Epilogue
EPILOGUE
5 YEARS LATER
T he rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the shore filled the warm, sunlit morning as Carmen Ruiz leaned back in her chair on their seaside porch, eyes half-lidded, basking in the serenity of their little paradise. The salty ocean breeze tousled her dark silver streaked curls as she sipped on her coffee, the rich aroma mixing with the scent of sea air. Beside her, curled up with a satisfied sigh, was Binx, their mischievous black Labrador mix, his tail twitching contentedly against the wooden planks.
The house was perfect. A modest, modern retreat perched on a hill overlooking the Pacific, close enough to the water to hear the tide roll in, yet private enough that it felt like their own hidden escape from the world. When they bought it three years ago, it had needed work, but Jude had taken to the renovations with the same precision she used in her military career. Now, it was their sanctuary.
Jude appeared at the threshold, her hair still damp from her morning swim, a towel slung over her broad shoulders. She wore a loose-fitting tank top and cargo shorts, her tanned skin glowing in the sunlight. Even after stepping away from active duty, she still exuded that quiet intensity that had first drawn Carmen to her. But these days, it was softened by something gentler—peace, maybe even contentment.
Carmen smiled as Jude stepped onto the porch, dropping a kiss to the top of her head before setting down a plate of toast and fruit. “You were lost in thought,” Jude noted, settling into the chair beside her, stretching out her legs.
“I was just thinking about how perfect this is,” Carmen admitted, reaching for Jude’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “Five years ago, if someone had told me this was where I’d be, I’d have called them crazy.”
Jude chuckled, squeezing her hand. “Same. I never pictured myself doing anything other than what I was trained for. But turns out, training the next generation of SEALs is just as rewarding.”
“And a little safer,” Carmen teased, her dark eyes twinkling.
Jude smirked. “A little. But those recruits do their best to keep me on my toes.”
Carmen had no doubt about that. Even in retirement, Jude’s reputation preceded her. She was still Captain Jude Smith—the woman who had walked through hell and back to keep people safe. And now, she spent her days teaching others how to do the same. It was a transition she had once struggled with, but now, she had found fulfillment in it.
“And you?” Jude asked, turning the conversation back to her. “Do you miss it?”
Carmen exhaled, staring out at the endless blue horizon. “Sometimes,” she admitted. “But not in the way I expected. I miss the diplomacy, the thrill of making things happen, but I did what I set out to do. And now…” She turned to Jude with a smile. “Now, I get to wake up every morning with you. That’s more than enough.”
Jude’s green eyes softened. “You know, sometimes I think about how close we came to losing this. Losing each other.”
Carmen nodded. That mission—the threats, the close calls, the gunfire—had changed them both. It had also been the moment she realized that nothing else mattered more than the woman sitting beside her now. They had survived together, fought together, and in the end, chosen each other.
“But we didn’t,” Carmen whispered. “We made it.”
Jude leaned over, pressing a lingering kiss to her lips. “Damn right we did.”
Binx chose that moment to stretch, yawning dramatically before rolling onto his back, paws in the air, as if demanding attention. Carmen laughed, scratching his belly. “And then we got this troublemaker.”
Jude grinned. “Best decision we ever made. Well, second best.”
Carmen arched a brow. “And the first?”
Jude smirked. “Taking the assignment to protect you.”
Carmen laughed, tilting her head as she regarded Jude playfully. “You were so serious at first.”
Jude was indignant, “I’m a serious operator and I had a serious job to do!”
“And then I seduced you.”
Jude rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. We’ll call it that.”
Carmen smirked, knowing full well that it had been a mutual pull—irresistible, inevitable.
The morning passed in easy conversation and laughter, the way their days often did. There was no rush, no urgency, just a peaceful rhythm they had built together. Later, Jude would head to the base to oversee drills, and Carmen had a stack of books waiting for her in the cozy reading nook inside. They had dinner plans with friends in town, and tomorrow, they were driving up the coast for a weekend getaway—just because they could.
As the sun climbed higher, Carmen stood, stretching her arms above her head. “I think I’ll take Binx for a walk before it gets too hot.”
Jude pushed up from her seat, wrapping an arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to the side of her neck. “I’ll come with you.”
Carmen smiled, leaning into her. “We really did find our happy ending, didn’t we?”
Jude looked at her with a rare softness. “Yeah, we did.”
With Binx trotting ahead, tail wagging, they set off down the winding path toward the beach, hand in hand, the sound of the waves their constant, steady backdrop. The world had once been full of chaos and danger, but now, it was filled with quiet mornings, shared laughter, and the simple certainty that they would always have each other.
And for them, that was everything.