nodded, eyes gleaming in the soft light. “Yes, Samantha, I called you Sweetheart.”
    “Oh. I thought maybe I’d dreamed it.” She took another sip of hot chocolate. Warmth spread through her body that had nothing to do with the hot drink. “Goodnight, Freddie.”
    “Goodnight, Samantha.”
    * * *
    Samantha awoke to the sound of voices. Her overnight bag had been placed on an old steamer trunk across the room. She dug through it and pulled on her jeans and a turtle-neck sweater. The silver Orca necklace completed the outfit.
    “Hey, you guys,” she said. Lauren and Zach were sitting at the kitchen counter drinking coffee while Freddie fried bacon and scrambled eggs. They exchanged a look that sizzled through her body like summer lightning.
    “Sammie,” cried Zach. “You didn’t tell me you know the Howitzer.” His smile lit up the room.
    “The what?”
    “The Howitzer,” Zach repeated. “That was his nickname in the early days.” He looked to Freddie. “It was sort of a play on your name, wasn’t it? ‘Howard’, ‘Howitzer.’?”
    Freddie nodded.
    Zach’s enthusiasm was infections. “He was the baddest of the bad-ass gamers out there. Created tons of cutting-edge stuff, and still doing it, so I hear. His company is one of the great local success stories.”
    “His company?” Things were beginning to fall into place.
    “Yeah. This is so cool.” Zach was acting like a teenager. “And you’ve known him all along.”
    Samantha looked at Freddie and they exchanged smiles. “Well, for the last couple of weeks, anyway.”
    Freddie handed her a cup of coffee and their fingers brushed. “Sorry, no latté this morning,” he said, looking into her eyes.
    “That’s okay.” She watched as he took a stack of toast from the oven. “I think I’ll settle for coffee and toast. Make sure my stomach is completely settled.”
    “Good idea.” He served bacon and eggs for Lauren, Zach and himself and sat down at the counter. The talk was mostly of computer games and Samantha and Lauren exchanged amused smiles. After a while, Freddie turned to Samantha. “I forgot to drop off my wedding gift last night. Lauren and Zach say they’ll take it over to the hotel when they go back to