Epilogue
To Lexi, it was definitely a labor of love and something she was proud to have participated in for the city’s economic and commercial development and revitalization. She gazed out at Cooper, who flashed a toothy smile and gave her a thumbs-up in support.
Thank you, darling, Lexi thought sincerely, grinning at him.
They had both managed to get through the ups and downs of December in one piece—including, on the up side, spending Christmas Day together and inviting Eleanor over to share the holiday with them, and exchanging gifts.
They video chatted with Lexi’s family and Cooper’s Aunt Katherine.
Everyone was welcoming and they each looked forward to the new year and getting together in person.
Lexi mused briefly about the senseless deaths of Horace Eckhart and Neal Zapponi, and how Gilbert Jacquin had managed to exploit Horace’s financial woes to Gilbert’s own advantage in furthering his position with the City of Phoenix, along with the monetary incentives for his actions that included carjackings that turned into murder, a home invasion, and Lexi’s own abduction and brush with death that was partly because of her architectural association with a building inspector and partly due to Gilbert’s hidden obsession with her.
None of it had sat well with Cooper, who wished he had been able to stop Gilbert in his tracks sooner—sparing Lexi her ordeal. Along with Eleanor and his former CI, Neal.
We’re stronger because of how we came to be, Lexi told herself, believing that it was all somehow meant to be in bringing them to this point in their relationship.
Her thoughts returned to the moment at hand as everyone got their scissors ready and, on cue, cut the ceremonial ribbon to the applause of attendees to mark the beginning of a notable achievement and success story for the Valley of the Sun.
COOPER COULD NOT have been more excited to ring in the new year with Lexi. Meeting her family members from afar and introducing her to his aunt had been fulfilling and a strong indicator of the direction they were heading.
He cast his gaze on Lexi as she and the others involved in the development and renovation of downtown Phoenix took their bows after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
This was her moment and he was delighted to see Lexi bask in the limelight as an architect extraordinaire for the city and county who deserved every accolade that came her way.
It saddened him to think that none of this—including spending the holidays together—might have ever happened had Gilbert Jacquin had his way.
After everything else he had set into motion—including Darren Fonseca and Lonnie Saldana committing murders and carjackings on his behalf, and throwing in a home invasion as an added crime—Jacquin had become obsessed with Lexi.
But even that wasn’t enough to keep him from wielding a Rost Martin RM1C 9-mm pistol in a plan to kill her, in order to save his own neck.
Now Jacquin and his cohorts, Fonseca and Saldana, would be held accountable for their crimes—as Cooper fully expected convictions on federal and state charges and lengthy stays in prison for all three. As far as he was concerned, their trials couldn’t come soon enough.
Beyond that, others were being federally prosecuted on public corruption charges as part of his investigation and would also face justice for their crimes, in putting profits and greed ahead of everything else.
Twenty minutes later, Cooper was seated with Lexi at a booth in the city’s newest restaurant that she helped design, Kay’s Cactus Cuisine.
While they waited for the food to arrive, Cooper opened a bottle of the restaurant’s finest champagne and half filled two flutes. “I think we need to celebrate today’s events in style,” he told her.
Lexi showed her teeth. “Sounds good to me.”
He slid one glass her way and said smoothly, “Glad we think alike.”
Cooper watched as Lexi lifted her drink and, just before taking a sip, happened to glance inside. Her eyes popped wide as she gazed at the champagne. She put a hand to her mouth, then regarded him with utter shock and asked, “Is that what I think it is?”
Cooper laughed and took the champagne flute from her before she dropped it from her trembling hand.
“Yes, I believe so,” he said endearingly, and removed the pear-shaped halo diamond engagement ring.
After drying it with a napkin, Cooper looked her in the eye and voiced in a heartfelt tone, “I’ve fallen deeply in love with you, Lexi.
If you’ll have me, I’m asking you to become my wife and mother of any future children we wish to bring into the world—making me the happiest man in Arizona, if not the entire country—while giving us both another shot at matrimony and pure happiness in growing old together.
” He drew a breath and slid the ring on her finger presumptively. “Will you marry me, Lexi De La Garza?”
With tears of joy in her brown eyes, Lexi answered, “Yes—yes, I’ll marry you, Cooper Reid!
” She admired the ring and met his gaze.
“The reason why is that I’ve fallen head over heels in love with you, too—and would be honored to make a life together as wife and husband and ultimately proud parents to however many children we have. So, yes again—let’s get married!”
Cooper beamed. “We will, my love—that’s a promise—much sooner than later. But only if it can be sealed with a kiss.”
Lexi laughed. “You do drive a hard bargain, Special Agent Reid. Please seal our union with a kiss.”
“Consider it done,” Cooper told her, leaning in and planting the sweetest kiss he could muster on her waiting lips.
Only then did they hear the applause and well wishes from other patrons who undoubtedly were pulling for them to have the type of lasting love that Cooper envisioned and would make sure it never, ever faltered.