Epilogue
The Following Year
Pine Springs Observer
pine springs, weller’s lake it was part of his fabric now.
But Roman wasn’t afraid to talk about the memories when they surfaced.
And his sleep was mostly restful again with Elenie in his arms. Always close, always tempting. His reason and his security.
At home, locked in the same drawer where he stored his gun, was the small burgundy box he’d picked up from the jewelers ten days ago.
Inside, an emerald-cut peach sapphire sparkled on a white gold band.
Soon, he’d ask Elenie to marry him.
Not in front of anyone else, nowhere flashy, nothing rehearsed.
Just the two of them, together. Quiet, meaningful, and magic. He couldn’t wait. The thought of sliding the delicate engagement ring onto her finger stole the breath from his chest. Nerves ran like an army of ants beneath his skin. He wanted what his parents had, what Thea had found with Luke, and what Milo was building with Caitlyn and their baby.
“What a difference a year makes,”
Roman murmured into her hair, breathing Elenie in with a crooked smile on his lips.
“I can’t wait for the next one. And the next. I want to share all the ordinary and celebrate the successes with you. Turns out you’re my favorite person in all the world.”
Elenie
His words still floored her. When Elenie finally managed to answer, her voice was husky, her heart turning joyous handsprings behind her ribs.
“Well, it was a close call, but I think you’ve just tipped the balance. This date is definitely better than last year’s gala dinner.”
Pressing closer, she inhaled the scent that was one hundred percent masculine and totally him. She rested her cheek against Roman’s chest.
“I think I could pick you out of a line up by your smell alone.”
His laugh rumbled against her ear.
“You are so strange sometimes but I love you.”
“It’s not strange at all. It’s true. Smell is as distinct as fingerprints, apparently.”
“Well, you can sniff me all you like, but I’ll stick with taking prints at work, if that’s OK with you.”
She lived for the smile in his voice. Life with Roman was heavenly. His house, their home, was a happy one. So unlike the place where she’d grown up.
In the end, Frank had tried to turn on some of his criminal fraternity in exchange for a lighter sentence, but there had been others just as quick to turn on him.
Millie Westlake had kept her resolve and finally identified Tyson as the dealer who’d sold her the pills she’d taken at the Masons’ party.
Scared and not smart enough to think of an alternative strategy, Dean had done himself the biggest favor of all and told the truth.
He gave the DEA enough details to tie up Frank and Tyson’s convictions and lighten his own sentence, his evidence adding weight to Elenie’s.
It was likely he’d be out of prison in under five years.
Whether he chose to turn his life around then would be up to him.
Elenie wrote Dean regular letters and visited once a month.
She knew from experience that it only took one person to believe in you to make all the difference.
Her mother had moved briefly back into the Dax house, packed up her things, and then disappeared.
Elenie didn’t know where she’d gone.
She hadn’t seen her again and she didn’t want to.
She had all the family she needed now; she was starting over and creating something afresh.
It was painful, but cathartic.
Rewarding and wonderful.
Otto spoiled her like Elenie imagined a grandparent might.
Living with him had given her a chance to catch her breath and think about what she wanted to do with her life.
She hadn’t joined the circus and she had yet to ride a horse, but she had applied for a position at the local library when Josephine Alberty approached her out of the blue.
After an interview where they bonded over shared passions for crime fiction and Butterfingers, Elenie was offered the job.
Now, she only visited Diner 43 as a customer, in the company of her friends.
“When you lose yourself in a book, you discover a whole new reality which you can visit for as long as you like, as often as you like, no matter what’s happening in your everyday life,”
she told groups of children on their regular school visits.
“And that magic begins again with every new book you pick up.”
It had kept her sane during the worst of times. Roman got it, just like he got her. Thirsty to gain more experience and bursting with ideas and suggestions, she finally had prospects. And the future was exciting.
“You still with me?”
Roman’s lips dipped to touch her temple.
“I lost you there for a minute.”
“You’ll never lose me. You’re stuck with me for good now.”
“Dammit.”
His contented drawl made her stomach flip.
“All my dreams are about us. And I would go through everything again to end up here, with you.”
Elenie looked up at him—her strength, her love, her everything.
“Mi media naranja.6”
Roman closed his eyes and cleared his throat.
“Ditto to that, sweetheart.”
He pressed a kiss to her hair, his stubble grazing her skin. The warmth of him, his closeness, filled her nostrils. Filled her heart. Long fingers tracing the zipper running down the center of her back, he smoothed his hands gently over her ass.
“I can’t wait to undo this when we get home, and watch your dress slide to the floor. Starting and ending every day together is never going to get old.”
A shiver of desire snaked down her spine and she reached up to brush her mouth against his, running her tongue over his lower lip. Roman’s groin tightened against her stomach.
“Stop that or we’ll end up in the storage room again.”
The deep rumble of his voice was the sexiest sound she’d ever hear.
Elenie lifted herself on tiptoes to whisper in his ear.
“Promises, promises.”