Epilogue
T oday was a special day for a special lady. It was the end of Amanda’s first full week of teaching Kindergarten in the local school district. Dante was so damn proud of her. And so damn blessed to have the amazing woman in his life, and in Noah’s.
That day at the barn over five months ago had almost cost him more than he could give, but instead, it had turned out to give him more than he deserved.
Everything.
Thanks to her quick thinking, she had taken herself and Lyle out of the line of fire in that barn. But he’d barely gotten to her in time out back. Between the rock she’d thrown and Lyle’s shielding, he and Mac had come through the hole in the busted barn in time to take out the shooter, who was doubled over in pain and about to fire again.
He was damn lucky and grateful she had emerged from the danger unharmed.
After Lyle had been discharged from the hospital ER, Mac had brought the guy to ESI, and he told them about the flash drive he’d created that listed all the connections in the meth trade seeping onto the private schoolgrounds. When his buddy couldn’t coerce him into it, Lyle had slipped the drive into a small cat statue souvenir she’d bought on their picnic, then he went into hiding. He kept tabs on Amanda through an app he’d secretly installed on her phone. And when she’d moved back home, he’d followed—using a disguise and well-made fake passport.
The flash drive was safely in DI Bristol’s hands now. Apparently, Amanda had taken the statue out of her purse and shoved it into her laptop case, which had never been left in her London apartment or at her home in Harland during Lyle’s searches.
Lyle was now back at his school as the headmaster, along with Dante’s aviator sunglasses. The guy had admired them, so he happily gifted them to the Brit as a thank you for taking a bullet for his woman.
He could get another pair of aviators. He couldn’t get another Amanda. The woman was one of a kind.
Inhaling, he brought his mind back to the present and focused on making today memorable. He walked through his house filled with all his friends and their families, as well as Amanda’s parents and two sisters.
“How are you feeling, man?” Holden asked, with Braddock sitting by his feet as Dante approached the guys kicking back in his living room while the women were taking care of last-minute touches in the kitchen and outside.
“Good,” he replied.
“Well, you look happy and it’s nice to see you happy again. You deserve it, man.” Holden slapped him on the back and Braddock let out a low woof.
“Thanks,” he said, then bent and patted the dog before he turned to Carter. “Do you have fresh batteries in your camera?”
Carter snorted. “Do you know who I am? Of course, I do. You just do your thing, and you won’t even know I’m there.”
Of that, Dante had no doubt because whenever Amanda was around, the rest of the world faded to just the two of them and Noah.
After that day at the barn, she’d stayed here and never left. He’d been slightly worried about Noah, but it turned out Dante having sleepovers with Amanda in his bed had made his son extremely happy.
“Here, we’ve been waiting for you.” Mac shoved a drink in his hand and motioned for the other nine guys to lift theirs. “To all of you for putting your faith in me and helping to make ESI a success. You too, Gabe.”
“Hey.” Gabe frowned. “Holden doesn’t work for you, either.”
“Yeah, but I did.” Holden winked. “Which is more than we can say about you.”
Gabe nodded. “True. A’aight. Continue.” He nodded to Mac.
“To your families and your future families,” Mac said. “May we all live the life that we fought and bled for.”
Hooahs , Hooyahs, and a distinct woof echoed around the room before drinks were downed and backs were slapped.
Dante glanced at his watch and set down his glass. “I’d better round up my son and get him in place. Hope the ladies were able to keep him from getting dirty.”
“He looks as dapper as you.” Cooper gave him a thumbs up.
Carter snickered. “Dante could wear a trash bag and look cool.”
He laughed with the others, and those feelings of belonging and tight brotherhood that had been born on active duty continued to emanate from every one of the guys in front of him.
“Well,” he said, gaining their attention. “I just want to say thank you for being here. I’m glad to share this day with you all. With my family. Thanks for always having my back. And thanks for being my brothers.”
And as he gathered his son and they took their places in the backyard, Dante’s heart was full to bursting at what was to come.
***
W hen Amanda pulled in behind Dante’s truck and turned off the engine, she thought she heard people talking, then she spotted her sisters and Lyndsey waving to her from the side of the driveway.
“What are you doing here? Where are you parked?” she asked, getting out of the car.
“At my house.” Lyndsey grinned.
Emily nodded. “We wanted to surprise you.”
“And congratulate you on your first full week of teaching Kindergarteners,” Olivia added with a smile. “So proud of you.”
Amanda blinked back a rush of tears. “Thanks. I had a great week.”
“Well, it’s about to get better,” Emily said, pointing to the driveway just beyond Dante’s truck.
A trail of red rose petals spread from his truck to the backyard gate. She gasped and a deluge of goose bumps shot through her body.
“What’s going on?” she asked, glancing from one grinning face to another.
Lyndsey and Olivia took her purse and her lunch bag but remained quiet.
“Follow them and see.” Emily waved at the rose petals.
Amanda’s pulse skipped a beat as she walked closer and closer to the gate. Once there, she gripped the latch on the large wooden gate, and her heartbeats quickened as she opened the gate and stepped into the yard.
Air funneled into her chest and her heart warmed at the sight of all her friends and family holding balloons and signs with “Congratulations” on them.
“Thank you so much,” she said, smiling at the crowd gathered in front of her.
“But, wait,” Emily said, walking up to her side. “There’s more.”
Lyndsey motioned to the crowd, and they began to part down the middle to reveal another trail of rose petals. This trail led to a rose-covered swing set, where two of the most important guys in her life stood, wearing matching suits and smiles.
Tears filled her eyes, and she blinked them back as she slowly moved to them. The crowd was quiet, but her pulse was loud. Dante stole her breath. He wore a fitted black suit and white button-down shirt and she already looked forward to later that night and taking him out of it. Her gaze drifted to Noah and her heart caught in her chest. He wore a matching black suit and a tiny button-down shirt that fit his cute, tiny size. Their arms were positioned behind their backs, but as she neared, they each pull out and held up a white sign.
Amanda’s steps faltered and her eyes filled with a larger round of tears and several spilled down her face. She reread the signs again. Both asked very special questions.
Noah’s read: Will you be my mommy?
Dante’s read: Will you be my wife?
And if that wasn’t enough to break Amanda, they dropped to one knee and pulled out a blue velvet jeweler’s box and presented them to her.
Unable to hold it in any longer she rushed forward, tears streaming down her face as she knelt in front of them.
“Yes, Noah. I will,” she told the sweet little boy she’d come to love as her own.
“Yay! Den d is is for you.” He fumbled but managed to get the ring out and shoved it on the ring finger of her right hand. “It has all our birfstones . Right, Daddy?”
“Yes, it does,” Dante replied with a grin.
“Da red one is for Daddy. Da opal one is mine and blue one is yours,” Noah happily informed, touching each stone as he talked. They were a blessed American family and had the birthstones to prove it. “Okay. Now it’s Daddy’s turn.”
Amanda turned her attention to the gorgeous man, and the adoration blazing in his eyes caused a tremor to ripple through her.
He grasped her left hand, lifted it to his lips, and kissed her bare ring finger. “I love you, Amanda. You’ve enriched our lives so much. I can’t imagine a day without you. Will you marry me and share our lives?”
She sniffed and swallowed a few times, trying to find her voice. “Yes,” she finally managed to whisper. Then she cleared her throat again. “I love you too, Dante. You put the beat in my heart and Noah is the song.”
He inhaled and took the ring out of the box and slowly slid it on her left hand, then he brought them to their feet and kissed her lips, softly, deeply…just right.
Cheers erupted around them, and the crowd rushed forward. Dante broke the kiss and lifted Noah up then he slid his other arm around her, and together, the three of them welcomed the congratulations.
A little while later, Amanda stood in the circle of Dante’s arms, basking in the love and strength surrounding her, as their family and friends mingled and laughed, and the kids happily played nearby.
“See, Noah?” Dillan grinned. “I told you the beds work.”
If you enjoyed Dante, please consider leaving a review.
Thank you so much!