Epilogue #2
"Few months minimum, potentially longer.
Depends on what intelligence gets uncovered while I'm here and how deep this smuggling operation goes.
" I stepped closer, close enough to catch the faint scent of her vanilla shampoo mixed with the antiseptic odor that clung to her scrubs.
"Look, I won't pretend the job isn't what made this assignment possible.
But Gabi, you're the reason I wanted it.
You're the reason I volunteered for it."
Her expression softened, but she didn't uncross her arms or step toward me.
"I know I messed up before—catastrophically.
Taking that Seattle position without even talking to you first, making that decision in isolation like your feelings didn't matter?
That was the stupidest, most selfish thing I've ever done.
" The words tasted bitter, but they needed to be said.
"I threw away the best thing in my life because I was too proud and too scared to admit I needed you more than I needed career advancement. "
She listened intently, her dark eyes searching my face for signs of sincerity.
"Despite what happened between us last night, I'm not asking to pick up where we left off like nothing happened.
I haven't earned that right, and I know it.
But I'd like a chance to show you I've changed.
That I understand now what I threw away and what really matters.
That I'm willing to do the hard work to find the right balance between personal and professional responsibilities.
" I ran a hand through my hair, suddenly feeling every hour of sleep I'd missed.
"Maybe we could start slow? Coffee sometime, when things settle down and you've had time to process all this? "
I held my breath, waiting for her answer, my heart hammering against my ribs so hard I was sure she could hear it.
The silence stretched between us for an eternity.
Gabi's dark eyes searched my face with an intensity that stripped me bare, and I forced myself to stay still under her scrutiny.
To let her take whatever time she needed to weigh my words against my past actions, to decide if I was worth the risk of trusting again.
Finally, after what seemed like hours but was probably only thirty seconds, she uncrossed her arms.
"You juggled everything today," she said slowly, thoughtfully.
"In the middle of all the post-hurricane chaos and your federal investigation and securing crime scenes, you still made time for me.
You took me to help my friend when she needed it.
You put what mattered to me ahead of what was convenient for your case.
" A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, small but genuine.
"That means a lot to me, Daniel. More than you know. "
My breath caught in my throat, and I took a half step forward, drawn by that hint of warmth in her voice, by the hope I was afraid to let loose in my chest.
"So," she continued, and her smile grew wider, "I think we can do a lot better than coffee."
The words hit me like lightning, and that hope bloomed wild and desperate. But I forced myself to stay cautious, to make sure I understood what she was offering before I let myself believe it.
"Better than coffee?" Despite the mule kick of my heart against my ribs, I kept my voice neutral, not wanting to assume anything or push too hard too fast.
Her slow, devastating smile pulled me in like gravity, like coming home after years in exile. "Much better than coffee," she murmured, closing the last few inches of distance between us with deliberate, measured steps.
She flowed into my arms like she belonged there, like she'd never left, like the past months of separation and heartbreak had been nothing more than a bad dream.
My hands curved around her waist, spanning the narrow space between her ribs and hips, and her fingers curled into the fabric of my shirt like she was anchoring herself to me.
Then her lips met mine, soft and warm and absolutely perfect, and the rest of the world disappeared.
She melted against me with a soft sigh, and I sank into the taste of her, into the flavor of forgiveness and possibility and everything I'd been missing since I'd made the worst decision of my life.
I pulled her closer, needing to feel every inch of her pressed against me, savoring the way her hands slid up my chest to link behind my neck, the way she fit against me like we'd been designed for each other.
When we finally came up for air, both of us breathing hard, I rested my forehead against hers, closing my eyes and just breathing in this moment. The crushing weight that had been sitting on my chest since Seattle finally lifted, and my shoulders relaxed for the first time in months.
"I missed you," I whispered against her hair, my voice rough with emotion. "Every single day. Every single hour."
She hummed in contentment, her fingers playing with the hair at the nape of my neck. "I missed you too. Even when I was furious with you. Especially when I was furious with you."
"I deserved your fury. I deserved a lot worse than that, honestly."
"You did." She pulled back just enough to meet my eyes, her expression serious but not cold. "But you also earned this second chance today. With your actions, not just your words. Just don't mess it up, Daniel. I won't give you a third."
"Not a chance." I traced my thumb along the curve of her jaw, marveling at the softness of her skin. "I learned my lesson the hard way. No more making major life decisions without talking to you first. No more putting career ambition ahead of what really matters."
"Speaking of major life decisions..." She raised an eyebrow, a hint of mischief creeping into her expression. "Where exactly are you planning to stay during this extended assignment?"
"The firehouse, for now. Chief Thompson set up a cot in one of the back rooms, but it's definitely not a long-term solution.
" I gave her a hopeful look, not quite daring to ask directly but letting the question hang in the air between us.
"You wouldn't happen to know of any apartments for rent on the island?
Preferably something with a reasonable commute to a certain beautiful doctor's place? "
I hope you enjoyed your trip to Hatterwick Island!
If this was your first visit, you should know that the series begins with a prequel novel, Smoke on the Water, that tells Caroline and Hoyt’s story.
If you’re more interested in Willa and Sawyer and the events alluded to at the end here, check out their book Won’t Back Down.
You can get an extra glimpse of Gabi and Daniel’s happily ever after! Get the bonus epilogue straight to your inbox! Just sign up here:
The series continues with Bree and Ford in All Along The Watchtower!
Ford Donoghue broke my heart a decade ago. And no matter how hard I tried, I was never really over it.
I perfected the art of ignoring him whenever he came home to Hatterwick Island—cold shoulders, polite smiles, and walls a mile high.
It worked.
Until the day his thirteen-year-old daughter walked into my bar, scared and looking for a father she’s never met.
One phone call later, Ford’s back in Hatterwick.
And so are all the feelings I swore I’d buried.
But this isn’t about us.
At least, it wasn’t supposed to be.