JUST THE TIPS?

JUST THE TIPS?

It takes fifteen more minutes. Fifteen slow, silent, question-mark-shaped minutes before his phone finally buzzes.

hi bossman !! miss ur grumpy face sooooo bad it’s criminal (arrest me??) how’s the case?

He exhales through his nose. He starts typing back that he’s not grumpy, then erases it. Because he is. He just misses you.

I miss you too. Case is fine. Hopefully wrapping soon. Should be home late tomorrow. What did you do today? Everything okay?

yay !! can’t wait to see u ! got my nails done 🩷 they’re sparkly pink and sooo cute wanna see?

He snorts once, softly, rubbing his thumb over the edge of his phone.

Somehow I already know exactly what they look like.

Send them anyway.

He expects something sweet. Harmless. The sort of photo you’d post online. But then the image loads, and he chokes audibly.