Epilogue
Later that autumn
“Novel Process for Photocata— Huh?”
Jules glanced up at Cal, whose expression looked pained as he puzzled out the title of the paper she was preparing to submit for publication.
“Novel Process for Photocatalytically Induced Nickel-boron Transmetallation,” she said.
Turning up an inviting hand, she flashed a teasing smile.
“You’re welcome to read it, if you want.
I could use another pair of eyes on it, to proofread. ”
He arched an eyebrow and grunted. “Thanks, but I’m in the middle of Green Eggs and Ham right now. I’m dying to find out if Sam eats the green eggs or not.”
Jules barked a laugh, something she did a lot these days. She loved to rib her fiancé, loved to jest with him and generally not take life so seriously. She loved Cal for many reasons, but bringing laughter back to her life was among the top ones.
He moved to stand behind her where she was busy on her laptop, reviewing assignments her undergraduate students had submitted.
When his fingers began massaging her tired shoulders, she moaned her pleasure.
She couldn’t get enough of his hands on her and had been late to class this morning thanks to their morning assignation.
He bent to kiss her neck, whispering, “Any chance I can steal you away for lunch?”
She angled a glance up at him. “Don’t you still have murders to solve? Bad guys to catch?”
“True, but Wyatt knows where to find me if he wants my assistance. Until I’m asked, it’s his and the drug task force’s case. They’ll get their man. I have faith in them. So, lunch, Dr. Bailey?”
She grinned and savored the ripple of sensation that chased through her as his lips grazed her skin. “I keep telling you… I’m not a doctor yet. I have to finish my research paper and get it approved by the doctoral panel. That means at least another couple months.”
His arms slipped around her from behind and pressed his mouth to her temple. “And by then you’ll be able to call yourself Dr. Colton.”
She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face when she thought about marrying Cal. Being part of his big, loving family. Spending the rest of her life laughing and making love to the man of her dreams.
“I can go to lunch,” she said, trying to type despite his romantic advances, “but only if you let me get these comments back to Nancy first. She has a deadline.”
With one last kiss, he released her and took the chair across the desk in her tiny office at the University of North Dakota at Red Grove.
When she’d approached the head of the chemistry department at UND-RG about finishing her doctorate degree with them, he’d moved mountains to get her onboard.
The department head had seen the research she’d done while at the University of Manitoba and been excited to add her to their program.
“Mind if I call Abby and see if she wants to join us?” Jules asked as she hit Send on the email she was finishing. “I think she has today off.”
Abby, who had made significant progress once she’d known she was safe from Chase Hamilton, had been discharged from the mental health clinic last month and taken over Jules’s job at the gift shop to earn a little cash before she, too, would return to college in the near future.
Some days, when Abby talked about the interesting tourists from around the world she met at the gift shop, Jules missed the little shop. For about five minutes.
Then she’d thank her lucky stars for her chemistry research, her teaching post as a graduate student and her upcoming wedding.
Life was finally good.